A gallant challenge for a gallant cause

The Gallant Challenge is entering into its 19th year, a truly heroic feat for the organisers and participants of the Cornafean walk. Taking place on October 26, those brave enough to take on the challenge will tackle Bruse Mountain in a 5 or 10 kilometre route.

With the help of a mere bucket and a sponsorship card, the event has exceeded the half a million mark to date, raising a mammoth €505,000 in funding for St Christopher’s Hospice, which provides end of life care to patients in Cavan and Monaghan.

The “captain” behind the walk is Cornafean native Ciaran Weir who says he is just “steadily sailing” the ship for passengers, with the help of his crewmen William Hughes and John Gorman.

“It’s the people that support me that make it what it is, I’m very lucky to have such great support and I’m very glad to steer the ship.

“It’s unbelievable that this is the nineteenth year of the event and I have to say it’s simply down to the generosity of the great Cavan people,” he praised.

The walk begins at McSeains in Cornafean with the shorter walk covering “the tip” of the mountain and the longer route covering “the whole of Bruse Mountain”.

With “a few surprises on the day” promised, there will also be two memorial cups given out to remember two patients who passed away at the hospice. The family members of the late Oliver Brennan from Cortober and the late Mary Comiskey from Kilnaleck have donated the cups which will be presented to the first male and female back from the 10km walk.

The Gallant Challenge was born almost two decades ago after curiosity got the better of Ciaran who was attending Cavan College of Further Studies at the time. He wondered what was behind the “lovely trees” on his journey to college and decided to find out.

“It happened to be St Christopher’s Hospice and I said I’d do a fundraiser and I’m still at it.”

He described as “unreal” the continuous and generous support from people.

“It’s the same people who come every year to do the walk, they enjoy it and it’s a get together.

“It’s lovely to see when you come back, you see the same people who haven’t met up in maybe 12 months and they’re having their cup of tea together and just a chat.”

Ciaran explained how people who have had family members in care at St Christopher’s Hospice often tell him that the fundraiser is for “a great cause”.

The walk begins at 1pm with registration from 12:30pm on Saturday, October 26, with voluntary donations on the day.

“There’s no particular charge on the day, just throw in whatever you can, we don’t put pressure on anybody.”

Hot food, refreshments and ice cream sponsored by Gerry Sheridan will be served afterwards. Each participant will also get a medal.

Ciaran thanked all the sponsors of the event and all those who have supported it down through the years.

New hospice

The development of a new 16-bed specialist hospice facility at St Christopher’s on the outskirts of Cavan Town is progressing.

The joint project between the St Christopher’s Hospice and the HSE, which was granted planning permission last year, involves significant financial and asset contributions by both parties.

Significant levels of funding are also being raised in the community through fundraisers like the Gallant Challenge.

It’s expected to be complete in early 2026.