Raising the bar for chocolate goodness

Chocolate is good for you, but this St. Patrick's Day sees the launch of a bar of chocolate that's also good for your community, and might be lucky too! Shamrockeeny is a novelty bar made by award winning Stradone company, Áine Hand Made Chocolate. Willy Wonka style, a percentage of the bars contain an emerald ticket, which is redeemable against a €20 voucher in Toymaster or Game Stop or €20 phone credit at XL (formerly Daybreak). The chocolate bars cost €2 each and funds raised will go towards Tullacmongan Resource Centre. "The whole idea was based around the fun element of having an emerald ticket, something like the Willy Wonka's golden ticket but with an Irish twist," Jackie Knight, childcare manager at the resource centre told The Anglo-Celt. "Because of the recession, funding is being cut across the board and there's increased pressure and requests on businesses and individuals. I thought it would be good to come up with a fundraiser where the consumer is getting something and the retailer will get a customer in their shop," said Jackie, pointing out that retailers are not getting a cut from the Shamrockeeny bar.Jackie approached Ann Rudden with her idea and got a "fantastic" response from the community-minded chocolatier. Funds will go towards the centre's summer camps, told Jackie, who explained that the bar's name is derived from an old Irish word meaning "to leap in the air and kick one's heels together often with a yelp of pure delight". Retailers who wish to stock Shamrockeeny bars (on sale in selected shops from today) can phone 087-9141260.