Mullingar-based businessman heading up charity ultra-cycling event

A fundraising initiative led by a Mullingar-based businessman will see a group of ultra-cyclists tour Ireland’s Ancient East next week, travelling a distance of 1,100km from Derry city to Kinsale, Co. Cork along the whole of Ireland’s eastern coastline.

The cycle group has already raised €227,000 to date for worthy causes and this year, the Ultra cycle’s sixth year, hope to raise another €50,000, bringing the total amount raised for Irish national and local charities to €277,000.

The six brave cyclists will begin their cycle on Wednesday August 24 and complete the challenging journey on Saturday August 27, beginning at Derry city and finishing at Old Head in Kinsale, Cork. The cyclists will cycle along the coastline of the counties of Derry, Antrim, Down, Louth, Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, Waterford and Cork and all the coastal towns and cities on their journey.

“To date, we have raised €227,000 over six ultra-charity cycles covering 8,700km across five different countries in just 25 days!” said Alan Heaney, the main organiser of the ultra-cycle, who is co-owner of robotic milking specialists Efficient Farm Systems, Lely Centre in Mullingar. “All our cycles are self-financed, so 100% of all monies collected goes directly to the worthy charities.”

While Swinford, Co. Mayo native Alan is very busy with business, farm, family and sport, he spends his limited free time cycling the roads of Mayo, Galway and Sligo, getting the long miles of preparation in. Typical training sessions for Alan entail 75km – 150km spins, in the early morning and weekends.

In addition to road cycling, he trains two to three times a week in the early hours of the morning, running through forestry trails, cross mountain ranges and bog roads to build up the stamina, physical and mental fitness, that is required to complete ultra events. Alan has been joined by fellow co-owner of EFS/Lely Centre, Mullingar, Niall McGauran, on many trips and both are big advocates of fundraising for local and national charities through ultra-cycling events.

“The event is fantastic,” Alan said, “The big push behind the fundraising are our social media followers and the general public who donate to us, and the corporates who support us.

“Over the last two years, our corporates include MSD, Alltech, Glanbia, IFAC, Keenan, Lely, Lakeland Co-op, Kepak, Easifix, Zerograzer and I’d really like to thank them for their generous support for these fantastic causes!”

The charities benefitting from this year’s cycle include Turn2Me, a national mental health charity, and the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Foundation who fund palliative care services in the community and their two hospices and Hooves4Hospice who are raising vital funds for the cost of building a planned midland regional hospice for the counties of Laois, Longford, Westmeath and Offaly.

The charities have stated that charity fundraising has dropped significantly during the pandemic, and that they are very grateful for the efforts of the cyclists involved, the supporters, the donors and everyone who gets involved.

“This is an incredible fundraiser,” Fiona O’Malley, CEO of Turn2Me, said, “At the peak of the pandemic, demand for our mental health services increased by 386 percent. As a small charity, donations from fundraisers, like this Ultra Cycle, are really vital and make a huge difference to the services we can offer people who are struggling with depression, anxiety, grief or relationship issues.

“Well done to everyone who is involved, or supports, this fantastic event – it is a huge achievement and Turn2Me is so grateful!”

Martina Jennings, Chief executive of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation said: “We are incredibly grateful to the ultra-cyclists for choosing us as one of their charities again this year. We are dependant on fundraisers like this to fund our much needed palliative care service in our community and in our Mayo and Roscommon Hospices.

“It is humbling that Alan and his team give so much of their own time to train for this event, and raise so much for charities like ourselves. We wish the whole team the very best of luck with this challenge, and our sincere gratitude to them and all who support them.

“This is a great event and we are very proud to be chosen as one of the charity partners for this amazing ultra cycle. The money raised will go towards the building of a new palliative care centre in the midlands which the counties of Laois, Westmeath, Longford and Offaly badly need. We wish the ultra cyclists the best of luck and safe passage on their cycle over the four days,” says Pat Lawlor from Hooves for Hospice.

The participants are from various counties. Gerry “Boots” is from Armagh, living in London; Brendan Barrett is from Belmullet, Mayo, living in London; Ronan Bourke is from Balla, Mayo; Vinny Gavin is from Swinford, Mayo; Jonathon Very is Tubbercurry, Sligo; Alan Heaney is from Swinford Mayo; and Niall McGauran, one of the main sponsors and a participant cyclist, is from Roscommon.

The Ultra-Cycle also has an “Agri Day” on Day 3, Friday August 26, which starts on Sandymount strand and finishes 255km later in Duncannon beach, Waterford. This leg of the ultra-cycle is open to all cyclists, particularly farmers, industry (vets, co-ops, advisors, animal health companies etc). Anyone can join.

The Ultra-Cycle group welcomes all cycling enthusiasts to join them on the “Agri Day” for fun, laughs and a healthy, community, networking day. Members of the public are encouraged to come and cycle a 65km leg or the full 255km stage.

For more information on the Ultra-Cycle for Charity or to donate, go to https://www.ultracyclingforcharity.ie.