At the K Club in Straffan, Co. Kildare on Friday, 27th of June.
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Ball, one of the Irish racing calendar’s most anticipated social events, will take place in the stunning surrounds of The K Club in Straffan, Co. Kildare on Friday, 27th of June – the eve of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh Racecourse. The nominated charity and worthy recipient of the proceeds of the ball will be the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation. Last year almost €100,000 was raised on the night for charity which also included a very generous donation by Dubai Duty Free.
The black tie ball will begin with a drinks reception, served in the elegant surroundings of Straffan House, the original house which now forms the hotel at The K Club. The assembled guests will then walk through the manicured gardens, to the Smurfit Clubhouse where a sumptuous four course dinner with fine wines will be served.
After the meal there will be an auction in which guests can bid for an array of amazing items including a VIP holiday to Dubai courtesy of Dubai Duty Free. This item includes flights and accommodation at the five star, Dubai Duty Free Creekside Hotel. There is also a trip for two to New York, a pair of diamond earrings, a luxurious K Club spa package, a Waterford Crystal Egg designed by John Rocha and a trip to the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup races at Ascot. Foodies will love the David Gillick Culinary Dining Experience for six people which will see the Olympian and Irish Celebrity Masterchef 2013 winner cook a meal in the buyers own home! Later guests can dance the night away to the sounds of ‘The Bentley Boys’ the live band on the night. The ball is always a fun night and attracts guests from the worlds of entertainment, sport, business and horse racing.
Dubai Duty Free is involved in several charities and the company has a strong sense of corporate and social responsibility. Executive Vice Chairman, Colm McLoughlin said, “Dubai Duty Free is involved and supports charities all around the world including Hand in Hand for Haiti, where we recently opened the Dubai Duty Free Sports Complex, The Smile Train project in the Philippines and Sightsavers’ projects in Odisha, India among many others. We are delighted to work with Jack & Jill this year, they carry out very important work in supporting sick children and their families.”
Jack & Jill was founded by Jonathan Irwin and his wife, Senator Mary-Ann O’Brien, in 1997 to provide home health care to severely sick babies. It was set up as a direct response to the Irwin’s experience of caring at home for their son Jack, born with severe brain damage in 1996. Jack sadly died in 1997, but his memory lives on through Jack & Jill and his parents’ pledge that homecare services would be available to parents to care for their sick children at home instead of in hospital. Before, Jack & Jill there were no state services to care for severely sick children at home.
Speaking in advance of the ball Jack & Jill CEO Jonathan Irwin said, “We are most grateful to Dubai Duty Free for their support. At Jack & Jill we ensure that the money really does follow the patient. All of the monies raised at the Dubai Duty Free Derby Ball will be used to continue to offer our service to the 300 families currently under our wing nationwide”.
Tickets for the ball are priced at €125 and are available from Jack & Jill or from O’Brien PR.
To book your place at the ball call Edelle Monahan on (045) 894538, email edelle@jackandjill.ie or contact Aileen O’Brien, O’Brien PR aileen@obrienpr.com or (045) 446422.
The three day long Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival commences on the 27th of June with an evening meeting at the Curragh followed by the feature race, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby itself on Saturday the 28th.
There is also Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Golf Classic which will be played at The K Club on Thursday the 26th of June. This is a great day out which starts with brunch at the Palmer Clubhouse and a shotgun start at 2.00pm. There are a host of prizes on offer including a VIP trip to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby for the winning team and their guests. A team of four costs €600, to book please contact the K Club Golf Shop on 01 6017321 or email sales@kclub.ie
