Derry and Donegal Cycle Walk Cycle for Gaza fundraiser going well

A hardy bunch of cyclists and walkers from Derry and Donegal are currently en route to Mizen Head in County Cork, as part of a week-long fundraiser for the charity Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP).

MAP offers medical services in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon, and advocates for Palestinians’ rights to health and dignity.

The Cycle Walk Cycle For Gaza team undertaking the gruelling 690 km sponsored journey comprises “a group of citizens from a range of backgrounds in Donegal and Derry” according to participant Derry GP, Joe McEvoy.

He added: “We are united by feelings of helplessness and disbelief as we watch the ongoing horror in Gaza.

“We are GPs, healthcare workers, community workers, bus drivers, ex-Irish army, teachers, retailers, parents.

“We are travelling through the heartlands of the country on bicycles and on foot, to meet with others, to raise funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians, to express our sorrow and solidarity.”

The Cycle Walk Cycle For Gaza team left Malin Head in County Donegal on Saturday and hope to reach the Rebel County on Friday, before finishing up with a Swim For Gaza at Gleb Beach in Culdaff, in Inishowen on Sunday, May 18 at 11.00am.

It includes: Simon Doherty, Robbie Butler, JR McLaughlin, Marelle O'Neill, Ronan McCaul, Mary O'Hara, Gerard O'Hara, Jim O'Neill, Christine Carlin, Michael Abbott, Emma Johnson, Benny McDaid, Charlotte Docherty, Billy Hutchinson, Michael McGinley, Leo Gillen, Siobhan Gillen, Jim Keys, Meabh O'Neill, Joe McEvoy, Kevin Abbott, Mary McHugh and Áine Abbott.

Speaking to The Derry News, Derry-based healthcare manager Marelle O’Neill, who has been walking the hills throughout her career, said the idea for the Cycle Walk Cycle For Gaza fundraiser, which is currently just shy of its £15,000 target, came from Derry GP Áine Abbott.

“Áine has done a lot of cycling before and she knows a lot of cyclists and, I think it came from just sheer frustration and horror at what was unfolding in Gaza,” said Marelle.

“So, we came up with the idea of a cycle and recruited some cyclists. I am not a cyclist, I am one of the support drivers taking care of the bags; there are a few of us doing that too.

“The cyclists are getting on brilliantly. On Monday they cycled from Carrick-on-Shannon to Portumna in Galway which was quite a distance I think it is nearly 85 miles.

“We stayed in some fantastic glamping pods which were not officially opened yet but the owner said he wanted to do something for Gaza.

“It is going well. We have had no injuries so far, no disasters. The cyclists are taking it easy. They are really enjoying it and the craic is mighty. The weather has been great,” said Marelle, who is co-ordinating the daily walk as part of the fundraiser.

“On Saturday we did a coastal walk and on Sunday we did a walk along the Shannon; it was lovely, it was on a boardwalk. On Monday we did a Cloonfad Forest Trail walk; on Tuesday we walked around Adair Village in County Limerick, which was beautiful. We also did a hill walk on Torc Mountain in Killarney National Park,” she said.

“Hopefully, when we end up in the very bottom of Ireland, we are going to take a wee boat over to Cape Clear Island, one of the islands off the coast of Cork, and do our last walk there.

“Everyone along the way has been so supportive of the cyclists. We have been putting up big posters and people are stopping and giving us donations every day. It has been fantastic.

“MAP is the only charity that has been allowed into Palestine and even it is very curtailed.

“So Cycle Walk Cycle For Gaza is doing this fundraiser in response to the culmination of everything and the number of children being killed,” said Marelle, who also thanked O’Hara’s Car Sales in Limavady who have provided a bus to bring the cyclists back to the North West.

Describing her feelings about the situation in Gaza, Dr Abbott said: “It's like watching someone being drowned and not be able to help. Doing something physical is our way of shouting ‘No’.

“Mike Ryan, Director of World Health Organisation (WHO) speaking about the numbers of children whose injuries are devastating, says ‘It is an abomination’. We agree.

“Across the country people are struggling to express their feelings. So, we hope they will join us along the way, to walk, to shout support, or to swim, with us or in their own neighbourhood,” she added.

Donations can be made on the group's Go Fund me page: Cycle-Walk-Swim for Gaza.