TWO members of the Lámh Dhearg CLG are starting a 112 mile walk this Sunday from Croke Park in Dublin to their club grounds in west Belfast.
Over five days, Marty Fegan and Micky Boyle will take on the Hannahstown Big Walk of Hope 2024.
They are hoping to generate as much support as possible for the Darkness into Light event in Hannahstown on Saturday, May 11, at 4.15am.
Raising funds for the club’s partner charity, Suicide Awareness and Support Group, those taking part will walk 5km as the sun rises, sending out a message of hope for those bereaved by suicide or struggling with their mental health.
This Sunday’s walk from Croke Park was originally planned for Saturday, but was changed for the funeral of club member Ryan Straney.
Hundreds turned out to support the Straney family as the body of the west Belfast man killed in a crash in Australia returned home ahead of his funeral.
The 27-year-old, from the Hannahstown area, died earlier this month in Sydney when his car was struck on a motorway.
A 96-year-old man is alleged to have driven the wrong way along one of the road’s lanes before colliding with several vehicles.
Ryan, who had moved to Australia in December, was a talented Gaelic footballer and hurler who played with his local club Lámh Dhearg CLG, as well as previously playing as a minor for Antrim.
The previous evening saw Lámh Dhearg and All Saints GAC players pay tribute to Ryan with a round of applause ahead of their senior football clash.
A Lámh Dhearg spokesperson thanked All Saints for their fundraising efforts for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, which assisted the Straney family in bringing Ryan’s body home from Australia.
The Ballymena club’s £1,000 is part of an overall drive that has seen over £83,000 raised for the charity.
A funeral for the popular Queen’s University graduate is taking place at St Joseph’s Church in Hannahstown on Saturday.
Further information on the fundraiser is available online at this location.
