Thanks to the Supermac’s inspired Bring Them Home competition, the Mentane family living in Kilnadeema, Co Galway, will be anticipating a visit this Christmas from father and husband Patrick Mentane, who has been based in Australia since last June. Patrick Mentane relocated to Queensland in June to work on the motorways. A return trip to Ireland at Christmas was looking to be beyond the family’s financial means which was upsetting for them given that Mr Mentane was forcibly absent from his daughter’s first birthday and his wife’s graduation since the move.
His transfer to Australia was born from necessity after his machine hire business crumbled under the recession tide. In order to stabilise debts and bills Patrick Mentane had no option but to seek employment abroad to subsidise the living costs of his family. Collette, his wife said, “It was a choice between spiralling further into debt and not being able to pay the bills or leaving his wife and kids to help progress things for us here. He was always a good provider however, as with so many others, he found he could no longer sustain or provide a living for his loved ones here.”
It was Collette who submitted their story to the Bring Them Home Competition, which is being aired on Ryan Tubirdy’s daily show from 9am - 11am and their application was successful. The Mentane clan is thrilled to be reunited with Patrick and his children, Chloe (16 ), Gavin (8 ), Grace (3 ), and Katie-Mai (14 months ), are delighted to be spending the most wonderful time of the year with their father.
The Bring Them Home competition is the brainchild of the fSupermac’s franchise who teamed up with 2FM’s Ryan Tubirdy to give 20 lucky applicants the gift of Christmas in the happy surroundings of home. The nominations are made by the family member of someone who has emigrated and is otherwise without the resources to travel home to Ireland. It is the largest initiative of its kind in Ireland and it has the flexibility to fly people home from various foreign destinations. The common denominator between most of the people who cannot return home for Christmas is that their budgets cannot accommodate for the expensive flights. Supermac’s managing director, Pat McDonagh, along with his employees have been sympathising with the numerous customers who share this misfortune which triggered the inspiration for the Bring Them Home competition. Speaking about the competition, Mr McDonagh said: “Having heard many stories, over the last year especially, of people who have not celebrated Christmas with those closest to them due to location and the cost of flights, we felt it was time to do something to help bring added joy to the season for a number of families. Supermac’s has always focused on bringing families together. Doing so on such a large international scale may help to bring a further sense of positivity to people in every part of Ireland.”
Bring Them Home has brought elation to the Mentane household and if your family is suffering the same plight then there is still hope to bring your loved one home for a Christmas visit. Entry forms are still available in all of the 106 Supermac’s branches nationwide and Ryan Tubirdy will be sifting through the stories on his show until the closing date on December 14.
For further details visit www.supermacs.ie and stay tuned to Tubridy every week day on 2FM from 9am – 11am.
