FREE sweet treats with kind messages have been left around Dunmanway.

The mysterious sweets were spotted around the market town, with locals wondering for days who was behind the initiative.

But the identity of the person who left the secret sweets was revealed after pictures of them were shared on social media.

Keelan O’Donovan (13), who is in his first year at Maria Immaculata Community College (MICC), came up the idea after doing an English assignment about bringing positivity to the world.

Among the messages found on the chocolate treats were “you can do this”, “you’re so strong”, “I believe in you” and “keep going”.

Keelan said it’s what he’d want to hear if he was having a bad day. He has received lots of praise for his chocolate campaign, and even sponsorship from local businesses.

“There’s just a lot of badness out there, and you never know how much a small gesture like that could really help someone,” said Keelan on Cork’s 96FM, adding he had no intention to stop sending out his chocolate cheer-me-ups.

“He’s just a happy soul really,” said his dad Declan. “He started doing something nice around the town.” He added: “That’ll be him, always trying to cheer people up and make them smile.”