"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream". --C.S. Lewis

My name is Eugene O'Leary. I am a 67 year old cyclist! ("The Pedaling Pensioner!") My daughter, Helen was a patient of Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin until she was eighteen years old. She died one year after leaving the care of the hospital (February 2002), and having her care transferred to an adult hospital.

In order to show some appreciation for the wonderful work done by the hospital in enabling my wife and I, together with her brothers and sisters to enjoy the gift of having an angel in our family for nineteen years, I started to do fundraising cycles for Our Lady's Children's Hospital, five years ago.

I have raised over €70,000 for the Children's Medical & Research foundation which is the fundraising arm for both the Foundation and the hospital, over the last six summers, by doing a series of 8 hour static cycles (on a training frame) on Bank Holiday weekends, at the entrance to the East Pier, Howth, Co. Dublin,and in various shopping centres, in recognition of the wonderful care that our daughter was given, while a patient of Our Lady's Children's Hospital.

My ten-year old grandson (Dylan) is also a patient of the hospital and has been receiving chemotherapy treatment for non-malignant but very aggressive bone tumours. He has received excellent care and was given the "all clear" in August of last year.

.I have taken part in the hospitals overseas cycle challenges in Durban, South Africa; Lake Balaton, Hungary; Flagstaff, Arizona; Niagara, Ontario; Monterey, California and last year in Athens, Georgia. Each of these challenges entailed cycling a distance of 100 kilometres (62 miles) a day for five days.

On August 4th 2008 (Bank Holiday Monday), I completed a 150 mile fundraising cycle from Galway Docks to Howth, Co. Dublin i.e. from the Atlantic Ocean to the Irish Sea in 12 hours.

From Wednesday 14th. April to Wednesday 19th. May 2010 (35 days), I hope to cycle from Faro, Portugal, to Howth, Co. Dublin. Ireland, (via Spain France, England and Wales) and raise €20,000 in sponsorship for the Children’s Medical and Research Foundation of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. I will be accompanied on the trip by Paul Rutledge from the U.S. Anybody else like to join in for all or part of the trip? The cycle will be self supported and self-funded so all sponsorship raised, without any deductions, will go directly to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital. Full details of the cycle at: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/Faro2Dublin