Fundraising Honda 50 barstool run set to commence from Walsh Island

A unique and nostalgic fundraising adventure will set off from Walsh Island next week, as a group of Honda 50 enthusiasts embark on the 'D'Island to the Island Honda 50 Barstool Run'.

With Arranmore island the eventual final destination, the convoy will depart from The Hopper's Pub, Walsh Island at 9am on Thursday, June 11, with participants travelling on Honda 50's and a variety of classic Honda motorcycles to raise funds for Down Syndrome Ireland.

Leading the bikes will be the famous Honda 50 barstool invented by the late Noel Duffy in 1988, which featured on RTÉ's Evening Extra at the time and RTÉ's Today show, in 2018.

The Honda 50 barstool run happens to fall a month shy of the 30th anniversary of Noel’s passing in July, 1996.

The two-day journey will see the convoy travel from the midlands to the northwest coast, making a series of stops along the route.

On Thursday, riders will stop in Rhode, Mullingar, Carrick-on-Shannon and Sligo town. The journey continues on Friday morning with a 9am departure from Sligo, stopping in Bundoran, Donegal town and Ballybofey before reaching Burtonport.

From there, the group will board the Arranmore Blue Ferry for the final leg of the journey to Arranmore.

Organisers are raising funds for Down Syndrome Ireland, with sponsorship cards and bucket collections along the journey and an iDonate page https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/Honda50Barstoolrun.

The organisers from The Hopper's Pub (Walsh Island) said that 'any support would be greatly appreciated and go towards helping the organisation continue its work to support children and adults with Down syndrome, and their families'.