Record breaking crowds have been attending the annual Moylagh JFK 50 Mile Challenge since early morning today.
The 14th annual fundraising event began at the Moylagh Community Centre at 6am. The walk takes in three counties over 50 miles in an effort to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society, LARCC and Palliative Care.
The event is the brainchild of the Moylagh GAA club in Co Meath.
The Moylagh JFK 50 Mile Challenge, which began in 2012, has become an inspiring annual event raising vital funds for cancer charities.
To date, it has raised just shy of €1.4 million. This year, the goal is to raise €136,000 to reach a milestone total of €1.5 million since its inception 14 years ago.
Chairperson of the challenge, Johnny Guirke has thanked the local community for their continued and unwavering support and has said that every step makes a difference in the fight against cancer.
Speaking to Northern Sound, the local man said the success of the annual event is down to the people in the community and the people that par take in the walk each and every year.
“We have a brilliant, absolutely brilliant committee and they are the ones that keep it going, and the community around the route is absolutely brilliant.
“There’s more hope for people now than there was a few years ago. You know, these things were a death sentence, but not anymore, you know and if we can get the money into the Cancer Society and enough research, hopefully they'll be able to come up with more cures.
The chairman who is also TD said the walk is open to all, “you can just do whatever, like five mile is a big challenge for some people, and it could be the same challenge for them as 50 miles for someone else. It’s about taking part and it doesn't matter whether it's one mile or five mile or 10 miles.”
When asked about the secret to the events success, Johnny says, “it’s a lot of things what keeps it going, but I'd say what keeps it going most is the cause, you know, cancer, like touches everybody. It’s easy enough to run it and this year, so far the walk, has raised €1,364,000, so this year, our target is €136,000 and if we get that, we will have raised €1.5 million and I'd say, like the way it's going so far I think we will reach that milestone.
