Thank you Bangor Erris

On Saturday morning, bright and early I might add, I headed off for Mayo - I got a lift from Dublin [cheers Tommy!], which made the journey a zillion times more bearable than enduring the confusion of public transport. Which, to be fair, would have probably resulted in me realising I was in Kerry five hours later...or something like that.

I did end up in Belfast when I was supposed to be travelling from Dublin to Sligo after all. Here's the evidence [Pat and Jess weren't around for the photo, sigh]:



Anyway...back to the point - Mayo. There was an anniversary mass for my Aunt - so that's why I, along with some of my cousins, aunts, uncles, were all headed for a place called Bangor Erris in Mayo. A good 45-60 minute drive from Ballina and five hours from Dublin. It's quite a remote place but everyone who lives there follows the open door policy. Preparing for the few of us who were making our way over, we realised that there had been a collective ELEVEN tarts made for our arrival...and this is for about ten or twelve people. Basically my point is that they'll bend over backwards to make you feel comfortable and you'll never go hungry in the town.

As is tradition when extended families meet, you generally end up in a pub. This trip was no exception. I'm trying to be on a no-alcohol policy until after the race next Monday. So I didn't join in in the race of who can buy the next round quicker than anyone else in peripheral view. I knocked back the uisce minus the beatha instead. After a while, there was concern from my Uncle Sean that I wasn't having a drink. I told him that it was because of the training and he asked if I was looking for sponsorship. And the whole thing escalated from there.

The people who were in Kitty's pub in Bangor Erris again bent over backwards with their generousity. There was probably a slight delay in the race for the bar as the race for who could sign my sponsorship card and through some money my way took over.

Within about 10-15 minutes, I had a bulk of notes in my pocket that totalled near 250 Euro in sponsorship for DEBRA Ireland [see the picture at the top of this post]. So I've now surpassed the target of 500 Euro that was automatically set up on mycharity.ie. But why stop there eh? The more money I can collect, the more these people who suffer every day with Epidermolysis Bullosa can get the treatment and care that they need to make their lives a bit more comfortable.

Thanks a million to everyone who sponsored me in Bangor Erris over the weekend. It really is appreciated...and I did head out for that run this morning so it was well worth skipping the drinking session.

The last week of training awaits...and I've to be up in five and a half hours for work. A full week of Britain's Got Talent. Lucky me.

If you'd like to sponsor me online - click here: RIGHT HERE.

Howley.