Nationwide Memory Walk for Alzheimer Society of Ireland

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) has launched its annual Memory Walk to take place at 35 locations around the county on Sunday, September 22, including at Con Smith Park in Cavan and Rossmore Forest Park in Monaghan.

The launch event, supported by Payzone, brought ambassadors and local champions from around the country together for a Mini Memory Walk around the Iveagh Gardens.

Memory Walk is designed to give families, friends and those living with dementia the opportunity to come together to share old memories and to make new ones.

This year's Memory Walk features a dedicated group of ambassadors along with local champions who will each lead the 35 events across Ireland. Ambassadors include broadcaster Teena Gates, entrepreneur Ellen Kavanagh Jones, former politician Nora Owen, TV presenter Martin King, Munster’s rising star Josh Wycherley and fitness guru Dee Murphy.

Each are due to participate in Memory Walk on September 22 at various locations, walking in memory of loved ones who lived with dementia.

Registration for the walk is open online at www.memorywalk.ie and walkers will receive a participant pack including a t-shirt and a special pack of Forget Me Not flower seeds to sow at home to help create an annual memory each time the flowers bloom. Adult registration costs €20 and a child’s pack is €5.

Memory Walk honours, remembers, and celebrates the 64,000 people in Ireland living with dementia, including 1,058 in County Cavan.

Last year, some 3,500 people participated in Memory Walk and raised over €120,000, which helped fund vital services for people with dementia including daycare, homecare, family carer training, social clubs, cafés and a national helpline.

Mairéad Dillon, Head of Fundraising for the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, commented: “2024 marks the fifth year of Memory Walk in Ireland and the hope is to have over 4,000 walkers across Ireland take part in the 35 locations on 22nd September."

While stressing that the event is an "important fundraiser" for the ASI, she added: "More than that, it is an opportunity to gather people living with dementia, their friends and family members to share memories and create new ones. It is also a time to remember those who have passed who lived with dementia and to cherish those memories."

Walkers are also encouraged to share their snaps on social media using the following hashtags: #ASIMakingMemories #ASIMemoryWalk2024

#LetsWalkTogether