Alice puts on her pink walking shoes

A breast cancer survivor living a stone’s throw away from Westbury in South-East Clare, is set to participate in a charity walk to raise funds to fight this life-threatening disease. 
Alice O’Farrell from Corbally missed out on last year’s Pink Ribbon Walk, which raised €56,000.
“I had contracted breast cancer myself and I was in the middle of chemotherapy. All I could do was come and see the walkers off. This year I’m feeling great and I’m ready to put on those walking shoes myself,” she said.
Not only that, but she’s going to bring half of Limerick with her as well. “I hope to run several busses from the city and get a really big Limerick contingent involved in the walk,” she said, adding “They’ll be wearing special Limerick arm bands”.
Alice has been tireless in her efforts to raise funds for cancer. Last year, she raised €76,000 for the Mid-Western Development Trust by producing the Hope Calendar in which she, her friends and even her little grand-daughter, two year old Sadhbh, were featured. The proceeds were donated to the Symptomatic Breast Unit at the hospital.
“There is hardly a family who isn’t touched by cancer,” said Alice. “My own family was no exception. That’s why I became involved with fundraising. Then on the June Bank Holiday weekend of 2010, I discovered that I had breast cancer myself. The discovery was devastating but it had to be dealt with and here I am. I have to say that my care in the Mid-Western  Regional Hospital, Limerick was excellent,” she said.
She said her partner, Martin Ryan, and her children, Louise and Cian, were also a huge support.
Meanwhile, a wave of pink looks set to cover parts of Killaloe on Thursday, May 3, with a memorable treat that is expected to attract over 500 music lovers to the town.
The Big Pink Gig, featuring choirs from Limerick and Killaloe, takes place in the Pop-Up Playhouse at Kincora Marina on the shores of Lough Derg. Among the performing stars will be Munster hooker Damien Varley, who sings with the Killaloe/Ballina Gospel choir.
Pop-UpPlayhouse owner, Boris Hunka, who runs Music in the Glen with his wife, Diane Daly, said last year’s gig was an extraordinary success and proved a great boost for the local Pink Ribbon Walk group which has, in two years, raised just under €140,000 for Action Breast Cancer.
“We had over 500 in ­attendance and we expect even more this year,” he said. The gig, which starts at 8pm, will feature the Brian Boru Community Singers, the Killaloe Gospel Choir, Gumas and the Midas Singers from Mary Immaculate College in Limerick. The event will also see the launch of this year’s Killaloe Pink Ribbon Walk, which takes place in the town on June 16 next.