On the Town: An art auction to raise money for a mission hospital in Zambia was held in Dublin's Blue Leaf Gallery this week.
Works by artists such as Eugene Magowan, David Newton, Suzy O'Mullane and Sandra Bell were viewed by guests before the bidding began, and the 38 lots were sold under the hammer of Jane Beattie, from James Adam & Sons, raising close to €15,000.
The organisers of the charity are also planning a gala ball for Saturday, January 24th, to raise money for the Zambian hospital, which serves a population of about 68,000, according to John Pittock, chairman of CareAid International.
Pittock, the former chairman of the accountancy firm, Deloitte & Touche, was one of a group of business people who set up the charity last year in order to "save life, improve health and reduce poverty of people in developing countries through sustainable programmes".
Other Third World agencies "are doing a tremendous job but there's a huge amount to be done", he said. "There's nobody there [in east Zambia] doing what we are doing," he said.
Kevin Galligan, another voluntary worker with the charity, visited Zambia last year to assess the problem. Eileen Galligan, of Maxwell Motors, also supports the charity. Melanie Verwoerd, the South African ambassador, attended, in particular to view the separate African Art group show downstairs in the gallery. Others welcomed to the auction by the gallery's directors, Cathy Boyle and Ciara Gibbons, included Ralph MacDarby, of Deloitte & Touche, Eleanor and Joe Buckley, of First Impressions graphic design, Doreen Coleman, from Monkstown and Irish rugby international Victor Costello.