Fourth annual Offaly  Camino  Canal  Way Walk a great success

Cancelled earlier in the year due to the Covid-19 on its usual date on St Patrick's Day this year, Laz Molloy and Ronan Scully and friends hosted their fourth Offaly Camino Canal Way 60 KM  sponsored walk on the August Bank Holiday weekend in aid of Self Help Africa and for the charities work in Africa.

They would like to thank everybody who took part and helped raise funds for Self Help Africa, especially the many participants from many parts of the Midlands and beyond and the children from various clubs and schools in  Offaly.

The event had a great turnout of participants who completed the 60km walk over two days along the  canal  from a 7am start with Mass by Fr. Tom Cox, parish priest of Clonmacnoise and Shannonbridge, at Shannon Harbour and then walking the 60 km of the Offaly Camino over two days along the Canal via Belmont, Ferbane, Pollagh, Rahan, Tullamore, Cappincur, Ballycommon, Daingean on to Croghan with the final few steps up Croghan Hill where Mass was said by Fr. Greg parish priest of Croghan.

Everyone finished the Canal Way Walk in plenty of time to be at Mass at 3pm on Sunday last after starting the day before at 7am at Shannon Harbour.

The Mass was to celebrate their great achievement of having completed the 4th Annual charity  Offaly  Canal  Camino  Way  walk  in aid of the work of Self Help Africa. The  Canal  Way  Aalk  brought the participants through the beautiful countryside where they could admire the colourful fields and impressive views.

After a long two days walking everyone reached the last leg of the route making their  way  through the village of Croghan to the Molloy's house and Peter Moore's farm  where everyone had a lovely spread of food with a much-needed hot soup, hot drinks and burgers as well as chocolate crepes and cold beverages supplied by the Molloy family and residents of Croghan village. 

Laz Molloy, the event organiser along with his wife Frances and his daughter Aislinn, Fr. Tom and Fr. Greg represented the cause with heart-warming speeches at the start of the  walk  and also to finish the day after mass, reinforcing why the two day's walk through the beautiful Offaly countryside was so important to them and to the work of Self Help Africa. They emphasised what the funds raised would mean for the people and families in Africa they help.

Ronan Scully of Self Help Africa thanked all those who had supported the 4th annual charity  walk in any way, especially Laz Molloy and his family who organised this  Canal  Way  walk  for the work of Self Help Africa who work in 11 countries in Africa.

Ronan also thanked the people of all ages who participated in the  walk  and people and volunteers who helped out in any  way  to make it such a successful event. A big well done to everyone who supported the  walk  in any way.

They are already looking forward to next year where  hopefully  it will be as successful if not more successful than the great event it  was this  year.

If you would like to support the work of Self Help Africa or organise a fundraiser for the charities work in 10 countries in Africa please contact Ronan at  ronan.scully@selfhelpafrica.org  or go to  www.selfhelpafrica.org  or contact Ronan at (087) 6189094

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