# Challenge to Irish charitable will fails

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/08/28/challenge-to-irish-charitable-will-fails/
- Published: 2013-08-28T20:15:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**A charitable will worth nearly €3.5 million has been upheld in the Dublin High
Court after it was contested by a relative of the deceased.**

According to [the Irish Times](http://www.irishtimes.com), Mary Coffey left her 
two brothers €45,000 each out of the €3.5 million will with the rest going to charity
and one of the brothers had argued in court that she was of unsound mind when writing
the will. Following evidence from Ms Coffey’s doctor and solicitor the court ruled
that the will had been properly drawn up.

Ms Coffey had made up to 100 bequests ranging from sums of €100 to €1,000 to €10,000
and up to €50,000 to various charities for the poor, the deaf and the blind, and
to hospices, the Samaritans and the Helicopter Rescue Service, according to the 
newspaper.

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Even after these specific bequests, Ms Coffey’s estate had been left with just under
€2.8 million which will be distributed among charities as her executor, a distant
cousin, decides.

It is understood that Ms Coffey’s wealth came from the sale of farm land at the 
height of the property boom.

Ms Coffey died at age 87 in 2005.

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 * **[Only 25% of Britons plan to leave a gift to charity in their will](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/02/21/25-us-plan-leave-gift-charity-will/)**(
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