Blogs
May 4, 2022 • 2 min read
On 19th June 2022, Eddie (74) and Annie (73) Quinn, will begin a month-long fundraising challenge to cycle around Ireland. The couple, both retired teachers, will be cycling over 1,000 kilometres to raise funds towards GOAL’s Ukraine Emergency Appeal. Eddie outlines the couple’s reasons for undertaking this amazing journey and what they expect on the road.
“As with so many people lately, the conflict in Ukraine caught our attention, and we felt we had to do something. There’s lots of great causes in need of support, but I think the images coming out of Ukraine made it impossible for us to ignore. Images of devastation and the dreadful situation that people are in, were in front of our eyes every night – we couldn’t avoid it.”
“We love to cycle. I didn’t take it up until recent years, and Annie had done a bit before, but we both really started in our sixties. Since then, we’ve completed a number of long-distance cycles in Europe. We were thinking of our next trip this summer and decided to make it a fundraising drive for Ukraine.”
Helping People in Need
“We thought the fact that we’re a good age might lead people to support more. It might also help people of any age to realise that they can do something like that themselves. We feel that a story like this has the chance to touch people’s hearts – this old couple willing to do this to try and help people in need.”
Eddie and Annie having their bikes serviced by Annie’s son, Tom.
“GOAL does tremendous work around the world, and we found them very accessible to get support in setting things up, so we thought ‘that’s it – we want to support their work’. We have a fundraising target of €5,000. I did a skydive for charity a few years ago and got a great response to that, so I’m hopeful that this can be even bigger.”
The Route
“We have planned our start from where we live here in Kildorerry, Co. Cork. We’ll be heading towards Limerick, and then Clare, Galway, Mayo, Donegal, Derry, Limavady, Belfast, and down the east coast of Ireland to Waterford and back to our home in Cork. We’ll be doing maybe 50km per day for 4 weeks and expect to cycle well over 1,000 kilometres come rain, wind or shine.”
“We’ve always got a nervous energy when going on big cycling trips like this, to get up and get out of here. We have been planning a lot, and always look for the safest road that we can, but that isn’t always possible. There will be roads with fast traffic, rough or hilly terrain, trucks, tractors, cows and what have you. But when we get an idea for something, we’ll see it through to the end. One way or another, we’ll raise some money for this great cause. In the end that is what it’s all about – to help people in Ukraine whose homes are being destroyed.”
