Cork man set to get his kicks on Route 66 in charity fundraiser

A Cork motorcycle enthusiast is taking on the mammoth Route 66 motorcycle challenge in the US, to raise funds to support sick children and their families in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) hospitals and urgent care centres.

Eugene Lynes, who is based in Charleville, will take part in the challenge travelling across the United States and it will be his fifth time undertaking the Route 66 fundraiser.

“It is a fantastic experience. Every day is different and every year is different, even though a lot of the people going are probably the same each year. There are always a few new people as well,” he said. 

Unlike many participants, Mr Lynes said he has no direct personal connection to Temple Street or Children’s Health Foundation before becoming involved in the fundraiser. 

“I just wanted to give back,” he said. 

Making a dfifference

What has kept Mr Lynes returning to undertake the Route 66 challenge was seeing first hand how the fundraising makes a difference. Every September, before participants set off on the Route 66 challenge itself, they visit the hospitals to see where funds raised through the event have gone.

“They show us the equipment that was bought and sometimes we get to speak to patients who benefited from it. So, we do see where the fundraising goes and the end result of it. You hear some of the stories from the children in the hospital and then you realise this needs to be done.

“I do see the need for the equipment. If it’s not fundraised for, you would wonder where it comes from.”

Mr Lynes outlines how the Route 66 challenge can be demanding. Participants spend long days travelling across multiple states and often in intense heat, with early starts and hours on the road every day.

By trade, he works as an electrician, balancing work with the training and preparation needed ahead of each challenge.

“We do training days where we’d spend three or four hours riding together in groups. You want to be reasonably fit and fully hydrated before you go out there because it is a tough challenge.”