THE HOSPITAL Ball made a welcome return to the town’s social calendar recently, when over 400 people turned out for a glamorous evening at Clayton Whites Hotel.

On a night of celebration for all the staff of Wexford General Hospital, a whopping over €21,000 was raised to help with the mission to secure an MRI scanner to assist in the provision of care locally.

Members of the ‘Friends of Wexford General Hospital Group, General Manager Lily Byrnes, Professor Colm Quigley and a number of hospital staff members came together to reinstate the festive fundraiser which was a mainstay in the town each year up to the mid-1990s.

They were spurned on by the Wexford ‘MRI – Now’ project, which is urgently striving to raise €250,000 so a badly-needed scanner can be ordered and plans approved for the construction of a specific structure for the super magnet.

The HSE has agreed to fund the bulk of the cost, however this is the amount which must be raised.

Those Wexford General Hospital staff members who stepped up to help bring back the Hospital Ball included Brian McGrath, Gina Monahan, Peter Murphy and Róisín Ffrench.

Over a year ago, the committee engaged Catriona Murphy to volunteer as the event and fundraising co-ordinator.

A hugely successful event was excellently organised and greatly enjoyed by all in attendance.

Dancing to The Troubadours continued into the early hours and the fun and glamour of the night was captured on camera with queues of people lining up for a selfie at the Magic Mirror.

Every table received prizes on the night, while spot prizes were also given away and one lucky lady picked up a cash prize on the door of €1,000.

Delighted by the success of the event, Professor Quigley said with pride: “The real added value of this event has been the tremendous boost to staff morale.

“This gathering gave all the staff, who over the last eight years have worked under difficult conditions and great pressure trying to maintain the best possible levels of patient care standards, a lift in spirit.

“We are determined in Wexford General Hospital to improve patient care and maintain high standards, along with extending our further services.

“We are hoping this event represents the point of where the hospital starts to meet the future with greater confidence and we look forward to the same event next year.”

Read more in the Wexford Echo.