Saturday was to be a very special day for 8-year-old Eloise McDonnell from Kilmovee, Co Mayo. She was to receive her First Holy Communion, but it was not to be. Along with thousands of other young people, her big day was postponed owing to Covid-19restrictions.
But, she decided to make it a big day anyhow, in a Communion dress as well.
Ok, it was borrowed from her older sister Lucia (10) who made her First Communion in those distant days, now described as “normal”, before most of us had even heard of such a thing as a coronavirus.
Eloise decided to run a 10km on Saturday in the borrowed Communion dress set off by a pair of runners, as you do, to raise funds for the Mayo-Roscommon Hospice in memory of her father Michael (34). He died of a brain tumour in 2012 when she was a few months old.
She ran five times around a 2km circuit near her home, assisted by Lucia, their mother Caitriona, neighbours, friends, and raised over €25,000: “Real Communion money!”
Each year since their father died the girls have presented the Michael McDonnell Memorial Shield at the annual 10km race in Kilmovee which raises funds for the Mayo Roscommon Hospice. Palliative teams from there eased Michael McDonnell’s final days.
This year that annual Kilmovee 10km took place virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic and raised enough funds to cover costs for 10,000 face masks for frontline health care workers.
Details at gofundme.com/f/eloises-first-10k-in-communion-dress
Iron men
At the other end of the age scale, on Sunday, Pierce Purcell (80) ran 65 laps at his next-door neighbour's carpark in Clonmel Co Tipperary, which equates to 10km.
It was part of a fund-raising effort for Crumlin Children's Hospital in Dublin and had received donations of over €18,500 by Monday night.
Described as Ireland's first full indoor Ironman triathlon, it was organised by Mr Purcell's son Ian (37) and friend Kevin Ryan (38).
Both latter men are experienced iron distance triathletes, with Mr Ryan the current Clonmel Tri Club chairman. He completed the Hardman Iron Distance race last August with a broken arm. Sunday was the first time both attempted anything like this however.
"We, along with thousands of other Irish families, have experienced Crumlin Children's Hospital at first hand over the last few months and are forever in their debt for the Trojan and inspirational work they do every day," Ian Purcell said.
Their marathon took place at their Endless pool in Clonmel. It is like a treadmill for swimming where one swims against a variable speed current.
It took them each between 12 and 15 hours on Sunday to complete the 226.3kms (140.6 miles) in total while sticking rigidly to the Government’s guidelines on social distancing. They streamed the event on social media.
“Kev started at 5.20 am and continued for 15 hours until 8.20pm while I did exactly 12 hours from 6.45 am to 6.45pm,” Ian Purcell said. “It was as if the whole population of Clonmel was behind us and one highlight was when maybe 30 or 40 cars passed by beeping their horns in support” he said.
As to the amount raised he said “we’re delighted. There have been over 500 donations and we hoped to raise about €5,000.” he said.
Details at justgiving.com/fundraising/ironman4crumlin2020
Navajo nation
Meanwhile fundraisers for native Americans dealing with the coronavirus pandemic have thanked Irish donors. In a message on the GoFundMe web page, Vanessa Tulley said "several of our recent donations for our GoFundMe campaign have been inspired by the Great Hunger Famine in Ireland. "
Recalling how “in 1847, the Choctaw Nation provided $170 of relief aid to the Irish to help them (today that is the equivalent of $5,000)” she said “173 years later to today, the favor is returned through generous donations from the Irish people to the Navajo Nation during our time of crisis.”
She quoted one Irish donor as saying: “From Ireland, 170 years later, the favour is returned! To our Native American brothers and sisters in your moment of hardship.”
She concluded: “Thank you, Ireland, for showing solidarity and being here for us.”
