Kilduff father and daughter take on charity pilgrimage

A Moore father and daughter are currently walking some 122km of the famed Camino pilgrimage route in Spain to raise funds for Trócaire.

On Sunday, just outside Saria, Sarah and Padraic Kilduff started their trek along the so-called Way of Saint James, a network of pilgrimage routes leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the saint are buried.
Just prior to setting off, Sarah, a photographer who runs SMK Studios in Ballinasloe, told the Westmeath Independent she was delighted to be alongside her father as he fulfils a dream by doing a section of Camino, ten years after she did her first stint. 
Padraic, who is the sacristan in Moore, decided with his daughter to raise funds for Trócaire which works in over 20 developing countries with a focus on food and resource rights, women's empowerment and humanitarian response. Both were well aware of the organisation's great work as local parish priest Fr Michael Molloy is a big advocate for the charity.
“The parish really got behind us, we raised €1,000 at our coffee morning on Thursday (September 19). We also have a justgiving page where people can still donate,” Sarah said, thanking Trócaire for all their help with the fundraising effort. “We're going to do lots of social media stuff on Facebook and Instagram to let people know how we are doing each day. When we come back then we'll have a kind of a diary done,” she said.
A qualified nurse, Sarah laughed that she had a “mini hospital” packed just in case, alongside the trusty walking boots, and they hoped the “small bits” of training around Moore would be sufficient to get through the 122km.
“Dad has been packed for two weeks, he's so excited. It's a big dream of his, a real bucket list item,” she added. “It'll take four or five days to do it depending on the weather.”
When asked what she hopes from the Camino walk, Sarah said: “Just to enjoy the pleasure of walking, clear the mind and a small bit of spiritual as well. It'll be something to remember forever with Dad. You meet so many people doing the same thing who are in the same mode. It's almost like Croagh Patrick, some even do it in their bare feet”.
Sarah thanked her mother Sandra for taking care of everything back home while they are away and everyone who supported their fundraising campaign so far.
People can still donate to the Kilduff's fundraising campaign here