Donegal man cycles the entire Wild Atlantic Way for children’s charity

Hughie Gallagher from Gweedore is cycling from Kinsale in County Cork to Derry  to raise money for BUMBLEance and BUMBLEair, the children’s national ambulance service for Ireland. 

Hughie Gallagher, a Gweedore grandfather and passionate cyclist is cycling the entire Wild Atlantic Way from Kinsale in County Cork to Derry, Northern Ireland, a distance of 1500 miles (2500 kilometers), to raise money for BUMBLEance and BUMBLEair, the children’s national ambulance service for Ireland. 

Hughie, who has been cycling for nearly 25 years, supported by his wife Breid, children and grandchildren, family and friends, was inspired by the story of Fionnuala Doherty and Cathal Campbell of Donegal, whose son, Oisin, aged three and a half, was the first child to be flown from Dublin to Donegal, a journey by air of just an hour and a half versus a journey by road of nearly eight hours. Oisin was born with a rare chromosomal abnormality that makes everyday life extremely difficult.  He is on oxygen, is deaf, suffers from epilepsy and anemia and is developmentally delayed, all of which makes travel extremely difficult.   

Having taken the journey by road on many occasions, Fionnaula described the journey by BUMBLEair as transformative.  “Donegal is so far from Dublin and our roads are not equipped for that journey. It’s so long, we’re cut off.  We are the forgotten county.  Our lives are very complicated and stressful and with the appointments in Dublin that all adds to our stress.  Having BUMBLEance has been a game-changer for us.”

Hughie Gallagher is no stranger to a cycling challenge, having taken part in sportives all over the country, from the Tour of Inishowen, and Giant's Causeway Coast Sportive to the An Post Rebel Tour in Cork and the Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford.  His previous endurance cycling experience includes cycling Mizen to Malin solo in under 24 hours, doing a 24 hour cycle on a training bike at Relay for Life, and the Donegal Atlantic Way Ultra,  350 miles (555 kilometers) along the Wild Atlantic coastline of his home county of Donegal.

Hughie’s  journey will take him through some of the most spectacular scenery in Ireland, including the rugged Beara Peninsula in West Cork, The Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren, Galway Bay and the coastlines of Connemara, Mayo, Sligo up to the heights of Slieve League, to Fanad Head and from Letterkenny to Derry City.   Hughie left Kinsale on July 1 and is making rapid progress toward his goal.

You can support Hughie's charitable ride here.

You can follow Hughie's journey here.

And you can find out more about BUMBLEance at www.bumbleance.com.

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