Christmas raffle of diamond paintings for MS society
A UNIQUE Christmas fundraising drive to raise much needed funds for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) sufferers is being organised by Castlebar greengrocer Liam Cannon.
Liam was diagnosed with MS 15 years ago and annually has held Christmas draws in his fruit and vegetable store at Hopkins Road.
Last year he raffled a knitted crib which was made by Pauline Keane, partner of Liam’s brother, Pat.
This year she has created six diamond paintings depicting Nativity scenes.
Diamond painting is the name of a mosaic art form in which the artist creates a painting by sticking small resins that sparkle like diamonds on a canvas that has corresponding numbers printed by all the colours of the diamonds.
All the painter has to do is take a diamond and stick it onto the canvas.
It took Pauline up to 20 hours to complete each painting, with each containing 1,400 beads.
Liam explained how he became involved in the MS fundraising drive: "On account of me having MS I try and involve myself in the fundraising which is all kept local and it is used to help people with MS.
"The funds help sufferers if they need a bit of physio or transport to an appointment. Some people are affected so badly that they cannot work.
"One of the collections I do is to raffle something every Christmas. For the last two years we raffled a knitted crib with knitted figures. It was made by Pauline Keane. This year she has done something different, but very special. She has created six diamond paintings of nativity scenes.
"I will be raffling them here in the shop this Christmas as well as a shop in Hollymount."
Liam, who is involved with the South Mayo MS Society, added: "Our fundraising efforts were hit badly with Covid. We lost our church gate collection and we lost the charity shop in Market Square which helped us a lot. But when the last lockdown came in it was not viable to keep the shop open. It was never more important now for us to get financial assistance."
Cards will be on display in Liam’s shop where customers can buy a line for €2 or three lines for €5 and the draw will take place on December 23 or 24.
MS is a chronic, typically progressive disease involving damage to the sheaths of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, whose symptoms may include numbness, impairment of speech and of muscular coordination, blurred vision, and severe fatigue.
Liam admitted he now realises he had symptoms of MS before being diagnosed.
He told me: "I was diagnosed with MS in 2006 but I would say I had it three, four or five years before that. Thinking back there were certain things I could not do.
"I am not too bad. It is mostly affecting my legs and my walk. I have no pain. I have great acceptance of it. I am lucky in that department. I can come into the shop for a little while every day.
"That is great for me as it keeps me going. I hope I won’t ever end up being stuck at home."
Liam opened the shop in 1995 but had a street stall for eight years before that. Prior to that he worked in Country Fresh for eight years and with Val Donegan before that.
As well as the diamond paintings, Liam also has MS Christmas cards and 2022 calendars on sale in his shop.