In June, Milltown Community Hall in Beaufort was filled with neighbours, families, friends and supporters who came together for an evening of music and dancing in aid of St Mary of the Angels. Long before the first song ended, it was clear this was about more than fundraising. It was a celebration of a place that has been woven into the fabric of Kerry life for generations.

The music carried late into the evening, the dance floor rarely emptied, and conversations flowed. There was a sense of familiarity in the room, of people coming together not out of obligation, but because St Mary of the Angels matters deeply to them.

Since 1968, St Mary of the Angels has provided support to people with intellectual and physical disabilities in the heart of Kerry. Today, 76 residents call it home. Over the decades, it has become far more than a service. For residents and their families, it is a place of community, friendship, support and belonging. For the wider county, it is a place many have grown up knowing, supporting and championing.

That connection was visible everywhere on the night.

Every ticket purchased, every raffle entry sold and every dance shared reflected the enduring relationship between St Mary of the Angels and the community around it. The funds raised will help support residents and enhance daily life within the service, but the evening also offered something equally meaningful: a visible expression of solidarity and care.

At a time when community can sometimes feel harder to find, nights like these are a powerful reminder of what happens when people come together around something they value. St Mary of the Angels has been part of Kerry’s story for almost six decades, and the turnout in Beaufort spoke volumes about how much that story continues to mean.

The generosity shown throughout the evening was remarkable. But perhaps what stood out most was the sense of pride in the room. Pride in the residents who call St Mary of the Angels home. Pride in the staff who support them. And pride in a service that has touched so many lives over the years.

Judging by the crowd in Milltown Community Hall, one thing is certain: the community’s commitment to St Mary of the Angels remains as strong as ever.