A Wexford family are appealing for help after a set of precious family rings were mistakenly donated to St Vincent de Paul in the run-up to Christmas.
The rings—an engagement ring, wedding band and several other meaningful pieces—were part of a donation by Diane FitzHarris Doyle’s mother, a regular charity supporter.
The rings, which had deep sentimental value, belonged to Diane’s late grandmother and were passed down to her mother.
According to Diane, her mother had placed the rings in a ziplock bag with other items to be resized. However, in the busy period before Christmas, the rings were unintentionally included in the donation to St Vincent de Paul. When Diane’s mother later went to retrieve them, she discovered the rings were missing.
The family has been in touch with St Vincent de Paul, which has been extremely supportive throughout the ordeal. The charity has assured the family that any donations are carefully sorted and checked and that anything found in pockets will be returned. However, given the number of donations received, it’s unclear whether the bag containing the rings has been opened yet.
Diane is now reaching out to the community in the hope that someone may have come across the rings in the charity shop or depot.
“The rings hold no monetary value but mean the world to my mum,” Diane said. “We’re just asking for anyone who might have seen or found them to let us know.”
Among the lost rings is a plain gold wedding band, a diamond cluster engagement ring, a half-eternity sapphire ring, a half-eternity ring with green and white stones and a single-stone dress ring.
The family emphasizes that the emotional value of these items far exceeds any financial worth.
For those who might have information, Diane can be contacted directly at 087 292 7164
