The Strypes to headline fundraiser for local hospital

“It’s about giving something back,” local man Dermot Walsh says of the upcoming gig, in celebration of the life of his late wife Martina, and in support of both Cavan General Hospital and Cavan-Monaghan Palliative Care.

‘In Memory of Martina’ takes place at the Hotel Kilmore on Friday, January 19. The star-studded event is headlined by ‘The Strypes’, ‘Aine Cahill’, ‘Lisa O’Neill’ and a plethora of other acts including Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan. The show starts at 8.30pm, with tickets available from Multisound and the Hotel Kilmore selling out fast. More than 100 tickets changed hands in the run up to Christmas, for a concert Dermot says, would have seen his late wife Martina “in her element”.
“She loved music, she loved people, she loved fun,” he told The Anglo-Celt. Mum-of-two Martina Walsh (nee O’Brien) Carrickfern, Cavan Town, and formerly of Muff, Canningstown, passed away on September 7, 2017, following a battle against cancer, and in the wonderful care of the staff in Surgical 1 Cavan General Hospital.
Following the hospital staff’s dedicated care of his wife - doctors, nurses and even dinner ladies and cleaners, as well as members of Cavan-Monaghan Palliative Care - Dermot wanted to host the event in their honour and to give something back.
“There were so many people we met during those difficult times, people we knew only on first name terms, and never got their second name. We will honour them on the night,” says Dermot, who explains how the first few rows of the Kilmore’s Country Club have been specially reserved.
“It’s only when you’re there, you see how great the staff at the hospital are, everyone from the doctors to the nurses, the cleaners and the dinner ladies, as well as the palliative care staff. You only hear of the bad stories when they happen, but it’s very rare you hear the 99% of good things that happen, they get overlooked.
“What I can say is that we’re incredibly thankful to them, everyone at Surgical 1 and Cavan Palliative care for all they’ve done. We’re absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity to date and we’re looking forward to what we hope will be a very special night. It’s not meant to be a sad occasion, it’s a celebration of Martina’s life and all she lived for. She would have loved this,” adds Dermot.