Local duo to cycle length of the country twice over in 48 hours

Over the coming days, two men are to cycle from Athlone to Mizen Head and back, before then cycling from Athlone to Malin Head and back!
Seamus Buckley (52) from Moate, who owns a cycle shop in Tullamore, and Michael Murray (32), from Athlone, are undertaking this challenge to help raise funds for Croí, the Heart & Stroke Charity.
Using Athlone as their base, the men will cycle to Mizen Head and back where they will take a shower change their clothes. Then they will continue on to Malin Head and return back to Athlone to finish. The round trip will involve approximately 1,150 kilometres of cycling which the men aim to complete within a record breaking 48 hours.
The famous Mizen to Malin route has long been the holy grail of challenges for many Irish cyclists, but most would aim to do this one-way and spread it over a three to five days.
When asked about his motivation for this mammoth challenge, Seamus Buckley replied: “This has never been done before, and many say it cannot be done. Also, a very close and personal friend of mine suffered a number of heart attacks a few years ago and thanks to the work of Croí he made a full recovery.”
Michael’s motivation is similar after a close relative of his died suddenly from heart problems. To support the two men and their nominated charity, you can make an online donation on Seamus Buckley’s Mycharity Page or donate directly to Croí on www.croi.ie.
Croí is a heart and stroke charity dedicated to reducing the impact of cardiovascular disease on families through prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, along with providing support to patients and their families. Since 1985, the charity has funded and implemented a wide range of initiatives across all areas of cardiac care, from research and education to the development of cardiac services and facilities. All of Croí’s life-saving work is funded from the proceeds of fundraising events, voluntary contributions, donations and philanthropic support. More information on the charity can be found at www.croi.ie.