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11 Sept 2025
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11 Sept 2025
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Richie Needham, Sean Heraty, Dave O’Malley, Francis Brogan, Tom Malone, Adrian Gallagher, John Brennan, David Brennan, Dave Walshe, Brian Kennedy, Graine Kennedy, Caroline Keogh and Walter Lyons
The 'suffering' has begun for the 13 cyclists taking part in the inaugural Giro d'Mayo 500.
Over the next three days, they will each cycle 500km to raise funds for the Castlebar Paediatric Unit.
READ MORE: Mayo riders to cycle 6,500km in aid of Castlebar Paediatric Unit
Richie Needham, Sean Heraty, Dave O’Malley, Francis Brogan, Tom Malone, Adrian Gallagher, John Brennan, David Brennan, Dave Walshe, Brian Kennedy, Graine Kennedy, Caroline Keogh and Walter Lyons are the riders taking part.
All of the proceeds from the inaugural Giro d’Mayo 500 fundraising event will go directly to the Paediatric Unit at Mayo University Hospital.
Follow their journey on their Instagram page and to donate, please go to their gofundme page.
The peloton set out from Mayo University Hospital this morning and they pedalled 172km as they travelled through Louisburgh, Leenane and Ballinrobe. The day’s cycle is due to finish back at the TF Royal in Castlebar.
Here is a full map of the 500km route of the Giro d'Mayo 500.
View this post on Instagram
Richie spoke with cyclist Dave O'Malley before they set off.
View this post on Instagram
The Paediatric Unit was chosen as this year's charity as Richie had seen first hand the brilliant work that the Paediatric Unit does as his son, Cole, regularly receives care there.
He told The Mayo News, "the amount of support we get from the Paeds Ward, from the doctors, the nurses and the staff is phenomenal. Our lives would be very different without it.”
It was a desire to give something back to the Unit that would lead to the creation of the Giro d'Mayo 500.
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