Arts Centre fundraising campaign ends with monster draw

The arts centre fundraising committee has expressed thanks to all in the wake of a packed to capacity draw night in the Tullamore Court Hotel last Friday. The winner of the main prize of a Nissan Quasqai was revealed as Ester Lawless of Arden Vale on the night. Other prizewinners pulled from the hat included Maura Sheridan from the Arden Road who won €7,500, the Tullamore St Patrick's Day committee who won €5,000, Margaret Duffy from Daingean who won €2,500, Vincent Conlon of Kildangan who won €1,500, the Offaly Association in New York who won €1,000 and finally John O'Donovan of Spollenstown Wood who won €500. On draw night last Friday Offaly acts including Man O'Bog, Legitimate Bodies and Tullamore Concert Choir entertained the crowd. In the wake of the draw night, which brought a fundraising process that has been going for almost a year to a close, the fundraising committee sent thanks to all involved including ticket buyers, the committeee itself, the board of the new Arts Centre and Offaly County Council. "The resilience of the community is steadfast even in these hardened recessionary times," PRO of the fundraising committee Denise Keoghan said. "I am proud to have been part of this long hard campaign and when the Arts Centre is built, each of us who bought a ticket can be proud of the part we played in making this a reality."