Mayo cyclist to join Olympian for Focus Ireland fundraiser cycle

Westport woman Lorraine Toner will be joining Olympic silver medalist, Annalise Murphy, in Focus Ireland’s Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle.

Ms Toner, who is Focus Ireland’s Fundraising Manager, as well as Westport Covey Wheelers leisure cyclist, said she would partake in the 170km cycling event as ‘more people than ever are now homeless or at risk of homelessness’.

The charity aims to raise €200,000 for its homeless services through the fundraising event on July 6.

Ms Toner explained that each main beneficiary charity receives around 75 percent of every participant’s €100 registration fee when they sign up in aid of that charity. The percentage given to each charity will increase or decrease depending on the overall number of cyclists registered for the event in each charity’s name.

“If each cyclist who signed up raised an additional €100, Focus Ireland could benefit from more than €200,000 to continue its vital, life changing work with families experiencing homelessness. It is therefore critical that cyclists select Focus Ireland when registering, to ensure maximum benefit from participating in the event,” she said.

Also participating in the event is 2016 Olympic silver medal winning sailor, Annalise Murphy.

_{Annalise Murphy won silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics}

The 34-year-old Dubliner, who has been making waves in the competitive cycling world since retiring from full-time sailing following the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, signed up for the charity cycle for Focus Ireland because she wanted to do something to help address the rising homelessness crisis now affecting thousands of people in Ireland.

Official Department of Housing figures released last month show that a record total of 13,866 people living in Ireland are now homeless, including 4,147 children and 1,981 families. 

These figures show a 16 percent rise on the same time last year and account only for people who are accessing emergency accommodation. They do not include people who are rough sleeping or staying in temporary accommodation such as domestic violence refuges, or people who are experiencing ‘hidden homeless,’ staying with family or friends in insecure housing.

Focus Ireland believes that everyone has the right to a place they can call home and provides over 100 services nationwide to people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, with the end goal of helping them secure a home of their own.

This is the first year in the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle’s 42-year history that Focus Ireland has been selected as a main beneficiary charity, in recognition of the need to address the surging homelessness crisis. 

Up to 5,000 cyclists are expected to take part in the event this year and Focus Ireland, with the support of Annalise Murphy, aims to recruit 1,000 of those participants to sign up in aid of the charity and cycle in its name next month.

Commenting on the need to radically address the rising homelessness crisis, Focus Ireland CEO, Pat Dennigan, said: "The number of people experiencing homelessness continues to rise into the thousands. These are figures we simply cannot accept. 

“By rallying a large group of supporters, we begin to build momentum across Ireland, sending a powerful message that homelessness is wrong. The funding raised through initiatives like the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle can truly make a difference, providing vital resources for services across the country. Together, we can create meaningful change and work towards a future where everyone has a place to call home,” he added.

Bridget McGuire, of the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle 2024 organising committee, said they are ‘delighted’ to welcome Focus Ireland as one of the cycle’s main beneficiary charities. 

She continued: “Homelessness, in particular, is an issue that is now affecting record numbers of people across the country, and we want to support Focus Ireland in their efforts to end homelessness.”

The Ring Of Kerry Charity Cycle takes place along one of the world’s most renowned touring routes, a 170 KM scenic loop on the Wild Atlantic Way, starting and ending in Killarney, County Kerry.

Lorraine Toner said that On The Move and The Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle challenges transcend physical achievement. 

“They’re a statement of solidarity with those experiencing homelessness, a tangible manifestation of empathy in action. Volunteers not only raise vital funds for essential services, but also foster awareness and understanding of the complex issues surrounding homelessness in Ireland. In this way, the events serve as a beacon of hope, illuminating the path towards a more compassionate and inclusive society,” she concluded.

To find out more or to sign up for the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle or On The Move for Focus Ireland, see the Ring of Kerry cycle or Focus Ireland websites.