An English priest is in the process of cycling through all 32 counties of Ireland to raise money for charity. Fr. Gerard Byrne (pictured), who is parish priest of two parishes in Corby in Northamptonshire, is spending his annual holidays in the saddle to help Bóthar.
He started his round-Ireland itinerary in Wicklow and has been cycling in an anti- clockwise around the country to finish in Dublin, in the process clocking up 1,750 kilometres.
After being introduced to the charity’s work by a friend in Newry, Fr Byrne said he thought it was “obvious that they do great work.”
“I contacted them with a view to raising sponsorship to help that work through my cycle ride around the 32 county towns.”
Over the past few years, Fr. Byrne has taken his love of cycling to many locations in Britain and the continent raising funds along the way for various causes that he admires and in 2008, completed a coast of Ireland cycle trip.
“My parents came from Dundalk and moved to England in the 1950s and I grew up in Bedfordshire and spent our summer holidays from school with relatives in Dundalk and Waterford,” he recalled.
Pat McCarrick of Bóthar thanked Fr Byrne for his support and said his feat was “a novel challenge.”
“Bóthar is so grateful for the opportunity to raise much needed funds from the event,” he remarked.
Bóthar was founded in 1991 and uses livestock in its Development Aid Projects, working with poor families and communities in developing countries to help alleviate hunger and poverty.
The organisation donates animals to families in developing countries to help them improve their income and is now working in 35 countries.
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