It’s a long way through Tipperary!
A man living in Tipperary is getting set for a 79-mile walk from the north to the south of the county on a route through nine towns to raise funds to improve the quality of life of children who have difficulty communicating.
Alan Moynihan (38) will start his four-day ultra-marathon trek in Roscrea that will take him on through Templemore and Thurles in the north of the county.
He will then pass over into South Tipperary and will continue on through Cashel, Cahir, Clonmel, Ardfinnan and Clogheen before finishing in Ballyporeen were he currently lives.
The funds he will raise as a result of the long walk will be spent on providing communication boards in playgrounds and schools throughout County Tipperary to make life less difficult for children with communication skills.
“A friend of mine has been involved in the effort to get these boards installed in the playgrounds of Tipperary for a little over two years,” Alan told The Guardian.
He says he felt drawn to the idea of helping his friend to fund the communication boards as he himself has a nephew who is non-verbal and autistic.
“It was seeing my nephew’s development and the frustration he feels with not being understood that has inspired me to take up this challenge.”
RAISING AWARENESS
He said the walk was also part of his effort to raise awareness of the difficulties children, and indeed adults, with communication difficulties face in accessing public spaces such as schools and playgrounds.
“Children and adults who have issues communicating form a huge part of our society and as we learn more and through early intervention these issues are being identified more regularly.
“Our public spaces and facilities need to catch up and we should be aiming to make all areas more accessible and not wait for special interest groups to go and raise funds to get these things done,” says Alan.
Originally from Cork City, but living outside Ballyporeen for the past six years, Alan says the communication boards he and his friend are hoping to purchase will include the alphabet and images that communicate different needs.
Says Alan: “The images on the boards will include those that, for example, communicate messages such as ‘I am hungry’ or ‘I am cold’, etc. They will allow people who struggle to communicate verbally to communicate their needs to others and also aid interpersonal growth among children.
“The boards will enable them to communicate with their parents, teachers and other children in a way that is easy for both to understand and get the most out of visiting playgrounds and going to school.”
Alan, who works as an emergency call taker in Anglesea Street Garda Station in Cork, begins his walk in Roscrea on September 13 and will finish four days later, on September 16, in Ballyporeen.
“I’ll be doing the walk on my rest days from work and covering an average distance of about 20 miles a day. My aim with the route I chose was to try and hit as many towns as possible along the way.”
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE
An idonate page has been set up for people who wish to contribute. Visit: https://gofund.me/a2b492f9