It is a very special Easter Sunday for a small community in west Kerry where somebody has left €500 in the local shop to buy an Easter egg for every single child in the parish of Baile an Fheirtéaraigh.
The kind donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, also left instructions in O’Connor’s shop in Baile an Fheirtéaraigh to gift Easter eggs to the elderly and the vulnerable cocooning in the parish.
Nikki and Colm O’Connor, who run the shop in Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, said the they were "gobsmacked" when the person came in and made the request.
Nikki said: "A customer we know, who lives locally, came in to the shop and said they wanted to give every child and every person living on their own an egg for Easter because of the way things are now.
"People are isolated and alone. She said she wanted to bring a smile to people’s faces on Easter Sunday.
"But she said she wanted to remain strictly anonymous and did not want any credit for it. There are only about 500 people living in our parish, so it’s the talk of the place."
With the help of neighbours, more than 250 Easter eggs are being delivered around the parish. A volunteer dressed in a panda costume is surprising the young and old at their doorsteps.
The Dalby family were blown away by the kind and unexpected visit.
"It’s magic. The gesture of just walking in to a shop and wanting to buy eggs for the children and the vulnerable in our community is really special.
"It’s a tremendous lift for everyone in the parish as we try to deal with this lockdown. It's so considerate and we have no idea who is behind it," said Douglas Dalby.
In her mid-70s and cocooning alone, Mary Uí Chatháin said seeing the panda with an Easter egg for her at her front door lifted her heart.
"I’m on my own but my son and my daughter-in-law help me, delivering messages and that. This is a lovely thing to do for people like me.
"It’s nice to know that somebody is still thinking of you when you are cornered away. It's a really wonderful gesture," said Mrs Uí Chatháín.
