Letterkenny woman marks 'amazing' 20 years of charitable Christmas Day dinners

A Letterkenny woman is marking a milestone 20 years serving Christmas Day dinners for those on their own.

The Annual Christmas Day Dinner in Conwal Parish Hall, Letterkenny, helps to break through isolation and loneliness on Christmas Day. The service was set up in 2005 by Kathy O’Connor, initially at Letterkenny Community Centre.

Kathy, a qualified counsellor, was asked in her work if there were any services providing Christmas Day dinners in Letterkenny. Discovering there were none on Christmas Day, Kathy took the initiative to set something up for people spending Christmas on their own. She has given her time to helping others in the locality every Christmas Day since.

“The first year, there were four people and we made four dinners,” explains Kathy. “This year we expect to make between 200 to 250 dinners, with over 100 of those being delivered.”

Dinners are served on-site in Conwal Parish Hall and are delivered to homes in Letterkenny and surrounding areas by a team of dedicated volunteers. The Meals on a Plate service, with help from the organisation ALONE and the Inishowen Exchange, also incorporates volunteers in communities across Donegal who make an extra dinner for someone in their locality.

Despite a halt to on-site dinners during the Covid-19 pandemic, the delivery service has seen significant growth and is now available on New Year’s Day. Kathy says new people access the on-site dinners and delivery service each year, and the callout for volunteers around the county continues to be a success, with 80 people helping out last year.

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“I never expected it to get this big,” says Kathy. “It couldn’t happen without volunteers. Some of the volunteers have been with us since day one. People are so generous with their time.”

The Conwal Hall Parish dinners are served up on Christmas Day at around 1:30pm. The traditional turkey and ham with all the trimmings will be plated up, and vegetarian options will also be available. Those availing of the delivery service will enjoy a soup starter and mince pies with their dinners.

“Whatever the need is, we meet people there,” says Kathy. “We try to make the day as enjoyable as possible.”

Support from local businesses is crucial to the Annual Christmas Day Dinner’s success. Snugborough restaurant in Letterkenny is offering its kitchen for preparing dinners this year, and the Value Centre is providing dishes. Letterkenny Chamber has also been a long-time supporter of the initiative. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help fund this year’s Christmas Day event, with any extra proceeds going towards 2026.

Reflecting on the past 20 years, Kathy is thankful for the help she’s received and is hopeful for the future of the service.

“It’s amazing, I don’t know where the time has gone,” she says. “This is how I spend my Christmas every year. I hope I’ve set the template for years to come.”