Ballybofey man cycles Ring of Kerry for Irish Kidney Association

A Ballybofey kidney transplant recipient participated in the 2025 Ring of Kerry Cycle in aid of the Irish Kidney Association.

Seamy McDermott, a member of Finn Wheelers Cycling Club, cycled the iconic route along with 4,000 other cyclists. 

Among Seamy’s group of cyclists at Kerry were Vinny Gillespie, Dean Herron and Christopher Roche. 

Over €46,000 was raised for the Irish Kidney Association from the 140 cyclists cycling for the charity. 

“We had the support of the Irish Kidney Association,” said Seamy. “We wanted to raise awareness for people to donate their organs to help people who are suffering from organ failure in Ireland.

“It is important to me. We have over 60 people using the dialysis unit in Letterkenny and three or four people on home dialysis in Donegal. We have a nurse dedicated to caring for individuals on home dialysis within Donegal.”

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Seamy told Donegal Live that the Ring of Kerry route was “tough.”

“There were two big climbs and we had to do a lot of training beforehand.”

The Finn Wheelers CC member praised the club for helping him train for the event, and said that any new members would be helped, and hoped that more members of the club would join him for next year’s fundraising event for the Irish Kidney Association. 

“It is all about raising awareness,” stated Seamy. “I was in kidney failure when I was 22, and I got my transplant when I was 37. It has been great since. I have seen my three boys grow up, which is great. 

“Today, I can do open water swimming in the sea, in the lakes, and run 25km. I was nothing like this with all my years of sickness. I am always saying to people that we have a life to live, just to motivate people and show them there is life after dialysis and kidney failure.”