Three Donegal volunteers are taking a well-deserved rest this week after a major cycling adventure from Mizen to Malin Head in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Disability advocate Jennifer Doherty, her tandem pilot Donal McGuinness from Dunkineely and fellow Donegal Guide Dogs branch member Stephanie Darch from Killybegs have raised well over €12,300 between them by completing the 650km challenge.
The trio was among 61 cyclists to complete the week-long cycle, which ended with great celebrations in Inishowen last Friday for National Guide Dog Day.
Jennifer alone has proudly raised enough to cover the training costs of a guide dog for an entire year.
“I’m really glad I did it,” the Buncrana woman said. “You were constantly meeting new people every day and telling them what you are doing and why.”
Donal and Jennifer celebrate at the finish line.
Jennifer, who was born blind, has benefitted from having guide dogs since she was 21. She now chairs the Irish Guide Dogs Donegal Branch.
Looking back on last week, Jennifer said the tough training she did in Donegal paid off in dividends. Donal, as well as local Melissa Quigley and Colm Maguire, helped Jennifer get to grips with the tandem bike.
She said: “Overall, to be honest, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, but we did a lot of training on the hills here, so the hills of Kerry weren’t as bad.”
The cycling group, in their bright green jerseys, attracted a lot of attention along the roads, north and south. At rest stops they were warmly greeted by volunteers, dogs, and puppies in training.
“There’s nothing better than a puppy cuddle in the morning before you cycle 100km!” Jennifer said.
Jennifer highlighted the huge generosity and support shown in Donegal in the final days of the journey and said: “The schools were brilliant in their support, children from Tooban national school and Scoil Iosagain gave us a boost coming into Buncrana, and people were out at Drumfries too. That was something we’ll never forget.
“The support in Donegal was unbelievable, I was so proud of the effort that people and volunteers made.”
Jennifer’s personal goal was to get to Malin Head to greet her own dogs at the finish line. Sybil, her second guide dog, is living out her retirement in Buncrana while Jennifer currently has black Labrador ‘Quid’ working with her.
Jennifer with guide dogs Quid and Sybil
It costs approximately €53,000 to raise and train one Guide or Assistance dog, with the charity aiming to transform the lives of 70 families in 2025.
Next up for Jennifer, who’s no stranger to exciting adventures, is another international expedition with Jason Black Mountaineering. Later this year, she’ll be climbing Mera Peak, the highest trekking peak in Nepal, at an altitude of 6,654 metres. She’s already back in the gym getting ready to step up for this challenge.
Letterkenny’s Jason Black has motivated Jennifer to do an impressive list of achievements in recent years. She summited Mount Kilimanjaro last year, trekked to Everest Base Camp in 2022 and, in 2023, she became the first blind person to conquer Ireland’s 7 Summits.
There’s still time to donate to the cyclists after the Mizen to Malin challenge at https://mizen-2-malin-2025.raiselysite.com/donate
Irish Guide Dogs is also seeking new puppy raisers to join their growing community of volunteers in Donegal. Puppy raisers play a crucial role in the early development of future Guide and Assistance Dogs, helping them become calm, confident, and well-socialised. All equipment, food and vet fees are paid for with full, ongoing support available.
For more information on how to become a puppy raiser, visit www.GuideDogs.ie.
The annual coffee morning in Kilcar for Irish Guide Dogs takes place on Sunday 8th June at John Joe’s Bar from 11.30am to 2pm. All welcome:
