St Stephen’s Day walkers help hospice

THE heavy rain didn’t dampen the spirits as the annual Bill Kirby Memorial St Stephens Day Walk again attracted hundreds on the popular Tralee fund raiser.

Now in its 18th year, the annual St Stephen’s Day walk is as important a part of Christmas in Tralee as turkey and presents with hundreds of people taking to the streets to walk off the Christmas dinner and support a good cause.

As has been the case since 2006, all proceeds from the walk will go towards the Kerry Hospice Foundation’s in patient facility at the Palliative Care Unit at University Hospital Kerry. That much needed and long awaited new unit opened earlier this year.

As ever, Kirby’s Brogue Inn on Rock Street - the event’s spiritual home - was the start and finishing point for the walk with participants enjoying entertainment and refreshments there after their exertions.

The four mile walk – organised by Michael ‘Fox’ O’Connor – took participants from The Brogue, up Rock Street and Monavalley and along the Bracker O’Regan Road before returning to Rock Street via Caherslee and Pembroke Street.

Since the annual walk began in 1999, it has raised around €300,000 for charity.

In its early years the walk – named in honour of the late Bill Kirby who was proprietor of the walk’s spiritual home The Brogue Inn – raised money for the Irish Heart Foundation but since 2006 money raised at the event has gone to the Kerry Hospice Foundation.

A lot of organising goes into the event each year with preparations starting around October. Numerous people give of their time to publicise the event, marshal the walkers and ensure the walk takes place in a safe manner.

“The success of the walk is all down to the generosity and support of the people of Kerry and I’d like to say a sincere thanks to everyone who has supported it,” said Michael ‘Fox’ O’Connor.

Anyone who took part and who still has sponsorship cards and money is asked to return then as soon as they can so the money raised can be presented to the Hospice Foundation as soon as possible.

Photo: John Cleary. The Bill Kirby Memorial Walk in aid of the Kerry Hospice Foundation about to take place from the Brogue Inn on St Stephen’s Day, centre of picture Michael (Fox) O’Connor, organiser, the Mayor of Tralee Norma Foley and the chairman Kerry Hospice...

RIGHT: Some of the many walkers who took part in the Bil Kirby Memorial Walk.

The Kennedy’s – Catriona, Ruairi, Katie, Tomás and Tommy and Lucky the Dog who took part in the Bill Kirby Memorial Walk on St Stephen’s Day from Kirby’s Brogue Inn,Tralee in aid of Kerry Hospice Foundation.

LEFT: Ready to take part in the Bill Kirby St Stephen’s Day Walk were Aoife and Sinead Foran, Lil Hanafin and Gretta Marie Kerins.

Helen Brazil, Betty Culloty, Caroline Reidy and Casey O’Donnell taking part in the Bill Kirby Memorial Walk on St Stephens Day. Happy ladies Ursula Kennedy, Mars Gwenlan and Ann Franklin supporting the Bill Kirby Memorial St Stephen’s Day Walk from...