An extra special birthday for Donegal Hospice car winner Peter Browne

Manorcunnningham’s Peter Browne had a birthday to remember when his name was the one pulled from the hat to win a classic 1951 Ford Popular car in the Donegal Hospice’s draw on Monday.

Peter turned 78 on the day and is a collector of vintage cars, owning three himself - a 1961 Rover P4, a 1985 Mercedes and a 1939 Austin - so will no doubt prove to be a very popular winner of the fundraiser, which gathered €27,000. Peter’s winning ticket was given to him as a Christmas present by his neighbour Ann Harkin.

“Myself and my wife Agnes were just on the way into Letterkenny to do the shopping and it was a nice surprise,” Peter said. “I didn’t even know that the draw was on that day and was delighted to hear. We were soon up for the photographs in Letterkenny and got that car back home to Galdonagh that afternoon.”

A heartfelt gesture by a Rathmullan man who spent his last days at Donegal Hospice meant the car was raffled.

John Sheridan was 81 years when passed away from cancer in the Donegal Hospice last September. Before his time in the Hospice, he, like many others, was unaware of what care it provided until his journey with cancer reached near its end.

When John made the hard decision that his life would get no better and the care that he was receiving from the Letterkenny Hospital cancer unit no longer met his needs, he requested to be taken into The Donegal Hospice. 

Within a few hours there he stated that he felt like “a new man” and could not believe that they had such care and compassion. At the time, he said it was “a miracle”. The willing staff at the Hospice managed to do what the doctors had not quite managed to do which was to finally relieve the excruciating pain that he was in.  

The Donegal Hospice and all its staff brought John sincere comfort in the last few weeks of his life and for this reason he wanted to ensure that he gave back as much to them as he felt they had given to him. 

He decided that the best thing to do was to gift the Hospice one of his most prized possessions, his beloved 1951 Ford Popular Car. Before the draw, John's family said they wished the eventual winner the very of luck and they hope that whoever won this beautiful car will treasure it as John did.

Peter says he remembers John from the vintage shows and is more than grateful for his donation. This weekend Peter and Anges are on their way to Galway for a vintage car show at Ballybrit but he insists: “It’s only for a look and not for another car!”