Augher fundraising won’t be deterred by Covid lockdown

MANY people are getting fed up with lockdown and no-one more so than popular Augher woman, Emma McKenna, of McKenna’s Bar. Emma’s routine always focused on the comings and goings of the local family-run bar, but the closure of ‘wet pubs’ has had a great impact, as it has had throughout the local community.

Many years ago Emma and the family wanted to acknowledge the support received from the regional learning disability charity, Mencap NI, by hosting a fundraising quiz.

Over 14 years later and having raised over £10,000 for the charity, the annual Mencap Quiz every February became a firm date in the diaries of many in the Clogher Valley.

Emma, and her sister Una, said, “It started off with an idea that we would do a quiz and a bit of a raffle to raise funds for Mencap, a charity that is dear to our hearts.

“Since then it has grown every year and the support from the community and local business has been absolutely fantastic.

“We are delighted to say that with this support we have been able to raise over £10,000 to date.

“We think its success is down to the fact it is usually a bit of craic and with the long-standing quiz master Stephen Donnelly.

“There have often been many controversial moments where his answer to the question did not match that of anyone else in the bar.”

The quiz this year has fallen foul of lockdown, but that did not stop Emma, who has decided to move the fundraising online and set up a JustGiving fundraising page. Once again, the community and businesses have rowed in behind to support with donations and prizes.

Emma plans to wind down her fundraiser this Sunday (March 7) at 7pm when she plans to do a live stream from McKenna’s Bar Facebook page, where she will draw from a hat the names of those that donated and match them with one of the many great prizes donated.

• Visit McKenna’s Bar Facebook page to join the live stream at 7pm on Sunday, March 7 at https://www.facebook.com/mckennasbaraugher

• If you wish to support Emma’s fundraiser for Mencap NI, then visit hhtps://justgiving.com/fundraising/emmamencap