Countdown to 9th Offaly Camino Canal Way Walk

The countdown is on to the 9th annual Offaly Camino Canal Way Charity Walk in aid of Self Help Africa.

The organisers are hoping for a massive response to the event, taking place on Saturday, January 31, which starts at the Fiona Pender Memorial along the Tullamore Canal Way. The 20km walk begins at 8.30am sharp.

There are plenty of sponsorship cards to give out to anybody who would like to join in and walk a few miles for charity. The walk will follow a route along the Canal way from Tullamore to the famous Croghan Hill.

Food and beverages will be supplied throughout the walk and the organisers wish to thank the local sponsors for this. After the walk, there will be a special Mass at 1.30pm on Croghan Hill with Fr Greg and the local Croghan St Brigid's Choir, for everyone and anyone, and a BBQ and tea/coffee for all walkers.

It is advised to pack a change of clothes, which can be transported to Croghan Hill for you.

All donations on the day of the event will be gratefully received and will go directly to the Self Help Africa charity. This year funds are being collected to support livelihoods and food security through a children's nutrition project in Malawi in Africa.

Self Help Africa is dedicated to ending hunger and poverty in rural Africa especially in East Africa in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Zambia, where some 26 million people are hungry and thirsty at this time and where someone is dying every 48 seconds.

If you would like to be part of this special event or to make a donation towards the charity or to sponsor a participant for such a special charity cause please contact Laz Molloy on 0866778807, or Aislinn Molloy 0870688530, or Ricey Scully 086 8153047, or Paul Galvin 087 8375407, or Nora Kavanagh on 087 9945964, or Siobhan Dunne Kelly at 087 8557796, Mark Plunkett on 083 0459377, or Dave Kavanagh on 083 3720950, or Vanessa Shortall on 087 7936794, or Tracey Dooley on 087 9557160 to receive your sponsorship card or to make a donation to find out further information about this event.

You can also email Ronan Scully at: ronan.scully@selfhelpafrica.org

In addition, organisers say that if any company or business or individual wants to offer sponsorship, they are looking for people or companies to sponsor one of the kilometres of the walk. Each of these kilometres will be dedicated to the sponsor, with signage and information about them.

You can see further details about the Offaly Camino Canal Way Walk Challenge 2026 and further details about the charity's work online at:

www.selfhelpafrica.org