JOHN O’GROATS!

   

Where do I begin with today’s update? The obvious place is to proudly announce that all 8 of us (Neill Shrimpton, Bernard McEvoy, Gerald Byrne, Kenny Dalby, Ercus Stewart, Matt Hoyle, Ben Williams and the driver, Michael O’Driscoll) completed the gruelling 1,039 mile journey and reached John O’Groats in one piece.

Our arrival at the finish point was a great; we cycled 7 abreast on a flat downhill section to the finish line just before sunset. Then, draped in our respective country’s flags and elated with the achievement we all looked forward to having our picture taken with the famous John O’Groats sign. We couldn’t believe it, then, when we saw that the famous sign had quite literally just been taken down and the photo-booth was being dragged away by a digger. Apparently we had missed out by 30 minutes. Having cycled for 10 solid days, however, and much to the annoyance of the onlooking workers, we took it upon ourselves to recover the sign and lift it above our heads to get the photo we all wanted. This actually made it better and more memorable because, as it turns out, we were the last ever people to have our photo taken with that iconic sign.

Today’s ride was, however, as much about the journey as the destination. In particular, we were treated to the “greatest flat cycling road in the world”, which, for 40-50 miles weaved through the relentless Scottish landscape. At one point we witnessed a herd of 50 wild red deer bounding up and over a nearby hill. Then, a few miles up the road we saw another herd. At first just a few and then – most brilliantly – 7 stags stood majestically on the hill top a watched us pass by. As we picked up a top speed of 45 miles per hour and with the hawks, eagles and military fighter jets circling above our heads, we were having the ride of our lives.

It was a fitting end as the route took us on the longest day, totalling 130 miles in 11.5 hours.

Performer of the Day: Gerald Byrne – Easy decision for two reasons: 1) Along one of the busy costal roads (with farms on one side and coastline on the other) a lone sheep had escaped and was roaming the busy highway. Due almost certain death if it stayed out on the road, Gerald threw his bike to the ground and, like a superhero, leapt to its safety, managing to pick it up, carry it across the road and – with the sheep held over his head – lift it over the fence and back into the field. We only hope he put it back in the right farm! 2) He was the only cyclist at John O’Groats that was mad enough to run, fully clothed, to the edge of the pier and jump into the north sea – it was freezing!

Other notable performees – Neill Shrimpton, Ben Williams, Kenny Dalby, Matt Hoyle and Ercus Stewart cycled for an additional 20 miles to reach the hotel in Wick.

Langer of the Day: Ordinarily it would be Ercus Stewart – As a team we decided we would take a 10 mile detour prior to John O’Groats so we could also visit the most northernly point of mainland Great Britain (John O’Groats is the most north-westerly). 5 of the team were content with a quick picture by the sign but Ercus and Ben decided they would go to inspect the lighthouse and peer over the sheer cliff-tops. As the rest of the team cycled off, Ercus and Ben took photos and admired the scenery. When they went to catch up with the team, however, Ercus realised he had misplaced his helmet. Panic ensued, as Ben and Ercus scrambled around the cliffs in search. Eventually, we found the helmet perched and teetering on the very edge of the cliff-top. You would think that Ercus should get the award for this schoolboy error, but as it was the last day, the award goes jointly to the other 5 members of the team for missing out on the absolutely amazing sight of 180 degree views of horizon and the powerful north sea smashing against the dizzyingly high cliff-tops.

If you would like to sponsor us now we have finished the journey –www.justgiving.com/1039miles

Remembering the faithful departed (while they’re still with us) – A piece in the Irish Times

In today’s Irish Times you will find an excellent piece on the Forgotten Irish. Whether it’s in print or online make sure you read this article which also focus’s on our charity cycle starting tomorrow.

Donate at www.justgiving.com/1039miles 

Hitting the mark

The target is £15,000 but the team is looking to raise as much as possible from their hard efforts for the Forgotten Irish. With the start of the cycle Land’s End in just two days the team have already raised over £10,000 which is fantastic!

We’d like to thank everyone who has supported the fundraising efforts and Please Show Your Support if you haven’t done so already.

Meet the team

The Ireland Fund of Great Britain is proud to have a dedicated team behind the charity cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

Pictured above are the boys from Brown Rudnick LLP in the team kit. Left to Right shows Neill Shrimpton, Ben Williams, Scott Burns (Managing Partner at Brown Rudnick) Gerald Byrne and the cycle’s driving force Bernard McEvoy.

The team also includes Kenneth Dalby (from AIB Glasgow), Ercus Stewart, and Matt Hoyle.

The chef d’equipe is Michael O’Driscoll from RTE and The Ireland Fund of Great Britain’s Sheila Bailey will be there to encourage and support the team along the way.

You too can be part of the fundraising efforts by showing your support and donating at www.justgiving.com/1039miles

Radio Kerry Interview

On August 15th Bernard McEvoy gave a fantastic interview on Radio Kerry entitled ‘How Irish people living in the UK have fallen on hard times’ Click to listen to the Radio Kerry Interview to have a first hand account on why the fundraising cycle is happening and who is it we’re trying to help.

Don’t forget to donate on JustGiving and more information on the Forgotten Irish can be found here.

Why We’re Cycling

Headed by Bernard McEvoy and Neill Shrimpton, both partners at Brown Rudnick LLP and members of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce, a team of 7 cyclists will set off from Land’s End in Cornwall this Sunday 25th of August and in just 10 days will have cycled the length of Britain all the way up to John O’Groats in Scotland.

The team are taking on the challenge to fundraise for The Ireland Fund of Great Britain’s Forgotten Irish Campaign. 

In 2007 The Ireland Fund of Great Britain commissioned unique research in order to identify, locate and quantify the numbers of vulnerable and elderly Irish in the UK. From this research, Peter Sutherland, Patron of The Ireland Fund of Great Britain, and President Mary McAleese launched the Forgotten Irish campaign aimed at raising awareness and substantial funds for the vulnerable and elderly Irish community in the UK.

Most of the Forgotten Irish came to Britain in the second half of the twentieth century, during one of the darkest and most impoverished periods of Ireland’s history. They paved the way for more recent generations of Irish immigrants to Britain. The majority came to find work and sent billions of pounds home to their families. Thousands of others came to escape the hardship, marginalisation and all too often, the abuse of institutional life. Many are still here, often living in isolation, poverty and deprivation – without the support of friends or family.

On why they want to support the Forgotten Irish Bernard says that “having watched a number of programmes on the Forgotten Irish I was and am always moved by the conditions that some Irish people are living in. A number of close relations of my parents came to the UK in the 50’s and 60’s. For those who have been ‘forgotten’ I believe we, as a nation, owe them something better.”

To show your support please visit http://www.justgiving.com/1039miles and keep an eye on this blog for updates.