Clara CD to fund defibrillator repairs in town
Proceeds from a nostalgic triple CD featuring songs from almost 50 Clara artists will go towards replacing the batteries in defibrillators in the Offaly town.
The Clara Defibrillator Scheme, which is tasked with the role of providing and maintaining the seven public access units in the town and also with training members of the public in CPR, will need to raise “at least €5,000” over the coming months to repair all seven defibrillators, according to the co-ordinator of the scheme, Barry Flynn.
“The average lifespan of a defibrillator battery is seven years, so we will need to replace all the batteries next year,” says Barry, who adds that the annual maintenance costs for each of the seven defibrillators in Clara now stands at an average of €75.
He points out that, while installing public access defibrillators is “one job” the maintenance of them is also a big task, and a costly one. In 2009, the scheme launched a very successful fundraising initiative for the installation of defibrillators in the town with the launch of Volume 1 of the CD 'Clara Through The Years' and Barry Flynn said they had decided to mark the 10th anniversary of that launch with another SC in 2019 “and then Covid intervened” he says.
Volume 2 of the best-selling CD is now on sale at various outlets in Clara at just €10 per copy, and Barry Flynn says it would make “the ideal Christmas gift” for Clara people living in other parts of the country, or for those living abroad.
“There is huge musical talent in Clara, so the CD features a host of well-known singers who have been around for a long time, some who are no longer with us, and some who are among the new crop of singers from the local area,” adds Barry.
Among the well-known local singers featured on the CD who have passed away are the legendary Joe Rabbitte, Jerry Rock, Pat Ennis, Davy Kavanagh, Mikey Kenny, Matt Fleming, Tommy Redmond and Jimmy Rabbitte.
More recent singing talents to emerge from Clara including The Secrets, featuring the late Joe Rabbitte's daughter, Noreen, on lead vocals; Nathan Meehan; Stephen Rabbitte; Blind Dog; Joe Joe Bracken; Alex Roe and Martin Reilly, who are also featured on the CD.
Barry Flynn says the members of the Clara Defibrillator Scheme are “very mindful” of the many other organisations who were unable to fundraise during Covid, and they are also conscious that “times are hard” for many families in the run-up to Christmas, but he is urging people to consider “shopping local” by purchasing a copy of 'Clara Through The Years' as a Christmas gift.
He says that, while the emphasis on public access defibrillators as a first response is “not as great now” as it was when they were first installed, they are still essential in local communities.
Clara Defibrillator Scheme is very thankful to the members of the local fire service and their senior managers for facilitating “early intervention and a rapid response” in the case of cardiac arrest emergencies in the local community.
'Clara Through The Years' is available to purchase in Londis, Mace, Dunicans, Rabbittes, Macari's, Hanamy's, Baggots, Serenity Giftware, Penthouse Barbers, McManus and Jel's Kitchen in Clara.