On Saturday November 12, St Colman’s College, Claremorris, brings the hugely popular '20K Drop' to Claremorris in the McWilliam Park Hotel. This show has attracted large audiences all over Ireland for the past 11 years and is fast becoming one of the most popular sources of fund-raising for schools and clubs throughout the country. Contestants are drawn from ticket sales and each contestant will have a chance to win up to €2,500 on the night.
The show is fully computerised and each contestant has two lifelines, 'Ask the Audience' and 'Take One' which eliminates one wrong answer. The questions and four possible answers are displayed on two 8ft x 6ft screens, one at each side of the stage. This successful show, which is provided by Pallas Marketing Ltd, is being run by St Colman’s College to assist in fundraising for an astroturf pitch, and training and recreation area on the College grounds.
This facility, according to Jimmy Finn, school principal, "Will provide: an all-weather training area for all sports and an additional play area for students, along with a play/recreation area for students not involved in organised sport." It will also be an improvement to student supervision at lunchtime as well as providing general health and safety benefits with a safer and more ordered school environment, and will allow the utilisation of a currently unusable portion of the school grounds, improving the visual impact of the school grounds, as well as providing a further facility for the community of Claremorris and a source of funding for the school if rented out.
The fundraising venture was launched in Killeen’s pub, Lower James Street, by committee members and major sponsors of the event including Liam Smyth of Smyths’ Newsagents Claremorris and Smyths’ Toys, and Seamus Quinn of Retail Solutions, Tuam. Jimmy Finn, school principal, in introducing them, highlighted that both Liam and Seamus had kick-started the project by pledging significant financial support to the project on condition that the remainder was sourced from fundraising from the school and local community. He complimented them both on their ongoing support for St Colman’s College and the wider community of Claremorris. “We are lucky to have such generous and visionary business leaders in our community,” he added.
Both Liam Smyth and Seamus Quinn said they were delighted to be associated with such an important school and community project which would be of benefit to all students attending the college, both now and in future, and indeed to the community of wider Claremorris area. The major sponsors are Hillside Service Station and Tyre Centre, Chique Skincare and Beauty, Homecare Medical Supplies, Corrib Oil, Kenmore Builders, Steadfast Financial Consulting, Bob and Wave Hairdressers, and Griffith’s Motor Group. Tickets will be distributed to parents through the school and will be on sale in Smyths’ Newsagents, from any committee member, and at the school office.
