No place like Rome for Plunketts in challenge
OLIVER Plunkett’s GAA has thrown down the challenge to its members to walk to Rome and back to raise funds for two amazing local charities.
But with a global lockdown, the sightseeing will be quite familiar, as it is virtual kilometers and online donations which are the goal.
In fact, the club had reached its first target of €5,000 for Drogheda Homeless Aid and Drogheda Rotary Club within days, and smashed the second aim of €7,500 the same day!
“I wish I had set a target to walk to the moon and back, if I’d known it was going to be so popular,” says club chairman Aonghus o hEochaidh with a laugh.
“The amount of money raised so far has been unbelievable and it shows you that people want to help, in whatever way they can, even though they might be out of work – it’s just extraordinary.”
The idea for the ‘Home to Rome’ challenge was the idea of the Senior players, after they saw the Junior players taking part online skills challenges.
“The older lads then decided that they would like to do something too, but also help the community at the same time,” explains Aonghus. “St Oliver studied in Rome and built a school here in Drogheda, so it seemed the ideal link, and it is 5,000 kms away, so that is why we set the challenge to walk the same distance.”
The club has an app which logs each person’s progress and the times and distances covered as they all work towards the 5,000km goal.
People all over the town have been walking in their back gardens, around the town, or even up and dows their own stairs!
“We have been blown away by the support, and it’s not just from club members either,” he adds.
“It is heartwarming to see the community spirit that has come from this pandemic, and I think it is a great lesson for the kids, and the lads have shown great leadership from within the club.”
You can still make a donation to this great cause – with the money being split evenly between Drogheda Homeless Aid and Drogheda Rotary Club – on GoFundMe St Oliver’s Charity Challenge.