Bluebell returns for its fourth year — and Cork’s generosity is still at its heart

The afternoon that became a tradition

Bluebell returned to Rochestown Park Hotel in 2024. ACT’s account of that second year recalls the generosity of local businesses and the atmosphere created by St Vincent’s Choir and baritone Joe Corbett. There was music, conversation and the now-familiar raffle, with volunteers and supporters making the occasion possible.

By 2025, Bluebell was in its third year. The charity’s published recap described a gathering of families, friends, volunteers and Cork businesses, with a raffle table full of gifts and experiences contributed by supporters. The photographs tell part of the story too: from the decorated room at that first event to the entertainment and prize displays in later years, Bluebell has become a gathering that people help create together.

A local tradition with a much longer history

The story behind Bluebell begins long before 2023. Aid Cancer Treatment (ACT) was established in 1983 by relatives of people with cancer. At a time when radiation oncology services were at risk of being centralised in Dublin, ACT was part of the effort to keep essential cancer treatment available in Cork.

That commitment has continued through decades of volunteer work, advocacy and fundraising. Today, ACT supports improvements in treatment equipment, patient comfort, clinical services and research, particularly in connection with Cork University Hospital and the wider Munster region.

Its history includes support for radiation oncology technology and facilities, counselling and family rooms, day-ward comforts, specialist services and clinical research. In 2025, ACT reported a €196,000 contribution to pioneering research at University College Cork’s Department of Surgery. This is an example of ACT’s wider work, not a claim that the Bluebell Lunch alone funded that contribution.

For the people who put their time into Bluebell, these practical outcomes are what make a community lunch worth organising. A fundraiser may begin with a room full of friends, but its wider purpose is to help improve the experience and care of patients and families facing cancer.

“It’s the people who make it happen”

That feeling runs through each edition. Bluebell is not simply a ticketed lunch. It is the work of people who donate their time, organisations that contribute what they can, and supporters who return year after year. The raffle has become one particularly visible expression of that support.

ACT is grateful to everyone contributing to this year’s preparations and prize collection. The names and gifts may be different from one year to the next, but the kindness behind each offer is familiar — and every contribution helps the volunteers create an afternoon to remember.

Looking ahead to Sunday 15 November

The fourth annual Bluebell Charity Lunch takes place at Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork, on Sunday 15 November 2026. Guests will be welcomed for a drinks reception from 1pm, followed by a three-course lunch, live entertainment from Anthony Manning and the charity’s popular prize raffle.

Tickets are priced at €60 per person. Anyone who would like to enquire about attending or current availability should contact the organisers on 087 235 1902 or 087 236 4363. The event organisers can advise on individual and group table arrangements.

ACT continues to welcome enquiries from local businesses and supporters who may wish to contribute a suitable raffle prize. To discuss helping with the raffle, contact admin@aidcancertreatment.ie or info@aidcancertreatment.ie.

Whether you have attended Bluebell before, are hearing about it for the first time, or simply want to help spread the word, ACT is grateful for the support that makes occasions like this possible. What began as an anniversary idea has become a yearly reminder of Cork’s generosity — and of why that generosity matters.