Climb every mountain
By Maurice Garvey
TWO men plan to climb the highest peaks in the 32 counties as part of a campaign to send a Clondalkin boy to the USA for life-changing surgery.
Mark Lacey, owner of Fit Zone in Palmerstown, and Martin Walsh, a Chief Legal Counsel in IFSC House, will embark on a gruelling week of climbing from August 12-28.
Martin Walsh on the crest of Errigal Mountain in Donegal
Clondalkin youngster Kal Jennings (3) is diagnosed with central palsy spastic diplegia and PVL brain injury.
His parents Ashley Byrne and Derek Jennings, from Old Tower, are trying to raise €100,000 to send their boy to the US for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery – which could help Kal to walk independently.
Over €89,000 has been raised so far by many people and local businesses, as Kal’s Journey campaign edges closer to its target.
Lacey and Walsh will start on the 751-metre Errigal Mountain in Donegal early on August 12.
Mark Lacey with three-year-old Kal Jennings
Martin said the pair decided to come up with a challenge “that would give us a little sense of what Kal goes through on any given day”.
He said: “We plan, over seven days, to climb the highest peaks, mountains. and hills in all 32 counties (26 peaks in all, as six are shared peaks) in Ireland. Then move across Ulster taking in Sawel Mountain, Trostan in Antrim and on towards Slieve Donard. We will criss-cross Ireland taking in everything from the romantically named Cupidstown Hill in Kildare to the challenging Galtymore in Tipperary, Carrauntoohil, the highest mountain in the country, before moving up the West coast through Clare, Galway and the leg-sapping Mweelrea in Mayo. We finish at Dublin’s highest peak that night and hope to make it into town for a few pints after the hurling final – first one missed in 20 years.”
Visit Kal’s Journey Facebook page, or the lads on Facebook at 7 days 26 peaks 32 counties for updates/ donations.
