25 August 2026
By Roger Kennedy
roger@TheCork.ie
Entertainment
Community fundraising has been a part of life in Cork for as long as anyone can remember. The likes of sports clubs, charities, schools, and voluntary organisations all need support for things such as facilities, equipment, and everyday running costs. Traditionally, much of the support needed has come directly from local people.
The methods used to raise money have changed over the years, but familiar events such as bingo nights, raffles, quizzes and race nights are still part of the mix. Digital payments and social media have added new options, allowing community organisations to reach supporters well beyond the people who can attend an event in person.
Bingo Remains Part Of Community Life
Not exclusive to Cork, bingo has always had strong connections to community fundraising. Why? Well, it’s straightforward to organise and can attract people who aren’t always involved with a certain club or organisation.
The format has also proved adaptable. In 2025, Carrigaline GAA Club hosted a bilingual bingo event supporting Carraig ag Caint, a local organisation promoting the use of Irish. Attendees heard numbers called in both Irish and English, combining fundraising and entertainment with the promotion of the language.
Bingo has changed beyond community halls as well. Entertainment-led versions have introduced DJs, music and other activities, while people can now play bingo online through digital platforms without attending a physical event.
Sports Clubs Have Always Needed To Fundraise
A look at Cork’s sporting culture allows you to see many examples of how fundraising is part of everyday club life. GAA clubs need to maintain the likes of pitches and clubhouses. They also need to purchase equipment and support teams across different age groups.
Many facilities used today exist partly because previous generations raised the money required to build and improve them. The methods haven’t always been sophisticated. Quizzes, collections, raffles and social events have been effective ways of raising funds.
Cork Racecourse Mallow has previously worked directly with sports clubs on fundraising. Its Cork Sports Clubs Go Racing initiative offered participating clubs a share of the admission revenue from tickets they sold for a race meeting.
It went to show just how local sport and entertainment can overlap, with an existing event providing clubs with another way to generate funds rather than requiring volunteers to organise everything themselves.
Digital Fundraising Has Expanded The Audience
Perhaps one of the biggest changes is that it is now easier to raise funds beyond the local community. Campaigns can now easily be shared through platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp in a matter of moments.
Online payments also remove some of the practical limitations associated with cash. Supporters don’t have to attend a particular event or live nearby to contribute. This can be particularly useful for Cork people who have moved elsewhere in Ireland or overseas but retain connections with local organisations.
Physical events will always offer something digital campaigns cannot replicate easily, however. A quiz, race night or fundraising concert can create a real social occasion while generating money at the same time.
Entertainment Habits Are Changing Too
The move towards digital entertainment goes well beyond fundraising. Streaming, mobile games and online services now compete with traditional nights out for people’s leisure time.
Gaming is one example. Platforms such as Wepari.com form part of a much larger online entertainment sector that includes casino games and sports-related products, while smartphones have made digital entertainment accessible without requiring a desktop computer.
At the same time, Cork continues to support physical events. The county’s calendar includes everything from GAA fixtures and horse racing to concerts, food festivals and community gatherings. Cork Racecourse Mallow’s 2026 Easter Racing Festival, for example, combined racing with family entertainment and used its opening day to support Down Syndrome Centre Cork through admission proceeds.
That combination of entertainment and fundraising remains familiar even as the technology surrounding leisure changes. Real life and online events are not in direct competition: they simply offer different experiences.
Community Events Still Have A Wider Value
Money is the obvious measure of a successful fundraiser, but it isn’t the only benefit. Events can introduce people to organisations they previously knew little about and give existing supporters another reason to become involved.
They can also help maintain connections within communities. A local club may have hundreds of members across different age groups, yet many rarely meet outside matches or training. Fundraising events create another opportunity to bring those groups together.
Digital tools have made organising, promoting and collecting money easier, while online entertainment has changed what people do with their spare time. Cork’s community organisations have adapted rather than abandoning the methods that worked before.
Bingo nights, racing events, quizzes and raffles continue because they combine fundraising with a social occasion. Technology can extend its reach, but the local support behind it remains much the same.