Picture Special: First charity walk/run for Joe & Andy a huge success

written by Staff Writer January 1, 2023

Almost 1,000 people turned out this afternoon for a New Year’s charity walk/run in memory of the late Joe Carlin and Andy Scanlon.

The 5K event saw families making a healthy start for 2023 by walking around the Crossroads in Killygordon through the scenic Monellan Wood.

The charity event raised a fantastic €5,000 in aid of youth development at four local clubs – Curragh Athletic, Markievicz Camogie Club, Red Hughs and Setanta.

Finn Valley’s Stacey Dolan was first across the line, but everyone was a winner at this community event.

This inaugural event was a special chance for the community to remember and celebrate the legacies of two well-known local men.

Andrew (Andy) passed away suddenly aged 56 on December 13, 2020, while Joe died from cancer less than a year later, on September 18, 2021, at just 54 years-of-age.

The late Andy Scanlon (L) and Joe Carlin battling it out at an inter-firms race in Letterkenny.

Both men were neighbours, lifelong friends and fierce competitors on the athletics circuit around the county and beyond.

As the country returned to some semblance of normality following almost two years of Covid restrictions, their friends and family wanted to organise this event in their memory.

Chief organiser, Declan Carlin, on behalf of the Carlin and Scanlon families, thanked everyone who attended today and all those who donated prizes for the raffle. Over thirty prizes were kindly donated for the raffle.

Thanks to Photographer Gerard McHugh for the photo gallery: