Taking it one step at a time in Laragh

- Eshaal Zia -

With National Palliative Care Week nearly here, a local family has teamed up with Laragh United to host a special 24-hour walkathon in aid of Laragh United GAA and Cavan Monaghan Palliative Care.

Renowned referee Margaret Farrelly and her family were motivated to organise the fundraiser in memory of their late father Paddy Farrelly who passed away last March.

“Palliative Care came to our home to look after Daddy in the final number of weeks that we had with him at home and I suppose, just for us as a family, we wanted to give something back to Palliative Care Cavan and Monaghan.”

After approaching Laragh United about the idea, Margaret spoke with the club’s chairman, Gary Robins, who was “more than happy to support their initiative”.

The walkathon will kick off at Laragh Community Park from 6pm this Friday, September 11. To support the event, Father Martin Gilcreest will deliver a special reflection at 9pm, followed by live music from a number of Irish musicians and a local DJ. There are many activities for friends and families to take part in, from a poc fada and two-pointer challenge to an obstacle course and outdoor darts. There will also be a raffle with fantastic prizes, including vouchers from Seven Horseshoes, Meadow View, Cavan Sports Partnership and Lisgrey House.

Emphasising the inclusive nature of the event, Margaret assured: “It’s a community initiative.”

Accessibility has also been taken into consideration, with Margaret describing the event as “not just a walkathon; it’s a wheelathon as well”. A track traces around the community pitch, allowing those using wheelchairs and other mobility aids to also get involved.

For safety during the later hours, the community pitch will be lit up throughout the night, with first aiders on site. Gardaí will also be present at around 5am to help ensure everyone’s safety. Volunteers will also be on hand throughout the event.

Margaret has also promised to “personally” walk for the full 24 hours. She hopes people will recognise how fortunate they are to have access to palliative care, saying: “We’re very fortunate that this provision and this service is in place to help people.”

Margaret also highlighted the importance of supporting Cavan Monaghan Palliative Care, saying that “it’s over five hundred people” who rely on the service across Cavan and Monaghan. She added that the organisation provides more than end-of-life care, offering “lots of help and support” to families in need.

Looking ahead to the event, Margaret expressed her gratitude to Laragh United chairman Gary Robins and everyone who has been involved in organising the walkathon.

With two months of preparation behind them, she praised Gary, his committee and the wellbeing officers for the work they have put in. “They have worked really hard in the background in organising different things with the coaching officer.”

Margaret emphasised that the event is about bringing the wider community together, particularly as many families in Laragh and the surrounding parishes have relied on the services of Cavan Monaghan Palliative Care. “We just want to give something back, and we just feel it’s an opportunity to do so.”

The funds raised from the event will be split equally between Laragh United and Cavan Monaghan Palliative Care.

There will be donation buckets available on site and donations can also be made online (see the club’s social media channels for link).