New public defibrillator installed at Centra on Hillcrest
The funds for the equipment were raised through donations and a public showing of the video of 'The Quare Land', the John McManus play presented by Kilcullen Drama Group in 2016.
The late Bernard Berney played one of the two roles in the play, alongside Vivian Clarke who raised the defibrillator funds with Ronan Murphy, Frank Mitchell, and Eilis Phillips. A total of €2,400 was raised.
The initiative followed the successful intervention with a defibrillator when Michael Lambe suffered a heart attack last year while watching a match at Kilcullen GAA's grounds. Vivian realised that while there were several of the machines available south of the bridge, there were none on the north side of the town.
The video of the play, made by Pat Foley, was screened last October with the blessing of the Berney family and the playwright.
Andrew Cross, owner of the Centra store, provided the location for the machine and arranged for its installation.
Yesterday, Vivian Clarke thanked Mary Berney and her family for their permission to use the video to raise the money. He also thanked Andrew Cross for his generosity in providing the location and covering the installation costs. He expressed his appreciation too for all the public support and donations which have made the facility possible.
A surplus of €400 was given from the fund in March towards the cost of providing an accessible toilet in the Kilcullen Community Centre.
Pictured with Mary Berney, her daughter Emma and grandchildren are Andrew Cross, Vivian Clarke, Frank Mitchell and Eilis Phillips.
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