Relay for Life Laois celebrates its best year yet with over €41,000 raised

Relay for Life Laois had its most successful year yet in 2025, raising an astonishing €41,987 for vital cancer services in the county.

The fundraising initiative by the Irish Cancer Society runs in many counties across the country. Relay for Life Laois was established in 2022 and the group have been hosting the event on the grounds of Emo Court and Parklands for the past four years. 

In 2025, ten teams from across Laois hosted different fundraisers throughout the year which collectively raised a total of €41,987. People from Portlaoise, Portarlington, Mountmellick, Emo and elsewhere across the county all came together to organise the events which included yoga sessions, head shaves, and the selling of Candle of Hope bags.

These teams were Mountmellick Community School & Friends, Frank & Walkers, Mountmellick Macra, Team Teresa, The Warriors Club, Mountmellick Yarnbombers, Sue's Crew, Cancer Slayers, Dad's Team, and St Michael's Running Club.

One of the organisers of Relay for Life Laois, Caroline O'Sullivan, told the Leinster Express / Laois Live: "It's been our best year so far since we started in 2022. In the past four years we have raised just over €120,000 for the Irish Cancer Society and for services in the Laois area."

Relay for Life volunteers at the hugely successful event at Emo Court on 16 August 2025

Caroline previously worked with Relay for Life Kildare before moving to Portarlington where she and another committee member decided to set up a fundraiser for Laois. 

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She explained that teams are busy fundraising all year round and the actual 24-hour Relay for Life event at Emo Court and Parklands is a commemorative and celebratory day for everyone in the community who has been impacted by cancer. 

The Candle of Hope bags that are sold during the year and on the day of the event are used to line a walking track which team members will then walk around for the 24 hour period. These candle bags are sold in memory of people who have passed from cancer, anyone who is going through their own journey with the disease, and those who have come out the other side of it. 

Volunteers for the Irish Cancer Society at Relay for Life Laois in August

The Laois group held their event, which proved to be a great success, on 16 August 2025. Walkers were entertained all day long by live music and entertainment which was provided by the local community. Cancer survivors were also treated to an afternoon tea on the lawns at Emo Court. 

Caroline said that as the candle bags have been sold in memory of loved ones, they are cremated and the group plants the ashes with a Remembrance Tree which is given to them by the OPW. The group planted their fourth Remembrance Tree on Sunday, 11 January at Emo Court where they also presented The Irish Cancer Society with the fundraising cheque.

The fourth Remembrance Tree being planted in Laois at Emo Court on Sunday, 11 January

Expressing her appreciation for the support the group have received, Caroline said: "The OPW has been absolutely amazing in providing us the venue, it's the most beautiful Relay For Life venue in the country."

She continued: "Everyone is willing to give a hand because I don't think there's anybody in this world that hasn't been impacted by cancer."

Caroline has encouraged everyone in Laois to attend one of their fundraisers and see the positive impact it has on people.

"You need to come out and see a relay. We put a tealight in every candle bag that's sold and around dusk time we light them all up and have a Candle of Hope ceremony to celebrate the survivors and remember the people that have lost their battle against cancer."

With the youngest survivor participating in Laois being just 9-years-old and the oldest 90, Caroline emphasised that it is an incredibly important fundraiser to be involved in and to witness.

"It's a beautiful little community to be a part of."