A 65-year-old farmer has raised more than €80,000 for the Beaumont Hospital Foundation by riding a motorbike across Alaska.
Charlie O'Neill, from Clane, Co Kildare, decided to raise funds for the neuro/radiology department in Dublin's Beaumont Hospital after his son David, now aged 32, was successfully treated for a brain tumour at the hospital in 2002.
Mr O'Neill organises weekly cross-country rides in Co Kildare and, in his initial discussion with the Beaumont Hospital Foundation about his fundraising proposal, discovered that more than 40 equestrian related injuries are referred to the neuro/radiology department in Beaumont annually.
Following his son's successful treatment, and because of his own equestrian connections, he decided to raise funds specifically for Beaumont's neuro/radiology department.
"We just wrote to everyone we knew looking for funds and the cheques have just kept coming in," Mr O'Neill told The Irish Times.
His aim was to contribute towards the €200,000 needed for specialist equipment for the department.
A confirmed motorbike fanatic, he opted to ride his 1989 Harley Davison Heritage Softtail across more than 1,500 miles in Alaska, accompanied by Dublin businessman Ray Manders, Co Kildare dentist Martin Flynn and his wife, Mary.
Paying for all their travelling expenses and accommodation themselves, he and his fellow bikers set off for Alaska in the middle of July and took 10 days to complete the trip.
He presented a cheque for €81,650 to the Beaumont Hospital Foundation at a ceremony in the K Club this week.
Donations to the fund are still being accepted and cheques should be made out to the Beaumont Hospital Foundation and sent to Charlie O'Neill, Richardstown, Clane, Co Kildare.