The Strickeen walk does it again

A HUGE attendance – as is always the case – donned both their walking and dancing shoes on Saturday as the annual Strickeen Walk and Dance in aid of palliative care in Tralee, Killarney, and Killorglin once again captured imaginations.

Normally held on the first Saturday of March, the bizarre weather we’ve been having put it back by a few weeks – but this did nothing to impact on numbers.

The walk – which takes somewhere been two-and-a-half and three hours to complete – left Kate Kearney’s Cottage at the Gap of Dunloe in the afternoon, as hikers made their way up the Strickeen Mountain and back down again. Once the walk was complete, it was off for a day’s entertainment at the much-loved cottage, where there was no shortage of attractions such as dancing, raffles, and auctions to go with some hot drinks and home-baked treats.

One of the organisers, Deila Casey, said she was once again astounded at the generosity people showed, as well as the willingness to offer prizes and volunteer to help the events become, yet again, a success.

“I really cannot thank people enough,” Deila said. “I’d like to thank everyone on the committee for their hard work, as well as everyone who brought baking or prizes; donated; volunteered; and anyone who helped out in any way. This was our seventh year. We normally have it on the first Saturday of March, but the snow meant it had to be put back. We were delighted with the attendance, though. There’s never a set entry fee, because any donation is welcome. Since we started out, we’ve raised €45,000 and raised a lot of awareness for cancer charities.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Mags Campbell, Barbara Brennan, Joan O’Connor, Tadhg , Maggie and Pat McAuliffe, Anne McCarthy ad Michelle O’Connell with Patch at the start of the Annual Charity Strickeen Walk from Kate Kearney’s on Saturday.

Mairead Dunphy, Siobhan O’Sullivan, Kathrina Breen, Anne and Mary O’Connor.

Photos by Michelle Cooper Galvin Denise and Sinead Coffey, Clive and Tracy O’Sullivan at the start of the Annual Charity Strickeen Walk from Kate Kearney’s on Saturday.

Patrick Coffey, Pat and Nora Moriarty before setting off on the Annual Charity Strickeen Walk from Kate Kearney’s.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Niamh McCarthy and Gillian at the start of the Annual Charity Strickeen Walk from Kate Kearney’s on Saturday.

Ann Foley, Mary Kissane O’Shea and Noreen Murphy

Pat Doolan and Mary and Molly Moloney.