Charlie’s Bar is proud to be a community-focused, third-generation family pub in Enniskillen, and part of that means using our venue as a space where people can come together to support local causes.
One of the most recent examples of this was a fundraiser held at Charlie’s Bar in aid of Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary, which raised more than £2,300. The event was organised by local doctor Dr Amy Keating, and the response from the public was so strong that the night exceeded all expectations.
Bright Eyes is a charity that means a lot to many people in Fermanagh, and Dr Keating explained that her motivation came from personal experience. She made the decision to organise the quiz after rescuing her own cat from the sanctuary and being grateful for the work they do. As she said in the article:
“I have followed Bright Eyes for years. I adopted my cat, Toffee, from them in 2022, and since then I’ve gone out regularly to donate food.”
The quiz itself turned into a full community night out, with a raffle, local business support, and a packed venue. The fundraiser also ran late into the night due to the volume of support and participation, with Dr Keating noting:
“People seemed to have a good night between the quiz and the raffle so we didn’t finish up until 11.30pm so it was a good night out before Christmas.”
There were 27 teams involved on the night, and Charlie’s supported the event by making space upstairs and helping the organisers accommodate the unexpected numbers. In the article, it was noted that:
“Charlie’s had to get extra tables and chairs to bring upstairs.”
For Charlie’s Bar, this fundraiser is one example of how a pub can offer more than entertainment – it can provide a trusted, welcoming venue where community fundraising is made easy, accessible, and enjoyable for people, while making a real impact for local charities.
The community reaction was overwhelmingly positive and is a clear reflection of how strongly Fermanagh supports local causes when they are under pressure.
The fundraiser was so successful that the quiz reached capacity upstairs, and the turnout was so large that people had to be turned away. As Dr Keating said in the article:
“Things went really well. It was a lot busier than we were expecting. We reached full capacity upstairs at Charlie’s so we ended up having to turn people away unfortunately.”
The feedback on the night was immediate, with people enjoying both the fundraising and the social atmosphere. Dr Keating described how well the night was received, saying:
“Everybody seemed to have a good time and so much so they were asking me when we were organising the next one.”
The community support also had a very emotional impact on the Bright Eyes volunteers and staff who attended. Dr Keating highlighted just how meaningful it was for those directly involved in the sanctuary’s day-to-day work:
“A lot of the staff in Bright Eyes turned up on Friday night and at the end one was so happy she started crying and hugging me.”
That reaction sums up exactly why fundraising nights like this matter — they don’t just raise money, they give charities a real sense that the community values them, supports them, and wants them to survive.
Charlie’s Bar was delighted to play its part by providing the venue, supporting the logistics, and helping create the type of atmosphere where the community could come together, enjoy themselves, and support a cause that matters.
The quiz night raised more than £2,300 for Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary at a time when the sanctuary has publicly appealed for urgent help due to rising costs.
Funds like this make a real difference for local organisations who rely heavily on public support to continue operating, and it also raises wider awareness of how important shelters like Bright Eyes are to the community.
Beyond the money raised, it reinforced something we see time and time again – that a pub can be more than just a place to meet for a drink. It can be a reliable community space where people come together, look after one another, and support causes that matter locally.
Charlie’s Bar hosted a community quiz night organised by Dr Amy Keating in support of Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary, raising more than £2,300. With 27 teams taking part, the event filled the venue to capacity and featured raffles and strong support from local businesses and residents. The fundraiser highlighted Charlie’s role as a welcoming community space where people can come together for a night out while supporting important local causes.
General T&Cs
Prize details:
Two Premier League tickets with hospitality fulfilled by Sky Business - to a game of your choice from a select list. Eligible for 2026 Premier League home games in the 2025/26 season
Two sets of two tickets from Diageo