Cork woman: I couldn’t even walk to the shops, now I have climbed Carrauntoohil

Mother of three Sinead Leahy doesn’t do things by halves. She shed several stone, going from a size 20 to 12, ahead of a charity mountain climb for a cause that is close to her heart.

“We finally achieved our goal reaching the summit of Carrauntoohil, despite really tricky weather conditions,” says Sinead, from Ballyphehane, who is an avid supporter of Cork’s Street Angels, an organisation that helps the homeless and the vulnerable on the streets of Cork.

The brave group of climbers were ecstatic on reaching the top of the highest mountain in Ireland, despite inclement weather conditions.

“Because my husband, our kids, and members of our families and neighbours joined us to do the climb, it felt very emotional,” says Sinead. “We were all together fighting the elements to get to the top.”

Sinead felt emotional during lockdown when people were struggling.

“Like lots of people during lockdown, I had spare time on my hands,” she says.

“I started clearing my wardrobe and collecting bits and pieces from friends to donate to the homeless. I brought them to the table outside The Savoy where the basics and essentials are donated to people in need.

“At the beginning, I spent a few hours there, and then I got more involved, and then I became a regular volunteer with Cork Street Angels. 

They were delighted with an extra pair of hands.

What do Street Angels do to help people in need?

“We distribute hot food and other crucial supplies to people in dire need in the city,” says Sinead.

“Often, we do a run down the city’s side streets to distribute the kind donations we get from generous people for the homeless.”

It is work that is getting busier.

“We are seeing increasing numbers of young people who are homeless on the streets,” says Sinead.

“That is heart-breaking. We see new faces every night.

“We see regular people, we see older people who can’t manage on their pension who come for food parcels, we see faces all the time.”

Certain supplies are always in big demand.

“Sleeping bags and tents are always in big demand.”

People become homeless for a myriad of reasons.

“My eldest boy has a pal who suffered the loss of a loved one,” says Sinead.

“He had a good career, he was in a loving relationship. Then his whole world fell apart. 

It broke my heart when I saw him at the table outside The Savoy. 

"He touched my heart. I thought of my own kids at home. It could be one of my own kids at the table.

“We are all just around the corner from a different life.”

Sinead saw another view of life when she reached the summit of Ireland’s highest mountain, after losing several stone to climb Carrauntoohil for Street Angels. The fund has already reached €2,000 over a couple of weeks.

She got good encouragement to get to the top of the mountain.

“When I put the challenge up on Facebook for everybody to see, my son Darragh said, ’Do you realise what you are doing? Now everybody knows. You can’t back-track.’”

Sinead admits that the idea sounded a bit mad, even though she planned the momentous climb a year previously.

“I said to myself; it’s next summer. Who’s counting?” says Sinead.

She didn’t delay in preparing herself for the climb of a lifetime.

“I was afraid I’d come up short,” she says.

“When I was size 20, I couldn’t even walk to the shops,” says Sinead. She wasn’t comfortable.

“Last summer, we were travelling home from holidays in Spain,” recalls Sinead. “For the first time ever, I needed to ask the flight attendant for a seat belt extender.”

Her son asked a question.

“My youngest son looked over and said, ‘What’s that for?’ It was the sheer embarrassment of it, and I turned to my husband Dave and said that it wouldn’t be the same for next year’s holiday.”

What else spurred on this woman who doesn’t do things by halves to tackle her weight?

“When I went so see my doctor, I was told that if things continued as they were, I would become diabetic and I would need daily injections for the rest of my life.”

How did it feel being told that?

“It frightened the s*** out of me,” Sinead says. 

It gave me the kick I needed to change.

She kick-started her mission to lose weight and get fit for her health and for her ambition to climb Carrauntoohil for Street Angels.

“I used to eat a lot of takeaways,” Sinead admits.

“I cut down on them and I joined a gym and got the help of a personal trainer, Alana.”

She got a lot of help from her friends too.

“A few friends and I started a walking group, walking a couple of evenings a week,” Sinead says.

She put a plan into action.

“I changed my eating habits and began to pre-plan meals getting more organised,” says Sinead.

She took other steps to keep her motivated.

“Every time I dropped a size, I got rid of my old clothes,” says Sinead.

“It kept me more on track.”

Other people benefited.

“I gave them away to the homeless!” Sinead adds.

She blossomed.

“I became more confident. Before, when I was bigger, if a photograph was taken, I’d put a child in front of me to hide my size. I was so conscious of my size. Now I am much healthier.”

Sinead is in a happy place.

“I love volunteering with Street Angels,” she says.

I get great satisfaction from it. I find it uplifting.

I tell her Sinead is making a difference helping those less fortunate.

“I don’t know about making a difference,” she says.

“I just listen to people, and I respect them.”

Is she still on Facebook?

Sinead laughs.

“Yes. The fund, Carrauntoohil Climb for the Homeless is still active.”

She followed through, never faltering. Her sons must be proud of her.

“Yes, they are,” says Sinead.

By the way... Being a Street Angel; is Sinead a ‘house devil?’

“My kids might think so!” she laughs.

Street Angels can be contacted on 087-2768745.