Four Irish Expats have been jetted back to Ireland for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations courtesy of MACE’s ‘Gather em Home’ competition, in which the community retailer selected the lucky winners from around the world to celebrate the holiday with family and friends in Ireland.
Carmel Moore, who lives with her husband and three children in Connecticut but is originally from Dublin, was nominated for the prize by her sister Sally Tracey who said Carmel was Grand Marshall to the Connecticut St. Patrick’s Day parade last year and would love to see the Dublin parade, adding that “she would have no trouble talking her way into the parade”.
Mary Walsh, who was nominated for the prize by her sister Bridget Nugent, has lived in the UK for the past 60 years. Her sister Bridget nominated her for the prize saying that she’d love to have her sister home to see all the family in Dublin and Drogheda, adding that “Mary really wants to immerse herself in her roots and the history of Ireland”.
Mary Tasci, who has lived in Ottawa with her family for the past 30 years but is originally from Dundalk, Co. Louth, was nominated for the prize by her niece Sinead O’Callaghan who said her aunt, having missed two family weddings last year, would love to come home for a family reunion which will see relatives fly in from all over the world for St. Patrick’s Day.
Nora McCaffrey, who has lived in Seattle for the past 50 years and is originally from Kilkishen Co. Clare, was nominated for the prize by her niece Jane Collins who said her aunt deserved a nice holiday more than anyone, adding that “she would be the happiest person in the world if she came home”.
Congratulating the winners Alex Banahan, Sales Director, MACE said “We are delighted to bring Mary, Nora, Carmel and Mary home to Ireland this St. Patrick’s Day to celebrate the national holiday with their family and friends. Our “Gather em Home” competition is one way in which we’re supporting the year long Gathering Celebration, because as a local community retailer we feel the initiative is very important to our reputation and economy”.
To enter the competition, MACE shoppers were required to collect tokens in their local store and complete an entry form detailing why their relative or friend should be brought home.
