Irish TV cameras caught up with a team from the Galway Hospice as they took on Croagh Patrick in the hospice's annual fundraiser. All proceeds raised from the climb will go directly towards funding the Galway Hospice home care, day care and bereavement support services, which cost in excess of €1.6 million each year to run.
The hospice will feature in the channel's weekly programme Mayo County Matters, broadcast on Tuesdays.
“We’ve had a lot of people sign up for the climb, the numbers are rising every year and that just shows the support that we have out there," Orla Feeney, events co-ordinator with Galway Hospice, told Irish TV. "This year is the seventh year of the climb and every year it has become even more and more successful.
“We have so many volunteers here, volunteers are a huge part of Galway Hospice, and because we are a voluntary organisation we depend so much on them.”
The programme also features interviews with Fine Gael TD Brian Walsh and Shane McDonagh, son of the late former Galway footballer Mattie McDonagh.
"My father passed away, Mattie McDonagh, he had many a great year playing football with Galway and being involved with Galway football," Shane McDonagh said. "When he was sick Galway Hospice were just amazing to him. They came to visit him numerous times at the house and they made life so comfortable for our family, and they do that day in, day out, all around County Galway.”
Mayo County Matters airs on Irish TV every Tuesday at 7.30pm. Irish TV can be viewed on Sky channel 191, free to air boxes, Freesat 400, eircom’s eVision 191, and online 24 hours a day at www.irishtv.ie.
