Daffodil Day – Clare Area launch – Treacy’s West County Hotel – Monday 25th of February – for Daffodil day on Friday March 22nd
Daffodil day is an inspiring occasion every year that brings the best out of so many people! So many generous, kind and wonderful people get involved in all sorts of worth-while and fun projects to raise funds for the excellent charity that is the Irish Cancer Society.
Funds raised for The Irish Cancer Society benefit so many people living with cancer along with offering assistance to their carers and loved ones.
The symbol of the Daffodil
The Symbol of the daffodil is a very powerful and strong symbol, full of meaning.
It’s an object of colour, beauty, hope and for many people a symbol of energy, liveliness, exuberance, health and, coming as it does at this lovely time of the year, new life.
Wordsworth!
Who is not familiar with the immortal words of William Wordsworth:
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
It goes on to speak of the daffodils….
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
It further talks of….
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
Certainly for many the welcome Spring flower of the daffodil is a symbol of the beauty of life and health that we treasure so much. Is fear an sláinte ná an táinte. Health is better than wealth and it is indeed to be treasured! For so many the symbol of the daffodil has become a symbol of the on-going fight against Cancer and the battle that so many people have to cope with, in learning to live with the disease or in helping others to do so.
Praise of the Irish Cancer Society
In a great humanitarian outreach of love and compassion The Irish Cancer Society came into existence and has done countless amounts of good work through the in-genius invention of fundraising events around daffodil day.
As a survivor of cancer myself I can vouch for the great facilities that are on offer in so many ways and areas in Ireland to assist people with such a frightening and potentially and sometimes actually life threatening disease.
Some people of course have not been as lucky to survive and the memory of a dearly departed loved one often spurs people to action to help those who might receive such a frightening and worrying diagnosis.
Generosity and Fundraising in Clare
In the almost three years I have lived in Co Clare – I have seen so many examples of great spirit of fundraising for very worthy charities and many noble causes. This philanthropic spirit comes so naturally to Clare people and they love the challenge of taking on such worthwhile endeavors!
There are great ideas, much creativity, and many options for fundraising events, whether it’s walks, runs, hill walks, coffee mornings, skydives, fasting events, cakes sales, hair growing, hair removal … the list and options are endless.
Daffodil Day – a Beacon of Hope
Daffodil day is a great beacon of hope.
It brings the best out of the wonderful charitable nature of people
I would appeal to everyone present and as we are at the Clare launch – as many Clare people as possible to get involved in the great work of the annual daffodil day, celebrating it’s 32ndannual event this year. There was an article in the Nenagh Guarding this week and the society was stressing the need to raise up to €4 million this daffodil day to meet every increasing demands for support.
People of Clare are urged to get involved by volunteering to help fundraise on www.cancer.ieand donating what they can on the day.
Inspiration of Mary Oliver
In mentioning Wordsworth – I’ll finish with the words of another great nature poet Mary Oliver who so often draws us into the mystery of the beauty around us and a profound appreciation for the life that we have. She reflects:
Do you love this world? Do you cherish your humble and silky life? Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath? Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden, and softly, and exclaiming of their dearness, fill your arms with the white and pink flowers, with their honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling, their eagerness to be wild and perfect for a moment, before they are nothing, forever?
Best wishes and every blessing to the legion of volunteers and fundraiser who will get involved in this most worthy of causes over the coming weeks in the lead up to March 22nd, daffodil day 2019.