Tour de Munster to benefit Down Syndrome Ireland

The sun shone, the buckets rattled and the coins dropped as the 12th annual Tour de Munster came through Clare in support of Down Syndrome Ireland.

Tour de Munster, an annual four-day charity cycle that sees amateur cyclists cycling over 600km around the six counties of Munster, has again announced Down Syndrome Ireland’s Munster branches as the chosen beneficiary of this year’s cycle. This is the third year that Down Syndrome Ireland has been selected.

Speaking to The Clare Champion, Anthony Morrissey, chairperson of the Clare branch of Down Syndrome Ireland, said, “We had great support for the event and Sean Kelly was even among the cyclists participating.”

Up to 140 cyclists left Cork on Thursday, August 9 and made their way through Tipperary and into Killaloe, where they stopped off overnight, before continuing onto Ennis on Friday and Kerry as part of the four-day event.

While in Killaloe, Mr Morrissey said great fun was had, with the local branches of Down Syndrome Ireland putting on a showcase of events for the cyclists.

“We had Fionn Angus from the Clare branch playing violin and Katie Dixon dance a reel, we had a speech from the Tipperary branch of Down Syndrome Ireland and the Limerick members did the Haka,” Mr Morrissey said.

He added that as Down Syndrome Ireland don’t have a particular event each year to collect much-needed funds, the Tour De Munster has been a great support to the charity and branches at local level.

“It has been a fantastic fundraiser for us, we don’t have anything like this, we try to raise funds locally. The money collected from the buckets and what the cyclists raise to participate, as well as the sponsors and any other fundraising that happens, is tallied up and each branch of Down Syndrome Ireland in Munster gets an equal share,” Mr Morrissey said.

He explained that in the current climate, the branches are relying solely on people’s generosity. “I think people are under the impression that we are funded by Down Syndrome Ireland or by the Government, we’re not. We started a latch-on adult course last year and that was solely due to the money we got from Tour de Munster. So the funding it brings in is the difference between being able to run something like physical therapy, swimming, or latch-on courses,” he said.

He added that the Clare branch, like many other charitable organisations, is finding it difficult to find volunteers and he added, “We do need as much help as we get.

“Thanks to everyone who supported us, shook the buckets, to the cyclists who gave up their time – a 600km race is nothing to be sniffed at. A lot of them were parents of kids with Down Syndrome.

“Anyone who has a child with Down Syndrome needs and would like to contact us, please do. We are a support service and can talk to new parents if they would like to just find out what it’s like to have a child with Down ­Syndrome,” Mr Morrissey concluded.

Down Syndrome Clare will be bag packing on Friday in Tesco in Kilrush and anyone who wants to volunteer or get involved with the organisation or who would like to find out more information about services is welcome to contact Anthony Morrissey on 087 9688456.