Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Pictured left-to-right: Mary Francis Dwyer, Grainne Brady, and Jasmine Elkhershi. Jasmine Elkhershi via Procrastimake.com

Award-winning fairy garden donated to children's ward at Portiuncula Hospital

The garden received a certificate of distinction in the postcard section at Bloom this year.

A FAIRY-THEMED GARDEN has been donated to St Therese’s children’s ward at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.

The two Longford women, Grainne Brady from Shannonorchard.com and Jasmine Elkhershi from Procrastimake.com, received a certificate of distinction for their fairy garden and trail in the postcard garden section at Bloom this year.

The garden, called the Magic of Kindness, is about how “the smallest acts of kindness can create magic in someone’s day”.

Fairy Door The garden has been donated to St Therese's children's ward in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, Co Galway. Jasmine Elkhershi via Procrastimake.com Jasmine Elkhershi via Procrastimake.com

The garden, sponsored by Ardcarne Garden Centre, features fairy houses, a wishing well and a fairy trail. A wishing chair was artfully crafted by the maintenance team at the hospital and added to the garden, and the Longford Irish Countrywomen’s Association craft class made the fairy doors for a ‘fairy hotel’.

Craft blogger Jasmine says she got the idea of installing the garden in the hospital grounds because her friend’s daughter, who is suffering from a rare form of cancer, is treated there.

“We decided to donate the garden to St Therese’s ward to remind the children, who have already dealt with so much, that there is still magic in the world. Really, we just wanted to put a smile on their faces,” she said.

Fairy garden Portiuncula donated by procrastimake The award-winning garden. Jasmine Elkhershi via Procrastimake.com Jasmine Elkhershi via Procrastimake.com

Through their efforts, the pair have also raised €1,132 for the charity Funds for St Therese’s through generous donations at Bloom. The money will be used to redecorate the isolation unit in the ward.

Landscaper Grainne explains, “We had a wishing well in the garden at Bloom and the children kept asking their parents for money to throw in it.

We hadn’t planned that but it just happened and so we donated that money as well. It’s more proof of the Magic of Kindness that’s out there.

The garden has already received a seal of approval from the children who couldn’t wait to explore as the garden was installed, Jasmine said.

“We overheard one child ringing her grandmother and saying ‘I’m on a sleepover in the hospital and there’s fairies everywhere!’ She was so excited, it made it all worthwhile.”

Read: Here are our 6 favourite gardens at Bloom

Read: This ‘Bloom’ garden has been specially designed for people with dementia

Close
4 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tara Mc Cormack
    Favourite Tara Mc Cormack
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 4:09 PM

    There’s an awful lot of this happening the past week or maybe it’s just that its being reported on. Hope the staff recover soon :)

    115
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Amy O Doherty
    Favourite Amy O Doherty
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 6:23 PM

    How the hell does one make a get away from the blanch centre? I have never managed to get away from it in less than twenty minutes! Hope the chap is ok

    81
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dwickedchicken
    Favourite Dwickedchicken
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 4:38 PM

    Sc um bags.

    53
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mac Ready
    Favourite Mac Ready
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 6:15 PM

    Not much use to the guys who took the cash as they will have dye packs that will explode after s couple of minutes hope it blinds the snackers!

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute marcus o reilly
    Favourite marcus o reilly
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 8:02 PM

    They can change the money in the cash machines in the likes of the leisure plex. Machines can pick up on the dye.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Goebong
    Favourite Goebong
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 8:36 PM

    Nope my friend its easily removed place the cash box in hot water with loads of colour catcher and bleach, dye is removed from all notes apart from fivers because they are a low quality note … I’m sure this comment will be removed but it a fact !

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Meade
    Favourite John Meade
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 4:10 PM

    Was he not wearing his company issue helmet ?

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute rotund jocularity
    Favourite rotund jocularity
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 4:18 PM

    That probably why his injuries arent serious..

    72
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute guardian
    Favourite guardian
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 4:18 PM

    So helmet will take full impact of axe or iron bar across the head? ?

    I love the level of intelligence on many commentators.

    Wish the man a speedy recovery

    98
    See 9 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciaran McCann
    Favourite Ciaran McCann
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 4:35 PM

    Where does it say “Axe” in the story?

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute guardian
    Favourite guardian
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 4:58 PM

    Where did the not say axe or iron bar?. Your hardly gonna hold up a security van with a foot long floppy rubber dildo are you?

    130
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel O'Sullivan
    Favourite Daniel O'Sullivan
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 5:05 PM

    Rumour has it they don’t wear them anymore as they had issues from being blindsided when being robbed. Hope they guy is ok dangerous work for little money.

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Meade
    Favourite John Meade
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 5:12 PM

    Gaurdian
    I asked a relevant question, i didnt make a statement, as for the helmet, i have seen more CIT staff with no helmet carrying boxs of cash in and out of busines’s and ATM machines than i have seen with a helmet. So if he was not wearing it, and i repeat, “not wearing” it then his trip to the hospital might well have been avoided, on a seperate issue who are you to pass judgement on my level of inteligence, did you notice the question mark at the end of my original question, this indicates i was asking a question, and you dont say ” I love the level of intelligence on many commentators” the correct grammer is “I love the level of intelligence of many commentators”

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciaran McCann
    Favourite Ciaran McCann
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 5:42 PM

    Did they shout “YOU WILL NOT TAKE OUR FREEDOM!!” before or after the robbery?

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute guardian
    Favourite guardian
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 6:08 PM

    Dorry John for getting your back on the level of your common sense. Which would kind of lead you to the common sense conclusion that policy would be they wear P.P.E out of secure van. Oh apologies thats personal protective equipment. Standard for health and safety reasons and regardless of rumour must be worn.

    So again I say the level of intelligent input in this site is sadly lacking at times. Thank you so very much for pointing that out.

    Also grammatically you will have to take that up with the lovely auto correct system designers for Samsung.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute guardian
    Favourite guardian
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 6:36 PM

    Sorry *** case in point about auto correction

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute guardian
    Favourite guardian
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 6:36 PM

    Also should be *******getting your back up******

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute sluazcanal
    Favourite sluazcanal
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 9:11 PM

    @John Meade. Grammar not grammer.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Declan Carr
    Favourite Declan Carr
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 4:42 PM

    how blanch Security didn’t spot the two guys with all the cameras they have. The two men were hiding in the bushes net to that atm, when the van pulled up they go out and attacked. I am sure some people seen the guys in the bushes but didn’t think twice about them.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deirdre Maher
    Favourite Deirdre Maher
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 6:54 PM

    Yrs ago I was arriving at the centre on a bus and I seen a car parked up on the path outside the post office doors with 4 men sitting inside .. U could clearly see them dressed in black with balaclavas and a gun .. How security didn’t go to check why the car was parked up on the path that far in is strange … They need to get proper security gaurds !

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Aaron
    Favourite Aaron
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 7:58 PM

    guys with guns with nothing to lose, a security guard unarmed with everything to lose, they made the right choice, why would they risk their life for money thats insured

    41
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Goebong
    Favourite Goebong
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 8:38 PM

    They are too busy harassing teenagers and acting like Hartman .. Wana be coppers

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deirdre Maher
    Favourite Deirdre Maher
    Report
    Jul 20th 2013, 9:12 AM

    I didn’t mean I expectd them to approach them with guns , my point was that the security did notice them in the first place .. Which shouldn’t have been hard as we’re the car was is a footpath in from the road a bit should have been easily noticed and it wasn’t !

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darragh
    Favourite Darragh
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 4:30 PM

    Just driving the 7 min drive home and saw eight “02 D” black BMWs. Wonder which one it was…

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Geary
    Favourite John Geary
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 8:47 PM

    I was in the UK recently, I noticed G4S staff there wearing helmets & body armour/stab vest? I wonder why they don’t supply them for their staff here…I don’t think Dublin is any less dangerous than London? Anyway, hope the security guy has a speedy recovery. Tough job.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Geary
    Favourite John Geary
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 8:51 PM

    I was in the UK recently, I noticed that G4S staff there wear helmets & body armour/stab vests. I wonder why they don’t provide them for their staff here in Ireland? I don’t think Dublin is any less dangerous. Anyway, I hope the security guy has a speedy recovery. Tough job.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stroked Jammer
    Favourite Stroked Jammer
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 4:47 PM

    Did someone say stroked jammer?

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Neil79
    Favourite Neil79
    Report
    Jul 19th 2013, 9:00 PM

    well said Aaron

    4
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.