9th BARRACK HILL BALL RUN in aid of Cobh Youth Services

With the bank holiday just around the corner, Cobh residents are once again asked to get the ball rolling for charity in this year’s Barrack Hill Ball Run on Monday, the 3rd of August. Come try your hand at the ‘Deck of Cards’ as thousands of numbered balls make their way down Cobh’s most famous hill in aid of Cobh Youth Services, recent winners in the X-Hale Youth Awards 2015.

For just €2 per ball, participants are in with a chance to win cash prizes while participating in one of Cobh’s most enjoyable family events of the summer. The first four balls over the finish line will win €100, €200, €300 and the grand prize of €500.

Originated by Mr Paddy Histon, the Barrack Hill Ball Run has raised over €80,000 for various charities since its inception. Last year’s event raised just over €12,000.

Cobh Youth Services Programme Co-Ordinator, Sinead Morgan says: “Thanks to the funds raised in 2014, we had a very busy year with 30 children benefitting from our after school services. We were once again able to provide a safe place for young people from 1st to 6th Class to do their homework, get a snack and take part in activities like art and crafts, drama, games and sports in our sport center Mount Crozier.”

A highlight for Cobh Youth Services was winning 1st prize in the Community Action Project nationwide category in the X-Hale Youth Awards for 2015. The group of teenagers developed a smoking prevention film and a community action project which they delivered in all the primary schools in Cobh.

John Mc Cormack, the CEO of the Irish Cancer Society who presented the group with their prize at the awards ceremony in Dublin in early July stated “it was a great project, there was a tremendous amount of work put in and they should be very proud of their achievement.”

Cobh Youth Services Youth Café was created to provide teenagers from the age of 13 – 18 a safe but fun place to enjoy chilling with their friends. Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday nights and Saturday afternoons, the café provides young people of Cobh a place they can call their own.

Morgan continues, “We have also seen a considerable increase in numbers who come to enjoy our Youth Café, a great place for teenagers to enjoy chilling with their friends in a safe and fun environment especially for them. Funds raised in this year’s event will go towards maintaining all services currently running in the centre and develop our services further to include an Outreach Service to the teenagers living on the Great Island. Not only is the Barrack Hill Ball Run a fun family event, it is a vital source of income for us and we hope that Cobh residents will once again get behind us in support.”

Tickets to sponsor a ball can be purchased on the day or before at any participating retail outlets in Cobh. You can also purchase tickets on the day and the ball run will kick off at 4pm.