This article is from page 20 of the 2012-06-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
GAA clubs and inter-county hurlers and footballers along the western seaboard from Clare as far as Sligo and then across to Tyrone are set to embrace a ultra-marathon walking challenge that will start from Ennis and take place over four days in early August.
Ennis-based Tyroneman Barry Donnelly is the brainchild behind a 180-mile trek to Tyrone that has a target of raising € 10,000 for famine relief in Africa that will be administered by the Oxfam charity.
Details of what has been called ‘GAA Walk for Africa’ were announced this week by Mr Donnelly, who previously worked as a volunteer in Africa with the Tyrone-based Paul McGirr Foundation.
“It’s a big challenge, but it’s something I am determined to do,” said Donnelly, “because I believe there’s great scope for GAA people to get involved in a fundraising project like this.
“The idea would be that GAA clubs along the route from my adopted town of Ennis to my home place of Dromore in Tyrone would come out and show support – by walking a few miles, by helping with the fundraising.
“Physically it will be tough, because I aim to do the 400 miles in four days, which would mean walking 45 miles a day from a Thursday to Monday – that would be about four miles and hour for 12 hours a day,” adds Donnelly, who has been based in Ennis since 1999.
Oxfam have giving their backing for the project which, subject to Garda approval, will start from Ennis on the Thursday before the August bank holiday weekend and continue until the bank holiday Monday.
“It’s now about drumming up support for the idea,” says Donnelly. “This will be done through GAA clubs, the local media, social media, while I’m also trying to get the Ray Darcy Show on Today FM on board,” he adds.
Details of the ‘GAA Walk for Africa’ can be got from bdonnellyinsu lation@gmail.com or 087 2582516, while the Oxfam fundraising drive has already started with the opening of an AIB account, 93-51-58 06499047.