Mullingar boy completes Crumlin fundraising cycle

A six-year-old boy from Mullingar has raised thousands of euro after completing a sponsored 250 kilometre cycle.

Áinle Smith was born with a serious heart condition and underwent cardiac surgery at Our Lady’s Hospital, Crumlin at just five days old.

“He continues to be monitored by his cardiologist and is a happy and healthy little boy,” says his mum Deirdre.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, he learned how to cycle and got a new bike, and set himself a challenge: to cycle 250km before he turns seven on July 22, and raise funds for CMRF Crumlin.

Áinle did just that, completing the final leg of his journey in Mullingar on Friday, accompanied by a Garda escort and his family and friends. In total, he cycled 251km in 14 stages over three weeks.

His fundraising target of €8,000 has already been smashed on his Just Giving page, and at the time of writing, was at €8,657, with 227 donors contributing (donations can still be made).

In a post on social media yesterday, the Westmeath division of An Garda Síochána describe Áinle as an “inspirational young member of our community”.