AN IRISH couple who are raffling off their holiday home have raised a whopping €800,000 from ticket sales.
They plan on donating all the money to frontline healthcare workers who have been battling Covid-19.
The couple, Patrick and Joan, contracted and recovered coronavirus themselves, an experience which no doubt inspired their decision.
With three days to go the couple say they have been blown away by the response to their extraordinary gesture of goodwill.
Patrick - a retired businessman, and Joan - a doctor - have decided to remain semi-anonymous, but say they have deeply touched by the interest in their cottage.
All of the funds raised by the raffle will go to non-professional hospital workers -porters, cleaners and kitchen staff- at the front line of the pandemic, who took the same risk as doctors and nurses.
"Having seen what the virus was like with my husband, who is very lucky to be alive, I can only marvel at their strength and conviction," said Joan.
"Having worked in hospitals most of my working life, I always thought the support staff should get more. They were always cheerful, hard-working and reliable and kept the hospital ticking over.
"I admire them so much, turning in every day, knowing the risks that they were taking for themselves and their families.
"These are the people we are raffling the cottage for."
The cottage, which is situated under the Ox Mountains and lying along the banks of the Yellow River, in Askillaun, Foxford, Co Mayo, could still be yours for just €10.
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