A West Belfast cycling club will take on a gruelling 170-mile challenge next month.
VC Glendale will embark on the '3 Lough Challenge' on September 4 in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND) Northern Ireland in support of DeterMND.
The challenge will take in a lap of Lough Neagh, Lough Beg and Strangford Lough - all in one day.
The club had previously made plans to ride the entire length of Ireland in October 2020 but had to park that idea due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Efforts were made again this year to put on the epic cycle but again restrictions and circumstances beyond their control scuppered plans.
“Our friend and fellow cyclist Anto Finnegan was diagnosed with MND in 2012 and the funds raised will help with care and research for people living with MND,” said VC Glendale club spokesman Toby Watson.
“In 2014 the club helped organise and took part in the Casement to Croke Park event that was a huge success and the club will continue to support Anto and his fight with MND.''
Anto’s brother Joe is a member of VC Glendale and will be also be taking up the 3 Lough challenge.
“I'm very proud that the club would take on this challenge to raise funds to help with vital research to help find a cure for this terrible disease," he said.
“Anto was a very keen cyclist when he wasn’t otherwise engaged with his beloved GAA and had organised a few charity cycles to Donegal as well as taking part in social runs.
“He was the one that got me interested in cycling after persuading me to take part in a charity cycle from Belfast to Donegal in 2006 even though I had not sat on a bike since my teenage years and I have loved the sport ever since.”
The ride will commence on Saturday, September 4, starting from the Balmoral Hotel in Belfast.
The Motor Neurone Disease Association is the only national charity in Northern Ireland focused on MND care, research and campaigning. You can visit our main website at www.mndassociation.org for more information.
All donations are very welcome and can made by searching Joe Finnegan on Gofundme or through the link below: https://gofund.me/aa900a36
