Steve Rooney, from County Wexford, has lived with Ulcerative Colitis for years and was eventually left with a permanent colostomy. The condition has had a profound impact on his life, bringing physical, emotional and financial difficulties that he says he could never have imagined.
He is currently studying for a Psychology degree from home, with the ambition of building a career where he can help others dealing with mental health difficulties and major challenges in their own lives.
However, because his course has to be completed remotely due to his health, Steve says he has been unable to access Government funding and has had to pay for his studies himself. The financial pressure has also placed enormous strain on the family.
Steve’s wife has taken a job in Dublin to help keep the family financially afloat, meaning the couple spends part of each week apart.
Steve has also faced major difficulties trying to find work himself, saying he has applied for around 5,000 jobs without being offered a single interview.
With his disability making it difficult to find employment and his health limiting the type of work he can take on, Steve says he has reached the point where he feels he has to create an opportunity for himself.
"I have my disability on my CV because it would be impossible to hide," he said.
"I’ve applied for 5,000 jobs and haven’t had one interview. I have to employ myself."
While his wife is away working, Steve remains at home caring for their four daughters while also managing his disability and ongoing health problems.
Now they have made the difficult decision to raffle their fully furnished traditional-style cottage, along with a separate mobile guest home.
Tickets are priced at just €10, giving entrants the opportunity to win the stunning furnished property while potentially helping the Rooney family begin a new chapter.
For Steve, however, the raffle is about more than simply finding a way to move on financially.
The family has also decided to donate a portion of the proceeds to CCLG Kids Cancer Charity, with the aim of helping cover the charity’s fuel costs for a year.
Steve says that, despite the family’s own struggles, they wanted their decision to have a positive impact on others.
"Even though we’re struggling ourselves, we wanted this raffle to make a difference for families who are facing unimaginable circumstances," he said.
"If we can help the CCLG continue their incredible work while also helping our own family, then it will all have been worthwhile."
The decision to raffle the property has not been an easy one. The home represents a significant part of the family’s life, but Steve hopes the raffle will provide the opportunity for a fresh start while giving someone else the chance to own a traditional Irish property.
"This isn’t just a story about raffling a home," Steve said.
"It’s about resilience, family, hope, and refusing to give up despite illness and hardship."
Raffle details
As the competition is hosted on an English website, tickets are priced at £9 each, which is just over €10.
There are just 120,000 paid tickets available, priced at around €10 each — roughly the cost of a meal at McDonald’s.
The prize is a beautiful, traditional three-bedroom cottage set on more than half an acre just 10km from Enniscorthy. It also comes with a separate two-bedroom mobile guest home that is already plumbed and connected to electricity.
Both properties are being offered fully furnished, with a range of high-quality furniture and appliances included. Features include a 60-inch smart TV valued at €1,500, a super-king-size bed, three double beds, a double-door silver fridge, a dishwasher, and a Haier washing machine valued at €2,000.
The competition will remain open until Friday, October 30, 2026, at 7.45pm, or until all tickets are sold.
To enter, click here.
* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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