A young Co. Waterford man from a farming background and his friend are geared up to cycle home from Sydney across 28 countries to raise much needed funds for two children’s charities.
Paddy Flynn from Knockalavalla, Carrick-on-Suir, and friend Daithi Harrison from Tipperary, will cycle from Sydney to Dublin and run an ultra-marathon in all 28 countries to raise money for Medical Research Foundation Crumlin and the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation. Their odyssey will kick off on August 4.
“Paddy has been working in Sydney for nine years laying light rail tracks for rail travel and is intending to return home here to our dairy farm to make his living here,” said his dad Michael. He and his wife Mary have 110ac and are currently milking 64 cows.
Paddy is 30 years-of-age and has two sisters who are now finished their education. I said to him that we would progress to handing over the reins when the girls were finished their education when he turned 30 as there wasn’t enough income to support us all until then.
“He hopes to go full-time farming if the figures stack up and is open to looking at all options, from increasing herd size to maybe even getting a little outside employment if the figures show that is what is needed to support himself and his father and mother. An income increase is needed for us all to be supported by the farm.”
Paddy and Daithi agreed to cycle back to Ireland and do an ultra-marathon in every country on their way home.
They decided that they would begin their journey outside the door of Sydney Children’s hospital in Randwick and the adventure will end at the doors of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.
Paddy came up with the idea for the trip two years ago and the duo have been ‘chipping away’ on it ever since. They expect the journey across three continents to last 12-18 months.
Enjoy life
“Paddy explained to me that he had worked very hard for the last nine years, mostly eating and working and would be glad to enjoy life a bit more as it couldn’t all be about work,” said Michael.
“Paddy had raised money for charity before so it was no surprise that he took on this as he also loved running and then for him to get his friend on board and do it for two very worthy causes, was great. Myself and his mother are very proud of them both as we have known Daithi for a long number of years also.
“Young people get a lot of bad press at times so maybe when they do good we should highlight it more because they enrich all our lives and maybe they will encourage others to do the same.”
More information is available on: www.2cycle28.com.