Fundraisers say thanks a bunch

Thousands of euro have been donated to a vital palliative care service in the name of a popular Kerry fundraiser who lost her life to cancer last month.

The generous donation was made possible by hundreds of people who bought daffodils in the name of Vivien O’Shea.

Since 1997 Ms O’Shea, affectionately known as the “daffodil lady”, had sold the flowers grown on her Cleeney, Killarney, farm to help fund the Irish Cancer Society’s annual daffodil day.

On Jan 4, after a long battle with cancer, the mother of two and wife of Micheál passed away peacefully.

However, despite the shock in the community at the loss of the popular maths and science teacher at Killarney Community College, mourners put their feelings to good use by raising more than €3,000 in her name.

On Sunday, dozens of people touched by Ms O’Shea’s generosity in life gathered daffodils from her farm — with the permission of her family — for the first ever “Viv Day” in the area.

All proceeds from the flowers’ sales went to the palliative care unit at Kerry General, with the €3,000 donation earmarked for helping to care for people with cancer.

* www.cancer.ie