Charity to walk from Tipperary to Knock in aid of feeding hungry children

Mary’s Meals Step By Step To Feed The Next Child 2024 Walk is now in its 12th year and gearing up to be the biggest one yet! Groups of walkers from all over the island of Ireland, including Tipperary will set off on August 7 and will all converge in Knock, Co Mayo on August 15.

Started in 2013, the Step By Step Walk has become the highlight in the Mary’s Meals fundraising calendar, attracting everyone to don the walking shoes and walk the length and breadth of Ireland - all to help feed the next child waiting for Mary’s Meals.

Mary’s Meals is a global school feeding programme, feeding more than 2.4 million children daily in their place of education across 17 countries in places where there is greatest need.

Executive Director of Mary’s Meals Ireland, Patricia Friel, says, "I’m only a small part of the Step By Step to Feed the Next Child Walk. The heroes are the walkers, collectors, support drivers, people who provide food and accommodation and, of course, all the people who so kindly donate to our life-changing work. You all make Mary’s Meals. You are delivering hope."

This year they have a strong contingent walking from the Tipperary to Knock route.

Local walker John Egan from Thurles says of his experience with the walk. "I walked two sections of the Thurles to Knock walk with Fr Eamon last year, and this year I hope to go the whole way. My colleague, Martin Bourke, is doing a 250km cycle around North and Mid-Tipperary for the same purpose. We had a celebration involving local radio after Fr Eamon said Mass in Clonmore last year and we intend to repeat that again this year."