Portlaoise mail centre staff to climb Kilimanjaro

A young couple who work at Portlaoise Mail Centre are gearing up to climb Mount Kilimanjaro later this year to raise funds for Meningitis research.

Timahoe’s Micheál Conlan and his girlfriend Kirsha Rice from Walsh Island in County Offaly are both students at Maynooth University.

Speaking to Leinster Express/Laois Live this week the pair explained the rigorous training involved before they take on the challenge in August. 

“We are both excited, overwhelmed, and nervous,” said Kirsha. 

“We are excited to broaden our horizons and do something new and different. But the fundraising amount is overwhelming and neither of us have ever fundraised on such a large scale before.”

Kirsha came across the climb on Instagram after a girl she follows was recruiting students to take part. 

“I immediately knew it was for me. I attended an online information session and then paid my first instalment. It’s for such an amazing cause too, Meningitis research. I looked into the charity and I saw the amazing work they were doing and I knew I wanted to help.”

Kirsha is a student in biomedical and pharmaceutical chemistry while Micheál is a final year student in accounting and finance. They both work in the An Post Mail Centre in Clonminam Industrial Estate. 

“I work in Portlaoise mail centre at night to pay my way through college. I’ve always been into hiking and trekking. My dad would bring the whole family on a Sunday morning out hiking in Glenbarrow, the earlier the better,” said Kirsha.

“Dad was into his hiking before it became as popular as it is today. I’ve always been into my fitness, I get that from dad, even throughout Covid he’d have us up running in the mornings at the Mountlucas wind farm. I remember in school coming home and dad having the hi-vis out and the head torches and we’d all get out and go for a run. I’ve always been interested in the seven summits. I’d love to complete them all one day, a dream so big I thought I’d never achieve. But this is definitely a start! We still go hiking most Sundays with my mam and dad. Only my boyfriend and my sister’s boyfriend tag along now.”

In preparation for the big climb Kirsha and Micheál, both aged 22, have joined the gym and have taken up running.

“I’ve joined the gym with a girl called Jessica from work who is also taking on this challenge with us. She’s a lot more experienced in the gym than I would be and she’s definitely helping me while being very patient,” added Kirsha.

“The three of us are trying to tick off every hike in Roz Purcell’s book before we fly over to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. I also do Pilates every Saturday morning which helps me to stretch out and focus on my breathing. We are currently looking for a personal trainer that could specialise in this to help us train as we are still kind of clueless on what you can train for. 

“There’s only so much training you can do. The altitude is going to be one of our hardest obstacles to overcome. That alone with the different climates on the mountain is something we just can’t train for.”

They will fly out from Ireland on August 20 with the hike itself taking about eight days and involves camping on the mountain. 

“The fundraising target seemed and still is so daunting but I am prepared to take on the challenge! We are funding our own trips and fundraising along the way,” said Kirsha. 

“We have a fundraising target of €11,000 that we are trying to reach but we are only now just getting started.”

If you would like to donate you can do so through Just Giving.