National appeal: Aberdeen Angus calves being auctioned, clergymen living in wooden huts and pharmacists giving up their takings - these are just a few of the fundraising activities around the country to help the victims of the tsunami disaster.
The countrywide collection organised by publicans, hoteliers and An Garda Síochána has now raised €1,089,453.32.
Sports organisations raised hundreds of thousands of euro this weekend when they took part in GOAL's sports weekend initiative.
Instead of paying to see GAA matches around the country, spectators donated money to the tsunami appeal, with proceeds from fixtures such as the O'Byrne Cup and FBD Connacht League matches going to charity. Rugby supporters everywhere also contributed.
The Irish Football Supporters' Association encouraged all soccer fans to donate all their spare cash to the appeal.
Jockeys have already pledged more than €70,000 to the disaster fund by giving up their riding fees, while the Trainers' Association has donated €40,000.
Horse Racing Ireland held collections at the Navan and Leopardstown racecourses over the weekend.
Basketball clubs raised money by raffling cup final tickets at all adult SuperLeague and Women's Cup games.
Meanwhile, all 1,350 post offices around the country have begun accepting donations for the fund.
An Post has set up an appeal fund with donations going to Concern, GOAL, the Irish Red Cross, Trócaire and UNICEF.
Postmasters are waiving all charges and fees normally associated with donations.
In Donegal, the Very Rev John Hay, Dean of Raphoe Church, camped out in an Indian fishing villagers' hut in Raphoe for two nights to draw attention to the South Asia disaster.
A Fianna Fáil Co Limerick councillor, Mr Kevin Sheehan, is asking every councillor in the State to donate one week of their representational allowance to the Asia fund.
Mr Sheehan, secretary of the Local Authority Members' Association, said up to €250,000 could be raised from almost 1,000 councillors in 38 local authorities. Some members get up to €280 a week from this allowance before tax.
In Mayo, pharmacist Ms Dorothy McKane said she would be donating every cent spent in the Ballina shop last Friday and Saturday to GOAL's relief fund. A total figure was not available yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Elvis impersonator, Mark Leen, said he would be donating all the profits from his concert in the Cork Opera House on Saturday night to victims of the disaster. Mr Leen already collected €2,500 for the cause at his New Year's Eve concert.
Limerick couple Mr Frank McNamara and his wife Siobhán, are hoping to fill at least two 40 foot containers with hampers full of hygiene products such as soap, Dettol, shampoo, nappies and toothpaste.
Mr McNamara's company, Eastway Logistics, has a sister company in Sri Lanka and they decided to take the action after hearing about the devastating scenes witnessed by colleagues.
They have appealed for help from all companies, businesses and organisations to fill the containers. Products can be delivered to Eastway Logistics in Eastway Business Park or they can be collected if the donor calls 061 -411212.
The Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies (IFAS) is organising a telescope night for the public this Friday and a table quiz on Saturday night for GOAL.
The telescope nights will be held in several venues around the State while the table quiz will be held in the Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise.
Details of these events are on the IFAS website at www.irishastronomy.org
Meanwhile, a Co Wicklow based charity, New Dawn, is encouraging schoolchildren to write sympathy/condolence letters and to donate one day's pocket money towards the affected children in South East Asia. The charity is running an education programme in Tamil Nadu and supporting an orphanage in Sri Lanka.
See www.newdawn.ie for further information.
