Eggs-cellent work by gardaí helping Easter bunny

The Toy-Drive was originally initiated by Father Jim McCormack, a former Killinarden priest who transferred from Tallaght to Hacketstown nearly two decades ago.

On his arrival at Hacketstown, Father McCormack made an appeal on behalf of Tallaght’s disadvantaged families to his new parishioners and the annual Toy-Drive became a tradition – with the bumper Easter egg collection also growing into an annual custom for the Carlow community.

Community gardaí from Tallaght collected the chocolate hoard on Monday and are currently helping the Easter Bunny with his long-list of deliveries and dropping the donated eggs into families in need – whom local officers have come into contact with through their work in local communities.

Gardaí will also liaise with representatives of St Vincent de Paul, with eggs also being delivered into the National Children’s Hospital at Tallaght and Cheeverstown.

Community Garda Gary Duffy told The Echo: “I couldn’t count the number of Easter eggs donated, probably somewhere in the region of 400 and 500 eggs.

“It’s so amazing to think that every Christmas and every Easter this community in Hackettstown is thinking of Tallaght families, it’s an amazing gesture and makes such a difference to local families and kids.

“Just giving one Easter egg to a house can make all the difference for a child and bring a lot of happiness.”

He added: “We can’t thank Father Jim McCormack and the community of Hackettstown enough.”

On Monday, community police from Tallaght made the 61-kilometre trip to Hackettstown and collected the eggs, which they started to distribute to families that evening.