Cork schoolboys raise over €50,000 for classmate with cancer

Schoolboys have raised over €51,000 for a classmate who is undergoing treatment for cancer and for relevant charities after they recorded a single which topped the iTunes chart in the run up to Christmas.

Transition year students at St Colman's in Fermoy, Co Cork recorded a version of "Lean on Me" which they released last year.

Money raised from the recording of the Bill Withers track is to be donated to Crumlin Children's Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House, the Mercy University Hospital, the national children's ambulance service Bumbleance and to the impacted student.

Claire McCarthy, a teacher at the school, said that they have been "blown away" by the support shown.

Ms McCarthy told Cork's 96FM that they were shocked by the amount of money raised through their venture.

"We certainly never in our wildest dreams expected to raise this much money. We set what we thought as a really ambitious target of €10,000 for ourselves.

As the campaign progressed and as time went on it just grew and grew and the goodwill that was behind the lads, the support from local businesses was just phenomenal.

Around 35c from each download was donated directly to the causes identified by the students. The rest of the money was raised through an online appeal.

The students obtained the backing of several high profile figures in the world of politics and sport including Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin and rugby player Peter O'Mahony.

The track held off the likes of X Factor winner Dalton Harris and Mark Ronson to secure the top spot.