Cork Penny Dinners gets ready to scale the heights as part of Climb with Charlie charity event 

Charlie Bird, who was for many years an RTÉ correspondent, was recently diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, and has organised a climb of Croagh Patrick on Saturday, April 2 in aid of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) and Pieta House.

Vicky Phelan, whose High Court action, which was settled in April 2018, brought the CervicalCheck scandal to light, is hoping to be one of those joining in the climb.

Cork Penny Dinners has organised several climbs in multiple locations as part of Climb with Charlie.

These will also take place on April 2 and those participating will be asked to contribute a small registration fee of €5, with all monies raised going to IMNDA and — in memory of Ashling Murphy — the Sexual Violence Centre Cork.

Speaking to The Echo, Mr Bird said he had great time for Cork Penny Dinners, and fond memories of interviewing Penny Dinners co-ordinator Caitríona Twomey.

“Penny Dinners is a great organisation, and I love them,” the former RTÉ journalist said.

“I am very thankful to Penny Dinners and I would encourage everybody to climb every mountain or hill, or whatever is near them, on April 2, and in one sense really we are climbing for people who are also climbing mountains of their own issues.

“We’re climbing mountains for people who are climbing mountains every day because of what they are facing.”

Mr Bird spoke of his illness, which he said is hard.

“Every day is a struggle, and my voice is going, but the amount of support I’m getting is really helping me enormously.”

Support from Macroom

Noting that a large group of people from Macroom, among them Penny Dinners volunteer David McSweeney, are participating in the Climb with Charlie challenge, Mr Bird spoke of his love for his parents’ homeplace.

“My mother and father are dead a long time, but my parents are both from Macroom,” he said. “I was overjoyed when I saw the other day people from Macroom are climbing loads of mountains for me also on April 2.

“Everyone knows Macroom is the town that never reared a fool, and ‘as cute as a Macrumpian’ was another saying about people from Macroom. I claim my heritage from Macroom, and hopefully I’m not a fool!”

The veteran reporter wished everyone taking part in Climb with Charlie well: “Enjoy all you’ve got, and climb every mountain that’s near you!”

Vicky Phelan has said she hopes to be able to climb Croagh Patrick with Mr Bird.

Speaking to The Echo from her Co Limerick home, Ms Phelan said she was heartened at the public reaction to Climb with Charlie.

“It is wonderful to witness the impact that Charlie Bird’s appeal has had on the people of Ireland.

“To see so many people willing to take up the challenge to climb a local mountain in order to raise awareness of Motor Neurone Disease and other local charities that are close to people’s hearts is simply wonderful,” Ms Phelan said.

“I wish the people of Cork Penny Dinners well with their climbs and their fundraising efforts planned for April 2.”

Showing solidarity 

Penny Dinners co-ordinator Caitríona Twomey said she was very moved to hear such kindness from Mr Bird and Ms Phelan, and she said that as part of Climb for Charlie, Penny Dinners volunteers would be climbing Carrauntoohil, the Galtees, the Comeraghs, Mangerton Mountain, Corrin in Fermoy, and many more, and Cork’s oldest charity would have a small team at Croagh Patrick, too.

Ms Twomey said a walk at Gougane Barra is also planned, and a climb, assisted if necessary, of Fair Hill for those who might not be able to climb mountains.

A giant teddy bear will accompany each climb, Ms Twomey said, to represent why everyone is there, and to show solidarity with Mr Bird and with Ms Phelan, and she said all would be welcome to join the different groups.

“We have loads of people on board with us, the Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery team, mountain-climbers galore, so we have plenty of people to go up the mountains with people, we even have a local to bring people up Fair Hill,” Ms Twomey said.

“Our anthem will be ‘Love Rescue Me’, written by Bono and Bob Dylan, and with the High Hopes Choir leading us in song, the hills will be alive with the sound of music, and of kindness.”

• If you would like to participate, contact Cork Penny Dinners at 4 Little Hanover Street, Cork, on Facebook, on Twitter @PennyDinnersCor, or mail@corkpennydinners.ie.