New Year's Eve Ball Raises Significant Funds for Kerry Charities

The event, which was attended by more than 300 guests, exceeded its original fundraising target of €200,000 and drew strong support from the Kerry business and corporate community. The Kerry Hospice Foundation was the primary beneficiary and received a cheque for €165,329 at a presentation held on on Monday at the Ballygarry Estate Hotel & Spa, hosted by hotel owner Pádraig McGillicuddy. Also receiving funding on the day were The Tír na n-Óg Children’s Foundation and One4Humanity, each of which was presented with a cheque for €40,000. Stephen Stack, chairman of The Humanity Ball, said: “We are truly humbled by the generosity shown at the New Year’s Eve Humanity Ball. Raising €245,000 in a single evening for our three worthy charities is a powerful testament that what can be achieved when a community comes together with purpose, compassion and celebration. A huge thank you to everyone involved including our lead sponsors, table sponsors, purchasers of tables, private donors, providers of the unique auction prizes, to Padraig and the staff at the Ballygarry and, of course, to our outstanding committee. It was a powerful team effort by everyone.” Jack Shanahan of the Kerry Hospice Foundation said the funds will support the delivery of continued palliative care services, as well as the development of a new wing at the facility. “Kerry Hospice Foundation is delighted and humbled by the enormous and generous support shown at the Humanity Ball. It was a unique event that showcased how the businesses of Kerry support the community in important and varied ways. We are truly grateful to be major beneficiaries and can guarantee that every euro raised will be invested in local Palliative care services. A huge thank you to all that made it such a success,” he said. Louise Quill, founder of The Tír na n-Óg Children’s Foundation, which works to transform the lives of vulnerable children in Tanzania, said, “On behalf of everyone at Tír na nÓg Children’s Foundation, I want to extend our deepest thanks for being chosen as a beneficiary of the Humanity Ball. Our motto is to change one child’s life at a time, and the generosity shown by the organisers and contributors does exactly that. Your kindness doesn’t just support our work — it brings hope, opportunity, and real change to the children we serve. We are profoundly grateful for your belief in our mission and for helping us turn compassion into action.” Shane Leahy of One4Humanity, an organisation providing medicine and mobile surgical units to people in Gaza and Ukraine, added; “Thank you, we are incredibly grateful to the Humanity Ball for a magical New Year’s Eve and for the remarkable generosity shown throughout the night. Thanks to the dedication of the organizing committee, the compassion of the sponsors & everyone who attended, 3 charities will benefit in a meaningful way. It was a night that perfectly captured the spirit of humanity.” The Humanity Ball was spearheaded by AIB Tralee Branch Manager Stephen Stack, supported by a committee drawn from the Kerry business community.