A friend of Barry Coughlan, whose body was discovered 17 years after he vanished, is fundraising for the hero search team that found the remains and to help other families.
A new piece of crowdfunded equipment - the Starfish 990S sonar - used by Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery was the key to locating the missing man last month.
Lenore Good, 41, wants to help provide answers for other families searching for a loved one and is training for a gruelling 100km walk on Friday and a Mount Kilimanjaro climb in August.
Mr Coughlan disappeared without trace when he was 23 on May 1, 2004 in Crosshaven, Co Cork and his remains were found at Hugh Coveney Pier in the area last month.
Lenore, a married mum of six who has four autistic children, and is the author of the popular “Out in the Sticks with Six” blog, said: “Two years ago I decided I’d do Kilimanjaro and I’d raise money for autism.
“I set out to raise about €20,000 and I actually raised €62,000 for the Irish Guide Dogs, The Shine Centre for Autism in Carrigaline and Sonas Special Junior Primary School in Carrigaline.
“I’d be a friend of the Coughlan family and Barry was missing for 17 years and was recently found.
“So last year I got onto his sister Donna and said ‘We might think about doing something to honour Barry and do something in his name’.
Lenore said the Coughlan family appreciated the gesture and Lenore, who had to previously postpone Kilimanjaro climbs twice, is determined to scale Africa’s tallest mountain.
She added: “I asked Donna who she wanted the money raised for and she said Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery and Mallow Search and Rescue because they’ve been very good to their family throughout the years.”
Lenore, who is also raising money for Marymount Hospice in Cork, added: “We’ve hit €16,000 now in less than five weeks and we will split it three ways.
“My next fundraiser is this Friday, July 3rd and that’s ‘100k in a Day’ and I’ll be doing 50km of that myself and then I’ll have other people doing 10k stints with me to keep me going.
“The 100km will be completed along the Crosshaven to Carrigaline walkway.
“Then I’ve Kilimanjaro in August and we’ll be there for nine days and my eldest daughter Shea (19) is doing that with me and we’re training at the moment.
“Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery work nationwide and the Starfish 990S sonar cost €10,000 but they only got a grant for €3,000 and the rest was donated.
“If they hadn’t that equipment they wouldn’t have found the car and that showed how important it was and they need it now more than ever.
“It was absolutely bittersweet for me because Barry was a friend but I see the work that the guys do and I see how much fundraising is needed.
“The guards can only do so much.
“If someone goes missing you pick up the phone and the guys [Cork City Missing Persons]. are at your house are there at your house and they’re the ones out looking 24-7.”
Big-hearted Lenore also collected 594 pairs of shoes last year and donated them to 500 under-privileged kids and orphans in Tanzania.”
People can donate to the fundraiser by logging on here.
Those who donate to Lenore’s fund could also be in line for some top prizes as many local businesses donated items to be given out to help the cause.
Anyone who puts their name in the hat will be entered into a raffle and could even win a family trip to Disneyland in Paris (and stay in the new Marvel Hotel!).
Overall there’s about 20 prizes up for grabs including a €200 Wild Atlantic Glamping Voucher too.
You can find out more about the competitions by visiting her Facebook page here.
