Balla lads set for Christmas Croagh Patrick charity challenge
Seven well-known sportsmen from Balla have decided to take their pre-season training to a new level (or four) this season as they plan to summit Mayo’s highest peak four times in one day on December 23.
The Magnificent 7 - as they are fondly known in local circles – are doing so in the hope of also raising some much-needed funds for The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation.
While question marks hang over the validity of Matthew Flanagan, Ben Freyne, Barry Duffy, Sean Morrissey, Gary McHale, Eoin O’Neill and Connie Morrissey’s claims of wanting to ‘take their pre-season serious this year’, there is, however, no doubting their commitment to raising money for charity.
The group have been regular fundraisers for various charities down through the years and have raised thousands of euro, plus unquantifiable awareness for good causes in their escapades, which includes Mt Kilimanjaro!
The Jack and Jill Children’s Charity is a nationwide charity providing in-home nursing care and respite support for children up to the age of six years-old with severe to profound neurodevelopment delay, a charity close to the heart of all the group.
On December 23, before first light, the mountaineers will set off up Croagh Patrick for their first of four outings up the Holy Mountain that day. They are appealing for all manners of support, be it a donation, if possible, to their GoFundMe account, or otherwise.
Profiles
Connie Morrissey
From: Manulla; Age: Experienced.
The leader of the pack, what Connie lacks in youth he certainly makes up for in experience. Some say the Sherpa’s of Mt Kilimanjaro erected a statue in his honour after he waltzed up one of the world’s highest peaks in February 2020.
Sean Morrissey
From: Manulla; Age: 25
Son of Connie, the teak-tough Balla and Manulla FC defender is like a young Alex Honnold from the hit-documentary ‘Free Solo’ (YouTube it if you’re not familiar).
Matthew Flanagan
From: Balla; Age: 25
The colourful goalkeeper has a built up a strong reputation for daring adventures already – the majority of which are him coming out of his goalmouth in the Mayo Club Championship. So this should be a breeze.
Gary McHale
From: Manulla; Age: 25
Rumours are Gary will sprint up the mountain on each occasion. However, he is not known for his ‘working back’ so that is where his fellow mountaineers will make up the ground.
Ben Freyne
From: Manulla; Age: 25
The dynamite man from Manulla recently returned home from Australia having ran out of mountains to climb. He is even claiming to have banished the snakes from Down Under.
Barry Duffy
From: Balla; Age: 24
Big Barry has recently been putting up long hours on ‘the buildings’ in London and he is looking forward to carrying out some repair work to the Croagh Patrick Church with his new-found skills and appreciation for the shovel.
Eoin O’Neill
From: Balla; Age: 25
‘Sonny’, as he is professionally known, is more acute to the spreadsheet and clipboard side of construction and engineering, but is said to be breaking new ground during this task he might actually get dirty.
To donate to the lads, log on to their GoFundMe at www.gofundme.com/f/croagh-patrick-4-times-1-day-for-jack-jill or click on this link: https://bit.ly/3GCfl2z