Lots to admire in Seán’s annual cycle
SEÁN Ó Catháin’s annual charity cycle, which last year saw him take a tour of lakes along the west coast of Ireland, raised €2,108 that he presented to local representatives of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland in Dingle on Friday.
Every year for almost as long as he can remember, Seán has headed off across the country on a cycle tour, turning the outing into an opportunity to raise funds for charity along the way.
To give himself a sense of direction and purpose, the retired Cill Mhic a’ Dhomhnaigh school principal gives the tours a theme and nominates a recipient charity. For, last year’s cycle, which was in memory of his sister Peigí Mistéal (RIP), the theme was lakes, and so he cycled in ‘wicked weather’ past every notable lake on the west coast, from Mount Eagle lake in Ventry to Lough Dearg in Donegal.
Seán’s chosen charity last year was Cystic Fibrosis Ireland and on Friday - National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Day – he presented a cheque for the money he raised to local CFI representatives Seamus Ó Lúing, Bernie Firtéar and Betty Hand as they were fundraising outside Moran’s petrol station.
Seán is planning another charity cycle for later this year with ‘ beaches’ as his guiding theme. The cycle will raise funds for St Mary of the Angels in Beaufort and while he doesn’t know yet where it will take him, he’ll start from Ventry beach and possibly make his was up the east coast, via Wexford.
Speaking about Sean’s fundraising endeavours, Cystic Fibrosis campaigner, Marisa Reidy, says it’s because of people like him that CF sufferers – including her eight-year-old daughter – can look forward to improved services into the future.
Marisa, who was at the forefront of last year’s campaign to make life-changing drug Orkambi available to CF patients in Ireland, says that Sean should be applauded for his wonderful efforts.
“The government can only do so much in terms of funding CF services here and, like all areas in our health service, it will never be enough,” she said. “So for people like Sean to decide to take on a challenge like this to help improve services really means a lot to the CF community. I just hope he knows how grateful we really are and how much we admire and appreciate what he is doing for our loved ones into the future.”