AN IRISH greyhound race organised in memory of a Whitehaven publican has helped raise€£5,000 for Calderwood House.

Family of Liam Murphy – a former Irish army officer and pub owner – organise the Suncroft Festival every year in Shelbourne, Dublin.

Since its formation the festival has helped to raise more than €£30,000 for charities.

And this year Calderwood House benefited from the festival’s generosity.

Liam’s son Sean Murphy said: “The Suncroft Festival began as a greyhound racing weekend in memory of my late father Liam Murphy. He was a former Irish army officer and had pubs in Workington, Cockermouth and Whitehaven.

“We organised the greyhound race at Shelbourne, Dublin in 2008 and invited all our friends and family. We realised that we could bolt other things onto the weekend and turn it into a festival type weekend.

“To date we have raised a staggering €£32,000 for charity in his memory which has been distributed to groups that he loved.”

The weekend includes music, gaelic football and a darts competition.

Calderwood's director Rachel Holliday said: "The donation of £4000 is hugely important to us, especially in these early days. 

"Sandra's room is very special to all of us here at Calderwood House. The last two residents we had in there have been ex-military and have greatly benefitted from Sandra's room. 

"We are now able to pay for training for residents. The last training course we paid for was a scaffolding course for an ex soldier. He said this will greatly help him back into work."

Sean helps to organise the festival alongside Tony Howard, a friend of his father’s.

They decided to support Calderwood House in memory of Sandra Rumney, who passed away last June.

“Sandra worked for my father for many years and he respected her immensely. She became an integral part of the festival helpers committee,” explained Sean.

“She was much loved in the community of Suncroft as well as in Whitehaven. When Sandra passed away I confided in Tony that I might not be able to go on doing the fundraising without her.

“Tony wanted to do something in her memory this year and I showed him some of the letters I had received from the residents at Calderwood House. That sealed it for Tony, to help Calderwood House in her memory.”