Lamb sale raises thousands for charity in memory of Christy

THE local agricultural community has flocked together to raise a staggering £19,000 in memory of a local farmer who recently passed away after suffering a heart attack.

Christy Hamilton (pictured) died aged just 41 after falling ill last month while tending to his animals with his four young daughters and wife, Joanne, by his side.

Emergency services, including paramedics and the Air Ambulance, were quickly at the scene, but Mr Hamilton sadly passed away.

However, his family are extremely grateful to those who assisted at the scene, and they decided to raise money for Air Ambulance NI by auctioning a young ram lamb named ‘Sleepy’, which was reared by Mr Hamilton’s 15-year-old daughter, Georgia.

Sleepy, picked for the initiative by Georgia, had been one of triplets whose mum had no milk. He had been adopted by another ewe who only had one lamb. Sleepy’s sisters, ‘Sarah’ and ‘Flopsy’, were lovingly bottle fed by Georgia, and her younger sisters, Sarah-Jane, Eva and Annie, and will be staying as part of Georgia’s flock.

The auction took place at Donemana Mart, and when Georgia arrived, she was hoping that Sleepy might raise £150. But bidding rocketed to nearly £12,000 on the day, thanks to local farmers buying Sleepy and then selling him on, with profits donated to the fundraiser.

The last bid was from six-year-old Alanagh Daly, who kept Sleepy.

Speaking to the Chronicle, Georgia said her beloved dad was particularly fond of the lamb, and she is pleased it is now going to a good home.

“I was a bit overwhelmed as I entered the ring at the auction thinking that I would raise around £150… but when I left, we had raised over £11,000!

“I would like to thank everyone who donated to the Air Ambulance appeal.

“Daddy was attached to Sleepy, and it is great to see him go to a good home where he will be looked after.”

Tony Morning, a family friend, and Georgia’s grandfather, George McGerrigle, who helped organise the sale, have expressed heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to the fundraiser.

Tony said, “It was amazing what Georgia did. She only has a few lambs, but decided to sell her best one in memory of her father.

“She told me before the sale that if she got £150 for Sleepy, she would be happy.

“But by the end of the day, she ended up with just over £11,000, which is absolutely fantastic.”

Donations have continued to flood in since the sale, and the final amount raised was an incredible £19,171.

‘GREAT CAUSE’

‘Sleepy’ is now happy at his new home in Gortin, and Alanagh Daly’s dad, Rory, said he was delighted to contribute to such a great cause.

“Sleepy is living on our farm now, and we are more than happy to give him a good home,” Rory said.

“Air Ambulance do great things for local people.

“I know Christy’s family, and wanted to show them that everyone is thinking of them at this difficult time.”

Georgia and the Hamilton and McGerrigle families want to express their heartfelt gratitude to the farmers and dealers, and everyone who supported this great cause.

They said, “The whole community have really rallied around and given so much support.

“A special thanks to Charlie Kennedy for the use of his mart, to Mervyn Gibson, the auctioneer, to Pearl Feathers for collecting the money, and to Tony Morning for helping to organise the event.”