"Lovely Lacken" fundraiser tops €38,000 for Mayo Hospice over three years
A north Mayo community fundraiser held in memory of a much-loved local woman has raised more than €38,000 for the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation since 2024.
The Lovely Lacken 5km Fun Run/Walk, Raffle and Auction was set up by siblings Sarah, Patricia and John Farrell in memory of their mother, Mary Farrell, who died on April 19, 2023, following an illness.
The family wanted to thank Mayo Hospice for the care she received in her final days.
The event takes its name from a phrase Mary often used when speaking fondly of her home place in the days before she died. Bessie's Bar in Lacken has hosted the fundraiser every year since.
A strong start in 2024
The first Lovely Lacken event took place in April 2024, on the first anniversary of Mary's death. More than 200 people took part in the run and walk along the Kilcummin Peninsula in good weather.
The auction was a highlight, with a calf named Rosie — donated by Leo and Adrienne Loughney — selling for €1,500. A signed Irish rugby jersey, donated by Lacken native Caelan Doris, fetched over €700. Footage of Doris leading Rosie into Bessie's Bar for the auction was widely shared on social media.
More than 30 prizes were donated by local businesses for the raffle. The first year's event raised €13,304.30.
Rain fails to dampen 2025 turnout
Heavy rain did not stop more than 120 people taking part in the 2025 event. The Loughneys again donated a calf for auction, this time named Charlie, and a Galway Races package was also auctioned. The 2025 fundraiser brought in €10,800.
Biggest total yet in 2026
This year's event, held on April 19, drew more than 160 participants in sunshine. The auction, held outside Bessie's Bar, included a Hereford heifer named Chloe, again donated by the Loughneys, a signed Mayo jersey from James Carr, and tickets to the sold-out Manchester United v Leeds United fixture at Croke Park.
The 2026 event raised €14,000, the highest total in the fundraiser's three-year history.
W&R Barnett has supported the event for the past two years through a charity matching scheme, contributing an additional €4,000 to the overall fund.
Mary Farrell worked for many years in the local post office and as Lacken's postwoman. Her family say the event has become as much a celebration of her life and of the local community as it is a fundraiser for Mayo Hospice.