‘All welcome’ coffee morning planned in memory of Portlaoise woman

The family of a much-loved Portlaoise woman are organising a community coffee morning in aid of Laois Hospice which they hope will become an annual event.

The coffee morning at Portlaoise Family Resource Centre will be held in memory of Annette Lawlor who passed away last month.

Ms Lawlor was a goalkeeper for the Laois ladies football team during the 1980s and also played soccer for Portlaoise A.F.C.. She was a committed member of the church and parish, and she travelled to Lourdes twice during the 14-month period that she received palliative care from Laois Hospice. Ms Lawlor was also known for her vivacious fundraising efforts and salesmanship.

“Mam passed away on August 6th 2026, and the kindness and support shown to our family since then has meant so much to us,” said Ms Lawlor’s son Wayne Lawlor. “We thought this would be a lovely way of remembering her not just with sadness, but by bringing people together and hopefully doing some good in her name.”

“People would describe her as a pure character and chancer,” said Mr Lawlor. “There was no airs and graces.”

The event will take place from 8.30am to 12.30pm in the Community Room at Portlaoise Family Resource Centre on Friday, September 25, 2026. Ms Lawlor’s family invites members of the community to drop in at any stage throughout the morning for tea, coffee, cakes and treats. There will also be a raffle on the day.

“Whether you knew Mam or not, please come along. Have a cuppa, a piece of cake, buy a raffle ticket, and help us raise as much as we can for Laois Hospice. Everyone is genuinely welcome,” said Mr Lawlor.

Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice’ is a nationwide initiative that has raised millions of euro for hospice and specialist palliative care services. It takes place on September 24 this year – the same day Ms Lawlor would have turned seventy. Mr Lawlor had been seeking a way to give back to his mother’s community, and when this coincidence came to his attention, he decided to host a coffee morning. Due to venue availability, however, the coffee morning will be held a day later on September 25.

A key tenet of the ‘Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice’ initiative is that money raised locally is spent locally. Mr Lawlor has created an online donation page and emphasised that all proceeds from the event will go directly to Laois Hospice.

“We don’t want this to be something we do just once,” said Mr Lawlor. “Mam’s birthday will always be an important date for us, and we would love to make this an annual event in her memory.

“Instead of allowing her birthday to become a sad day each year, we want to turn it into something positive a day to remember Mam, bring people together and raise money for Laois Hospice.

“Hopefully, this is just the beginning. If we can grow it year after year and help other people and families through hospice care, that would be a very special legacy for Mam.”