It’s the most bizarre, wholesome mystery to ever hit this Cork town, as free chocolates – accompanied by heartwarming messages – started popping up in random shops.
Locals in Dunmanway have been seeing the sweets throughout the town in recent days, as most had no idea who was behind it. But for many people, it was the exact pick-me-up they needed – some kind words and a little sweet treat to brighten up trips for groceries and odd bits.
Many were left wondering who was behind these simple, kind-hearted gestures. And now, after photos of the chocolates went viral on social media, the mastermind has been revealed – local first-year student Keelan O’Donovan. The youth, who attends Maria Immaculata Community College (MICC) in Dunmanway, got the idea from an English class assignment to ‘bring positivity into the world’.
A lovely little gesture to brighten up people’s days(Image: Cork’s 96FM Opinion Line)
And that’s exactly what he did, leaving sweet messages with each chocolate including: ‘Keep going,’ ‘You’re so strong,’ ‘You can do this,’ and ‘I believe in you.’ When asked how he decided what to write, he said it was “what I’d want to hear if I was having a bad day.”
The 13-year-old, who his dad Declan said is “always trying to cheer people up”, never wanted any attention. But has now been thrust into the spotlight as locals praise him online for his selfless project.
After news of his little campaign was shared on social media, he was sponsored by local businesses – including SuperValu and Toomey’s Jewellers – to keep the chocolates and lovely cards coming.
Opening up about the idea, Keelan told PJ Coogan on The Opinion Line on Cork’s 96FM: “Well, there’s just a lot of badness out there, and you never know how much a small gesture like that could really help someone, you know?
“I’ve heard a lot of feedback this past week, like from Aldi and Toomey’s people, like, how they love the idea and stuff like that.”
Keelan has no plans to stop sending out his little sweet treats anytime soon.
Proud dad Declan added: “He’s just a happy soul really. He started doing something nice around the town… I think it was his English teacher who set him a challenge to put something nice into the world. He just had this idea in the back of his head anyway, so he ran with it… That’ll be him, always trying to cheer people up and make them smile.”