Monagea for CRY 2024, Remembering Niamh and Darra raises โฌ26,265 in its final event.
Cheque presentation and Thank you.
The curtain descended on an epic 10-year charity event in West Limerick, having raised in excess of an eye watering half a million euro for the CRY Ireland charity. The seed was sown for this massive CRY walk/run and cycle after the sudden death of two young people in the parish of Monagea. In 2011 Niamh Herlihy 20, studying childcare in Cork, was looking forward to her upcoming 21st birthday party, she died suddenly in her apartment in Cork in April 2011. The following December Darra OโDonovan 15 died in his sleep, at home, he was in junior cert year, playing hurling and football with his club and school. Both lives cut way too short. The sudden loss was a devastating blow, and in 2013 their families and the community gathered to raise awareness and much needed funds for the charity who had reached out to them in their time of need. A call for help went out that first year and the same people returned to their post annually. Down through the years, meticulous planning and a skilled team meant the event numbers multiplied, we even survived covid. It was circled on the calendar, people looked forward โTHE CRYโ every May bank holiday. The walk/run event attracting families from all over West Limerick and beyond, who strolled out with their friends in the sunshine. We also had many competitive runners take part, who made it look easy, returning to Monagea in no time at all. The cycle both a 50k and 100k accumulated more competitors every year and was a highlight for many cyclists, who showered nothing but praise on the organisation, of the best run sportive around. Their words not mine!
The Herlihy and OโDonovan Scanlan families would like to thank everyone who participated and donated to Monagea for CRY, since its creation, please continue to support any CRY events being held across the country. Listing all those involved over the years would be impossible, please accept this as a thank you to all.ย We would like to express sincere gratitude to those who helped with catering, parking, stewarding, those who donated food, money, equipment, vehicles, signs, posters and parking. Thanks to our friends in West Limerick AC, Desmond Sportive CC and NCW CC for their expertise, to our CRY ambassadors for coming to Monagea. Thanks to Monagea Hall, Tournafulla hall, Monagea school, Monagea GAA, NCW Rugby club, Gardaรญ, Red Cross, Limerick Coco, The Observer newspaper, The Limerick Leader and various radio stations plus numerous local businesses. The time given and support shown was continuous and open handed, giving and kind, it is a remarkable achievement by all involved.
Monagea for CRY will always be remembered as a positive for our parish. We dedicate the last ten years to Niamh and Darra and to all those we love, that left us way too soon, through whatever circumstances. Perhaps instead of feeling sad, we can be proud and celebrate this tremendous legacy, and tell the story of how thousands of people came to the small parish of Monagea to walk and cycle the roads of West Limerick on the Saturday of the May bank holiday weekend.
CRY Ireland a charity based in Tallaght, the team at CRY aim to provide access to free Clinical Assessment and Management to all families of a young person who are living with an Inherited Cardiac Condition or have suffered, or are at risk of, a sudden cardiac death. It provides a Family Support Programme, offering free access to Listening Volunteers, Mentors and bereavement specialists. It organizes events, and provides access to information and networks. It also supports research into the causes and prevention of sudden cardiac death, in collaboration with other likeminded bodies. All services provided by CRY Ireland are free. CRY is a self-supporting registered charity. The bulk of the money it takes in comes from various fundraising events. Up to 100 people under the age of 35, continue to die from SADS every year in Ireland. Please support the cause when you can.
