McAuley Place, a not-for-profit housing association in Naas town, is delighted to announce Ireland’s first-ever 1,000 Golf Ball Drop & Family Fun Day, which will take place at Craddockstown Golf Club, Naas, on Sunday, 20th July 2025 at 3:00 p.m. and will be live-streamed on the day!
This event aims to raise funds for a much-needed expansion of McAuley Place, where there are currently 53 fully occupied social and private apartments for the elderly, with a substantial waiting list. Together with Kildare County Council and the support of the wider community, this facility is striving to grow. The next stage involves an extension to the existing facility. The adjacent Beaufort site has been acquired, which, when completed, will provide an additional housing block of approximately 43 units with a vibrant new space for older residents of the wider community.
This unique fundraising event will see 1,000 pre-numbered golf balls dropped from a height of over 100 feet onto a specially prepared green on the eighteenth hole at the beautifully manicured parkland course at Craddockstown Golf Club. Pre-numbered golf balls will be sold at €50 each, with all funds going to the McAuley Place charity. Prizes will be awarded to the three pre-numbered golf balls that end up closest to the hole—or in the hole itself—after being dropped from over 100 feet.
The first prize will be €5,000 for the ball nearest the hole (or in the hole itself), the second prize will be €1,500, and the third prize will be €1,000. (Note: The first golf ball into the hole will win 1st prize. The second ball into the hole will win 2nd prize. If no golf balls drop into the hole, the ball closest to the hole will win. If several golf balls appear to be equally close to the hole, an independent official will measure the precise distance of each ball from the hole to determine the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners.)
The Family Fun Day will take place close to the golf ball drop and will include children’s activities such as face painting, an entertainer, magic, games, live music with a PA system, ice cream, and a BBQ. Ahead of the main 1,000 golf ball drop, there will be a 250 coloured plastic golf ball drop from over 100 feet, specially for children.
Each pre-numbered plastic golf ball can be purchased on behalf of children for €5 each, with all proceeds going to the McAuley Place charity. There will be three children’s prizes for the three pre-numbered plastic coloured golf balls that end up closest to the golf hole after the 100-foot drop.
According to Patricia Darling, Chairperson of McAuley Place, “The proceeds from this fundraising event will support the new social housing development at Beaufort, which will be a huge addition to the town of Naas. When complete, the new complex will connect seamlessly with the existing site via the Woodland Garden. The expanded campus will continue to be a space where all in the community can connect, regardless of age, ability, or disability; where arts and crafts will be used as tools for engagement and to enhance wellbeing; and where tourists will be able to engage with the living history of Naas while meeting members of our wonderful community.”
Together with invaluable statutory funding, the cost of developing the original McAuley Place apartments on the Convent of Mercy site was underpinned by the support of the local community in the form of financial contributions and voluntary work, for which we are forever grateful. Ninety-five percent of the new Beaufort project is being funded by the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) grant through Kildare County Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
The remaining 5% will be raised through fundraising initiatives. Funding is urgently needed for this important project, and all donations will be most welcome.
The local and wider community are invited to support this truly worthwhile cause while enjoying a unique event and a fun day out for all the family. For tickets and more information, please contact Reception at McAuley Place on 045 897833 or book online here.
Corporate sponsors who would like to be associated with Ireland’s First-Ever Golf Ball Drop and Family Fun Day are also welcome. If interested, please email beaufortadmin@mcauleyplace.ie or hello@mcauleyplace.ie.
Organisers are delighted to announce Byrne Malone Estate Agents (www.byrnemalone.ie) as the first corporate sponsor for the event, and thank them sincerely for their valuable support.
They also wish to give special mention to A-Z Hire for their generous support and provision of the hoist equipment and crowd barriers for the event – see www.azhire.ie.
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