Mayo man’s barefoot fundraising walk across Europe raises vital funds
After ten months of walking over 5,500km barefoot across Europe, Mayo native Eamonn Keaveney has made his way back home to Ireland. Eamonn, who set off on this epic barefoot journey from Istanbul in March 2025, is now embarking on the last leg of his walk to his hometown of Claremorris.
As of January 11, Eamonn has walked 5,869.24km completely barefoot across Europe. In early September last year, the 33-year-old had broken the Guinness World Record for the longest barefoot walk at the border of Hungary and Austria.
Eamonn has taken on this challenge not only to break a world record, but to bring awareness to and raise funds for causes very close to his heart.
With a fundraising goal of €10,000, Eamonn is asking people to support his challenge by making a donation to his iDonate page here
All the funds raised will be equally split between Friends of the Earth, Ireland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation, and Jigsaw, the youth mental health charity.
Eamonn is about €3,000 away from reaching his fundraising goal, which he hopes to achieve before arriving home in Claremorris in February.
Eamonn said:
“I'm delighted to be returning to Ireland after so many months of walking. It's great to be coming back to familiar territory - really feels like I'm on the home stretch and I'm more certain with every day that I'll make it back to Claremorris. I'm thrilled with the donations made to the fundraiser, especially given the cost-of-living crisis that so many are struggling with. It helps on difficult days to know that I'm not sort of needlessly struggling, but that there's money and awareness being raised for an important cause. I'm optimistic about reaching the fundraising goal as well which would be a real cherry on top.”
Deirdre Duffy, Chief Executive at Friends of the Earth, said:
“We, at Friends of the Earth, are thrilled that Eamonn has arrived back in Ireland and is on the final leg of his journey home. We’re so grateful to Eamonn for shining a light on and supporting the work we do here at Friends of the Earth and for the young people in Ireland that Jigsaw supports through their services.
Eamonn’s epic journey is a really great example and reminder that climate action can come in all shapes and sizes.
At the start of 2026, it’s good to be reminded that there are incredible people doing incredible things like this. Eamonn is a true example that we can all do and achieve amazing things.”
Eamonn has been chronicling his barefoot journey through daily updates via his Instagram page here.
Friends of the Earth interviewed Eamonn a week before he commenced his barefoot walk, where he shared his motivations for the walk and the fundraiser. The deep connections between climate issues and social injustices are what prompted Eamonn to fundraise for the cause of climate justice, with Friends of the Earth’s data centre campaign particularly striking a chord with him.
Friends of the Earth is Ireland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation whose work involves campaigning for environmental and social justice, respect for human rights and a world where both people and nature thrive. Friends of the Earth are currently campaigning for a moratorium on new data centres, and are against the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Friends of the Earth are also campaigning to secure warm and climate friendly homes for people renting and living in social housing. Friends of the Earth Ireland is a part of Friends of the Earth International; the largest grassroots network of environmental activists and groups in the world - which links grassroots, national and global struggles to protect both people and nature.