It was a journey to remember.
Approximately 1,900 kilometres, four tanks of petrol, a puncture, three boxes of Galtee cheese, six fills of a flask of hot water and a lot of tea bags!
Gary Mangan’s CD stuck in the CD player in the otherwise ultra reliable wee Toyota called Betsy and an overwhelming amount of support were just some of the ingredients that helped ensure that the Drive of Ireland fundraiser for the Donegal Hospice proved such a great success.
This afternoon Brian McDaid presented a cheque for €30,415 to the chairperson of the Donegal Hospice Isobel Rodgers.
The money was raised during his unique fundraiser which was organised to mark his recent 60th birthday, and dedicated to the memory of his dear mother Mary Ellen who died from cancer when Brian was just a child.
Making the presentation Brian said he was overjoyed by the support that he received from businesses
and members of the public, not just in Donegal but further afield.
“I’m humbled by the support that this fundraising drive has attracted,” Brian said.
Brian Mc Daid with an old bottle of champagne presented by Manus Kellys team a few years ago that he opening in memory of the triple winner of the Donegal International at the presentation of a cheque for €30,414.00 to Drive of Ireland in Aid of the Donegal Hospice .
Isobel Rodgers Chairperson of the Donegal Hospice with Brian Mc Daid at the presentation of the Proceeds of Drive of Ireland pictured with Brian’s wife Eileen and his brother Peadar.
“The phone hasn’t stopped beeping night and day since we started our journey. There have been online
donations through the Idonate page, many from friends and people that I have got to know over the
years.
“Then we had so many anonymous donations coming in, along with great words of encouragement.
People had stories of family members that were in the Donegal Hospice and they told of the great care
and support which they received from the hospice staff.
“Of course you have people like myself who don’t know how to donate online and who just phoned or
sent a text and told me to give them a call when I finished the journey.”
Brian said the trip around Ireland also allowed him the chance to celebrate the memory of his parents
Fred and Mary Ellen.
“A week in a wee car on my own driving around Ireland on the first days of a new year brought a lot of
memories back,” he said.
“I found myself passing through places in Leitrim and Sligo where I once lived with my parents when I
was just a new born baby. Before that, they had lost little twins as infant babies.
Conor Mc Garvey who made the presentation of Drive of Ireland on behalf of all who contributed to Drive of Ireland.
Isobel Rodger Chairperson of the Donegal Hospice pictured with Gavin O Donnell, Go Oil Illistrin Cllr Kevin Bradley, Highland Barkey, Oran Grimes Four Lanterns Conor Mc Garvey and Laura Mc Laughlin Editor of the Donegal News.
“I was thinking a lot about Fred and Mary Ellen and those memories traveled with me on my journey
which was so nice.”
The chairperson of the Donegal Hospice Isobel Rodgers thanked Brian for choosing the hospice when he
began to put his fundraising venture together.
“From the day it was announced right through to the presentation today, this unique fundraiser managed
to put the name of Donegal Hospice out there all over Ireland,” Isobel said.
“Brian set a target of €6,000 when he started out and it wasn’t long until he had passed that target, such
was the generosity of so many people he met on his journey.
“Receiving this cheque today for over €30,000 could not come at a better time as Donegal Hospice
prepares to build the much needed extension and preparations are well underway for that project.”
Staff and management at the Donegal Hospice presentation of of precedes of Drive of Ireland.
Brian Mc Daid with staff and management of Donegal Hospice with Sponsors and family as he presented €30,404.00 proceeds of his recent Drive of Ireland in Betsy.
Isobel also thanked all those who donated to the fundraiser or took time to sell raffle tickets for a hamper
draw while the drive was in progress.
A word of special thanks was also extended to the motoring and rally people in Donegal who got behind
Brian and Betsy.
And in another nod to nostalgia, a bottle of champagne which was presented to Brian by Manus Kelly’s
rally team some years ago was opened at the hospice on Wednesday to celebrate the charity success.
