Kayakers make waves on River Inny for LARCC fundraiser

It was an easy decision to choose LARCC when we started out doing our Inny Challenge in 2022,” said a spokesperson for the organisers after this year’s event. “It has continued to be that way – it is a wonderful service.”

Una Bourke and Noel Murtagh, speaking on behalf of the Inny Challenge team, praised Bernie McHugh, manager at LARCC: “She has always been so helpful, and truly grateful for any donations received. We are always reassured that the monies we raise are put to good work in helping people through cancer, and also their families and loved ones.”

The team are happy to have hosted “another amazingly successful event”, and they have “lots of people to thank – “our sponsorship card sellers, every cent is greatly appreciated; a lot of sponsors… too many to thank individually… it’s a testament to the facilities at LARCC when you ask someone to sponsor you a tenner and they come back with a couple of 100 euro”.

The event raised €8,000 in the first year, €15,000 in the second year, €17,500 in the third year, and this year it was €33,500.

“We had thought it would be great to match last year’s amazing total. We all have been asking our families, the same friends and work colleagues to sponsor us over the last few years. Nobody will talk to us if we keep doing this! They will be hiding when they see us coming.”

Preparation for the fourth Inny Challenge started before last Christmas, when Ellie’s poster ‘calling all kayakers’ was published. That resulted in a huge response and more than 100 people made it clear they were eager to sign up and take part.

“At that point, every breakfast, dinner and tea, and every night out, we ended up discussing the challenge, so, we realised that this year was going to be big and we needed a rescue crew, and they were Edel and Ivan, Evelyn and Deccie, Michelle and Sully, and Ellie Elaine and James.

“To all the kayakers – this event wouldn’t be anything or couldn’t happen without you. Thank you to the seasoned Inny challengers and to those on their first experience with the event this year.”

Other teams the organisers acknowledged were; the water safety crew, Ritchie McCabe and Andrew Mitchell in their boats, Pat Clarke, Bob Lacey and the Mullingar Canoe Club; “logistics, ground crew, drivers and muscle” including Thady, Tommy, John, Dermot, Stephen, Daniel, Noel, Finian and Elaine, Angela, Edel, Pauline, Dee, Bridie, Suzie and Frank; the Civil Defence, Liam, Martin and lads; the catering crew, everyone who brought food and goodies and kept everybody well fed on the day; Edel for having the delicious soup, hot and ready for everybody at Ballycorkey – “she and Alma made sure everyone was well looked after”.

There is a special thank-you to Noel Gibbons and Rego Hire, who supplied the toilets – “we were all delighted and ‘relieved’ to have the comfortable and spotless facility”.

“The Inny Challenge was always to be a fun day out for the paddlers, but more important, it is a fundraiser.

“This year would not have been such a success without the 77 paddlers who took to the water and it would not have been as enjoyable and run so smoothly without the hard working back-up ground crew.”

The youngest who took part were Mary Kate Fagan and Maria Finn.

Following the event, there were lots of thought and discussions, and the organising team have decided that the fourth and final River Inny Challenge happened on May 4. “Noel has already has been looking at different ideas… we’ll see what happens.”