BY AILEEN MURPHY

U2's guitarist The Edge made it a 'beautiful day' for Mencap when he joined the learning disability charity for their first Race Day event at the world famous Curragh Race track at Co Kildare recently, and the brains behind the event was none other than Fermanagh's own Ciara Gallagher, Fundraising Manager with the Charity.

One hundred exclusive Mencap guests joined The Edge in a private hospitality suite with glass fronted views down the finishing line and across the Curragh's historic plains. The Curragh is acknowledged as the headquarters of horse racing in Ireland since its first race in 1741 and hosts some of the best flat racing in the country. The afternoon proved the perfect blend of racing action, live jazz music and sumptuous food and wine for the guests, who enjoyed a uniquely special and memorable occasion.

Ciara, from Belllek, is Mencap Northern Ireland's Fundraising Manager, organised the event. She said: "We were absolutely thrilled to have the company of The Edge to support us in our exciting new venture at the Curragh. This was our first experience of holding a Race Day at this prestigious track and indeed our first event of this nature to be held outside of Northern Ireland. Following the immense success of our annual Down Royal Race Day, now a sell out every year, we really wanted to develop this style of event.

"The Curragh has provided the ideal venue for both hospitality and racing action and we could not have asked for a better celebrity guest than The Edge.

"Events such as this provide us with the opportunity to raise funds for people with a learning disability and heighten awareness of the work that Mencap does to help people with a learning disability live their lives the way they want."