Greg Daly
A charity election campaign that has energised a Wexford parish since January has raised over €72,000 and boosted community spirit, according to a local priest.
Describing the ‘Mayor of Barntown’ election as “an election in which everybody has won”, Fr John Carroll told The Irish Catholic a huge debt of gratitude is due to many people locally for the charity election that saw Tom Dempsey elected honorary mayor of the parish, which lies just outside Wexford town.
“The money is welcome but the community building has been phenomenal,” he said, continuing, “It’s brought the next generation into parish life in a newer and a deeper way.”
Candidates
Thanking Mr Dempsey and the team who helped elect him as “our first citizen and local leader”, Fr Carroll praised the other candidates who, he said, “gave us heart and humour as you put the good of the area before us and strove to bring us closer together as a curacy and as neighbours”.
With money raised by the election’s many events going towards paying down parish debt while developing the area, Fr Carroll stressed that each Euro donated counted and had been gratefully received.
“We’ve a great basis on which to continue to build, grateful for what has been given to us by the good and decent people of the past, and purposeful that we will give to those who follow us something worthwhile and inspiring,” he said.