60km walk for Bóthar

CO-FOUNDER of livestock aid agency Bóthar, Peter Ireton is preparing for his mammoth 60km ‘Siúl go dtí Seasca’ trek this Saturday.

The recently retired founding CEO of the Limerick-based organisation is taking on the return trek from Limerick to Killaloe to raise much-needed funds for the airlift and placement costs for 60 heifers later this year. The walk is part of year-long celebrations to mark the 21st anniversary of the charity.
He chose the target as 60 heifers have so far been pledged by Irish farmers for African families but Bóthar is short of the funds to cover airfare, family training, veterinary supports and the other costs necessary to place the animals. He estimates that he needs to raise €1,150 per beast. The 60km mark coincides with a personal milestone, as he will turn 60 this month.
“The closer I get to Saturday, the more I am looking forward to it. If we get weather like we did this morning, it will be amazing. It’s a big undertaking but I have been so encouraged by the support that has come in by way of sponsorship and we are hoping for more over the next 10 days or so. I will be turning 60 a few days later so I am hoping to show that 60 is the new 40 as well,” he said.
Bóthar was set up in 1991 as a one-off project to airlift cows to 20 families in a poverty-stricken region of Uganda. It has gone on to become one of the country’s leading NGOs, helping 6,000 families a year.
“People have no idea how far money raised from this walk will go for our Rwandan livestock programme. We operate three airlifts of in-calf Irish heifers there each year and the money raised by the walk will ensure this continues.
“These airlifts take families from the most abject, life threatening poverty you could imagine. They very quickly become self-sufficient in dairy-terms but they end up selling dairy products as well in time,” he said.
To sponsor Peter on his walk, contact him directly on 061 338269 or email pete@bothar.ie.