John Foley to dye hair for Daingean playground

Anyone familiar with Offaly councillor and businessman John Foley will know that his hairstyle is somewhat standout. To help raise funds for a playground in Daingean however it's set to become an even more eye-catching style. Later this month Cllr Foley will join 18 other volunteers in a fundraising wax, shave or dye event to push funds ever closer to the €25,000 goal needed to make a local playground a reality. "We were kind of thinking of a rainbow," an event organiser said this week. Regardless of whether Cllr Foley plumps for a rainbow of colours for his hair or not, he's not going to get away with a subtle colour change. The future playground is to have a logo made of luminous colours, and it's these luminous colours that are to be used for the dye part of the wax, shave or dye event. Just one woman is included in the line-up of 19 volunteers for the event set for Seery's in Daingean on October 28. She's joining Cllr Foley in the dye option, along with five others. An additional ten have volunteered to be waxed, while two are going to have their hair shaved off on the night. Members of the public have also been invited to join in what's sure to be a night of fun and witness all of the shaving, waxing and dyeing. Chair of the Molesworth Bridge Playground Committee Martin O'Reilly said the upcoming event is the group's first large scale fundraiser. Established in August last, the group hopes to raise €25,000 by August 2013 for a playground that will be made possible by further funding from Offaly Local Development Company. Further large scale events are in the planning, he added, including a lantern exhibition nearer Christmas. Anyone who wants to get in touch with the playground committee, find out more about the upcoming wax, shave or dye event or lend a hand with future fundraisers can get in touch by calling Martin on 087 1484307 or emailing maryplayground@gmail.com.