A Letterkenny man was part of a two-man team that completed a charity Mizen Head to Malin Head charity run this weekend.
29-year-old Barry Lee from Bomany and 27-year-old Dubliner Bill Staunton from Balbriggan set off on their mammoth 550km route on Thursday the 29th of May, aiming to raise money for Pieta.
Adding to the challenge they set a target of completing the run in just 10 days, meaning the boys would need to cover 55km a day to make it in time.
Bill Staunton and Barry Lee
Both men, who are currently living in Sydney, Australia, made the trip back to Ireland to shed a light on men’s mental health with their journey.
“Every year, approximately 600,000 people die by suicide, with 70% of them being men. Our slogan, Do it for those who can’t, reflects our commitment to breaking the stigma and starting conversations that could save lives,” they said via their fundraising page.
Barry himself has first-hand knowledge of the issue, as he currently works as a mental health nurse.
“Every step we take is for those who feel like they can’t take one more,” said Barry ahead of their journey.
The lads also had a team behind them all the way, with the help of a trusty Renault camper van also leaving them far from facing the challenge alone.
After ten gruelling days walking the length of Ireland, they made it to Malin Head yesterday afternoon – along the way raising over €14,700 along the way at the time of writing.
You can donate to their Pieta fundraiser here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-wild-irish-run-mental-health-ireland-mizen-to-malin
