Residents from Cork village take on mammoth cycling challenge in aid of two charities 

A charity trek the length of the country by a group of cyclists from Kiskeam raised a total of €47,000 for Children’s Health Foundation and Marymount University Hospital and Hospice in Cork.

Liam O’Connor, along with nine other participants, completed the 632km journey from Malin Head to Mizen Head over the course of four days earlier this summer. 

Upon their arrival back to the North Cork village, the group was greeted by hundreds of people and celebratory homecoming soundtrack provided by the Kiskeam Brass Band.

Mr O’Connor decided to undertake the fundraising challenge as a way of giving back and saying thanks to the staff at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin, for the care given to his daughter Emily.

In 2022, Emily had been experiencing repeated chest infections, when the family’s GP detected a heart murmur and referred her to Crumlin. 

An appointment followed in March of that year, with test results showing that Emily, then four years of age, had an atrial septal defect. The family were told she would require open heart surgery.

“It was all kind of very new to us,” said Mr O’Connor.

Emily underwent successful surgery just before the June bank holiday weekend.

Mr O’Connor said he remembers being told that around 30 members of staff had played some part in Emily’s care, from administrative staff and the medical team, to a play therapist and the physiotherapists who helped get her moving again after surgery.

The initial fundraising target was between €15,000 and €20,000, to be divided between the two charities. 

By the time the cyclists arrived in Kiskeam that figure had been significantly surpassed. 

“The lads were just checking and they were kind of, ‘Oh my God, it’s gone up another €3,000 since we left such and such a place’.

“We took the chance and it just worked out well. There is no way it would have happened without the assistance of the small village of Kiskeam behind us.”