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The achievements of Aidan (Rookie) O'Rourke and his incredible fundraising team in raising over 1 Million pounds for local good causes via their weekly quiz at the Canal Court Hotel was acknowledged recently at Stormont.
MLA Justin McNulty this week welcomed the former teacher and long time fundraiser to Stormont in recognition and celebration of ‘Rookie’s Million.’
Speaking after the event at Stormont, the Newry and Armagh representative said “It was an absolute privilege today to welcome Rookie and his team to Stormont to mark their incredible achievement in raising more than £1,000,000 for good causes at home and further afield.
Aidan O’Rourke is a pillar of our local community and for generations he has served our area well – first as a teacher at the Abbey, and more recently as a fundraiser extraordinaire with his weekly Thursday night quizzes at the Canal Court. It is difficult to quantify how [many] people Rookie’s efforts have touched – whether it’s the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, PIPS, or the Southern Area Hospice, Rookie and the lads around him have been changing lives and enhancing communities since 2005.
“It’s also important to remember how crucial the support and kindness of the people of Newry has been in making this million-pound milestone a reality, so I was delighted to be able to show off the best of Newry and the surrounding areas and celebrate the incredible generosity of our people."
McNulty concluded “I find the kindness and generosity of spirit demonstrated by Rookie, his team, and those who support them to be totally inspirational. I hope and trust that Rookie’s Thursday night quizzes, and the community spirit that flows from them, survive and thrive for generations to come. And I believe after having the privilege of spending some time with the team around Rookie, I have no doubt that they will do just that.”
