Cheque for over €108,000 presented to IMNDA from Offaly walk

Members of the Paddy Fenning Walk fundraising committee gathered last week to present a sizable cheque to the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association.

The walk, which finally took place last September after numerous delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, raised more than €160,000 for the IMNDA and local homeless causes, exceeding the target of €150,000 that Paddy had set when he set the initiative in motion following his diagnosis with MND in 2019.

A third each of the total raised was to go to both support services for MND sufferers and research around developing a cure for the condition, as set out by Paddy prior to his passing in May 2020, with the remaining third designated to local homeless causes via St Vincent de Paul.

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Among those present for the ceremonial handover of the cheque for €108,727 to Gemma Watts of the IMNDA was Paddy’s wife Kathryn and committee chairman Joe Stewart, who commented: “It’s wonderful to be in a position to hand over such a large sum to the IMNDA, which receives no state funding towards the invaluable work that it carries out.

“The pandemic meant that fundraising activity went on a lot longer than anybody would have anticipated but when the walk finally came around last September it proved to be a great success and I’d like to thank all that helped in that regard, particularly the local media, all in Tullamore GAA, Offaly GAA, Paddy’s teammates from the 1971 All-Ireland winning team, the Tullamore Court and Bride House Hotels, Tullamore Harriers, Waterways Ireland and many local businesses and individuals too various to mention who helped us in so many ways.

“All who contributed ensured that we honoured a great man’s legacy in the best possible way.”