It might be a quiet county Waterford village but Touraneena is by no means a sleepy one.
Over the past few months, the West Waterford community located in the heart of the Comeragh and Knockmealdown mountains have come together with a quirky idea, to raise money for a vital service in the area.
The 'Drive-In Bingo' has already raised thousands of euros for the Touraneena Community Centre.
Every 2 weeks, locals alongside many others from across the county Waterford have driven their cars to the car park at the Community Centre in the village, listening eagerly to the man behind all of this Brendan Tobin.
"We started off we said we'd give it a go for one week and see if we could make a thousand euros or but it has been a great success. The community centre has been there over 30 years and there hasn't been much done to it since its opening and we needed to raise a lot of funds." Tobin said.
"We're not begging anyone to come people are just turning up we're by no means sticking tickets in anyone's' faces and it has been very easy to run."
There was plenty of winners of course too. 🚗 Sound on. 🔈 pic.twitter.com/cRxPvDSh7f
— Aoife Kearns (@kearns_aoife) September 28, 2020
The 'Drive-In Bingo' has become a safe social outlet for older members of the rural village as Tobin remarked:
"It's great that people can enjoy it and sit in their car with their family, I never thought that this time last year that I would be calling bingo numbers I'm a big GAA fanatic I thought I'd be in Fraher Field or Walsh Park.
"But entertaining the older people and in particular the older ladies is great banter and we have great fun with them every week."
Anna Thompson, a Touraneena resident says it's something she's been looking forward to every fortnight.:
"It's great craic altogether we have it every second Sunday and I can't wait for it, especially after being locked down for so long now we're up and ready for the Bingo.
"The last time it was on I blew the horn twice and I got two lines and that was great and I had one line before that so I'm not too unlucky!"
Olive White - another Touraneena woman- is a huge fan of the bingo and hopes it will be able to continue:
"It is the best thing since sliced bread and Brendan Tobin is the big man behind it, if we hadn't this we would be lost at home, looking at the four walls again.
"I love it and I hope it will stay going."
If you'd like to come along, the next edition of Touraneena's Drive-In Bingo will take place on Sunday October 11th.
You can hear all about 'Touraneena's Drive-In Bingo' in this report from Aoife Kearns below:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/wlrfm/touraneena-bingo-aoifekearns
