Report: Charity auction at Ballymote Mart
Lots reached €2,000 at a special Christmas charity auction in memory of Mark Hargadon, a farm accident victim, at Aurivo Ballymote Mart’s final sale of 2022 earlier today (Thursday).
Hargadon, from Corrigeenmore, Ballymote, passed away at Sligo University Hospital in September 2021 following a tragic incident involving a tractor and trailer on his farm.
He worked in Aurivo’s Homeland store in Ballymote and was a “well-known and well-respected” figure within his local community.
Family and friends organised a charity auction in his memory to raise funds for North West Hospice, Sligo and presented a memorial cup following the mart’s general cattle sale.
North West Hospice provides palliative care services for people with life-limiting illnesses in their homes, nursing homes, hospitals and its hospice.
North West Hospice
According to Paula Cooney, North West Hospice needs to raise €1.3 million each year to provide the service.
Speaking at the event: “The key for us is that it is free, in that if you need hospice, you do not have to pay for it. We provide palliative and end-of-life care, but our motto is to help people live as long as they can, pain-free for as long as possible.”
“When you think hospice, you think cancer, and that is absolutely correct because most people that we deal with have cancer. But it is for any life-limiting illness, such as COPD or Motor Neurone Disease.”
“We keep people at home for as long as we can because we have two teams of palliative care nurses who visit people at home. We link in with oncology in Sligo University Hospital and have so many impatient beds in the unit in Sligo.”
“It is thanks to you that hospice belongs to the community because you fundraise so we could establish a hospice, and because of people like ye and your committee, we are able to keep it running.”
“I cannot get over the generosity of people with the number of lots, so on behalf of North West Hospice, I want to thank you all very much for the whole event,” she concluded.
As reported by That’s Farming, Mark’s sister, Marie, addressed crowds to shed light on farm safety and to thank the public for their support – read this news article.
Livestock auctioneer’s words
Ahead of the auction, livestock auctioneer, Pat Burke, commented:
“I did not know Mark personally, but knew him from coming into the seller’s box here, but I am sure that today he is looking down today and smiling, thinking, look at all the people that turned out for me.”
“Well done to everyone here; there has been a huge response. It is great to see the good will, and that is what it is all about.”
“So, now let us get proceedings underway. It is down to me to try to get the money off ye, and that will not be a problem,” Burke laughed.
Lots
A sample of some of the lots that Pat Burke put under the hammer:
- 375kgs – AAX – Jan-2022-born heifer – sponsored by Fergus Hever – €2,000;
- 305kgs – QA AAX bullock – September-2021-born – Gavin – €1,200;
- Two cross-bred ram lambs, sponsored by Michael and Darragh Brehony – €160;
- Pedigree Lleyn ewe lamb – €330;
- Ewe lamb, sponsored by Brian O’Boyle – €290;
- Jacob-cross ewe lamb, sponsored by Thomas Corcoran, Coolaney Sheep Sales, €240;
- Charollais-cross ram lamb – €150;
- Ewe lamb, sponsored by Anthony Neary – €180;
- Cross-bred ewe lamb, sponsored by Trevor Redican – €190;
- Brian Grennan Transport electric remote control/ride-on toy lorry – Grennans – €1,000;
- 1 PTE (Pirate – Charolais) AI straw, sponsored by Johnathon Scanlon – €420;
- Three ash plants – €260;
- Home-made porter cake – €100;
- €500 voucher for Aurivo – €840;
- 1-tonne meal voucher for Aurivo – €640;
- 10 bales of silage sponsored by Paddy Gallagher – €600;
- 1 load of stone from Harringtons – €600;
- Grass seed spreader, worth €250 – €350;
- 5 EBY (AI Limousin) straws, sponsored by IFAC – €420;
- 5 EBY (AI Limousin) straws, sponsored by EBY – €300;
- 5 LM4151 (AI Limousin) Norman Inventor straws, sponsored by WWS (World Wide Sires) – €260;
- €200 voucher for slurry spreading in 2023, sponsored by James and Rodger McGowan – €320;
- Agitating and spreading of a 3-bay shed, sponsored by Cathal Killoran Agri – €660;
- €100 hamper, sponsored by Alan O’ Sullivan – €260;
- Hamper sponsored by Mark’s family – €360;
- Voucher for 1 night stay, B&B and evening meal – Cryan’s Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon – €460.
More lots:
- The making of 20 bales of silage, sponsored by Ward Agri – €380;
- Choice of a collie pup – anonymous donation – €190;
- Hamper by CT Electrical – €400;
- €250 voucher for a wireless camera system – Mullaney’s Wireless – €380;
- ½ t of 8:6:12, supplied by Paul Feeney Agri – €480;
- 5ac of reseeding, discing and power harrowing within a 20-mile radius – Trevor O’Connor – €1,320;
- Impact Combi drill, Joe Simon in Boyle – €270;
- 20 bags of Weanling Gold Crunch from Smyth’s Daleside – €500;
- Calving bundle, sponsored by Gallagher and Farrell Vets – €620;
- X2 1-tonne bags of decorative stone – €200;
- Hamper sponsored by Alan McCarrick Plant Hire – €300;
- Framed and mounted Leitrim jersey signed by county star, Keith Beirne – €360;
- 10 ZAG straws, John Griffith of Progressive Genetics – €420;
- Machine hire and dump tire, Asgard Plant Hire, Ballymote – €380;
- Bernard of Kerin Tyres – €100 voucher – €210;
- 10 straws GRF (Gerard) AI straws (Charolais bull) – €250;
- 5 sexed female AI Salers straws, sponsored by Bernard Hunt – €440;
- 10 bags of coal – €350;
- 1 night stay with B&B and an evening meal at Lough Rynn Castle – €500;
- Sligo jersey sponsored by Jack Lavin, the under 20 county captain – €260.
- X5 BB4438 AI straws, sponsored by Dovea Genetics- €320;
- X5 Karma (AA4648) AI straws, sponsored by Dovea Genetics – €280;
- Sligo jersey signed by county star, Evan Lyons – €260.
More entries
A sample of some lots that Gerry Campbell, livestock auctioneer, sold:
- €100 voucher for Classic Cleaners, Ballymote – €180;
- X4 Fiston (Charolais) AI straws – €610;
- Hamper sponsored by Aurivo Marts – €300;
- 12 ft duty heavy gate – €700;
- 2 BYU straws – €360;
- €400 Swift Gift Card, sponsored by Ophardt Hygiene Ireland – €500;
- €250 One4All gift card – €330;
- €300 hamper for Natural Nutrition products – €460;
- 13t digger hire, sponsored by Cathal Henry – €260;
- CF52 straw, sponsored by John Kennedy – €680;
- X5 CH Loki (Charolais) AI straws – Dovea Genetics – €300;
- 2 plots of turf, sponsored by David Burke – €520;
- 8ft heavy dutch feeding trough with a galvanised body with painted frame, sponsored by Diarmuid Keenan – €450;
- €100 voucher for Marty’s Mechanics, Ballymote – €200;
- 7 hours mulching, sponsored by Kenny Agri and Groundwork, Riverstown – €320;
- Set of clothesline poles, sponsored by Tommy Scanlon Engineering – €160;
- Spreading of one load of lime from Ward Agri – €360;
- Coffee maker – €160;
- 3-course meal for two in the Sligo Park Hotel – €220.
