Kilkenny hotel owners organise a fundraising dinner dance with a difference.
The thirteenth century St Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny is facing the twin ravages of time and dry rot. The required restoration will cost £250,000 but as £112,000 has already been found, work on the building is underway.
In a bid to raise money to repair the roof of the cathedral local hoteliers have pooled their resources and organised a unique Saint Valentine Eve's Gala Night of Romance.
We wanted to raise the roof tonight to put a roof on St Canice's.
Every hotel in the city is involved in the event, with all of the facilities and services involved provided free of charge, including food, drink and entertainment.
The eight hour marathon involves buses ferrying the guests in evening dress around Kilkenny's hotels, where they dine, dance and are entertained by musicians icluding the Bunratty Singers.
Revellers each paid £20 for a ticket and in doing so helped to raise almost £6,000 for the Cathedral roof restoration fund. Bishop Noel Willoughby is delighted with the generosity shown but expects nothing less from the people of Kilkenny.
An RTÉ News was broadcast on 15 February 1984. The reporter is Alasdair Jackson.
