RNLI one of five charities left €6m in woman's will

Elizabeth O’Kelly, from Stradbally in Co Laois, left €6 million each to five charities — the RNLI, the Irish Cancer Society, the Irish Kidney Society, the Irish Heart Foundation, and the Irish Society for Autism.

The Irish Times newspaper in Dublin reports that Mrs O’Kelly was a shareholder in a firmwith extensive property interests in Dublin, known as Clylim Properties,

She also made about €30 million from the sale of the Leinster Leader newspaper in 2005, the Irish Times report.

The RNLI say it is “deeply grateful and humbled” by Mrs O’Kelly’s generosity.

In a statement, the life-saving charity said: “Gifts in wills, be they large or small, are vital to the charity’s work in saving lives at sea, they fund six out of every 10 lifeboat launches.

“Mrs O’Kelly was a long-standing supporter of the RNLI. She held a high regard for the volunteer work carried out by the charity which appealed to her ethos and she herself for many years, volunteered her time to help out at an RNLI stall at the RDS in Dublin.”

The statement added: “RNLI will be carefully considering all options to ensure the funds are used where they are needed most.”