JP McManus’s €40m local charity giveaway

Charities and voluntary groups in the Mid-West last night hailed a new €40m fund which is being set up by Limerick sportsman and philanthropist, JP McManus to help their work.

Mr McManus’ daughter, Sue Ann Foley, will chair the committee which will supervise its distribution.

An international golf tournament organised by Mr McManus has raised almost €100m which has been distributed to help organisations in the Mid-West involved in health care, education and sport.

The last golf event held at Adare Manor Hotel golf resort in 2010 raised €43m.

The primary focus of the €40m fund will be community development, education, healthcare and local infrastructural developments throughout the Mid-West.

Ms Foley, who lives at Islanmore Stud, Croom, said they hope to use the fund to support community efforts in providing better economic and social amenities at local level.

The fund committee will operate independently from other programmes funded by Mr McManus and his charitable foundation.

Funds from his foundation have helped provide key health services in Limerick and the Mid-West, including a radiotherapy unit at University Hospital Limerick.

Originally Limerick was not included in the national radiotherapy programme and it was intended that patients from the Mid-West would to travel to Cork and Galway for treatment.

However, when the JP McManus Foundation stepped in with money, the HSE gave the go-ahead for a radiotherapy unit in Limerick.

The foundation also sponsors many educational ventures including a 32-county third-level scholarship programme.

Conor Counihan, CEO of St Joseph’s Foundation in Charleville, said: “We are all very familiar with what JP has done over the years in terms of the Pro-Am and other events, and to come again with this contribution in the current economic climate is remarkable.”