"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, seven 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. My fundraising cycles are done 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) was also a patient of the hospital and received chemotherapy treatment over a period of six months for non-malignant but very aggressive bone tumours. He 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 under 12 hours and in July 2009, I cycled 1,146 km. (712 miles) from Howth Head to Malin Head to Mizen Head over a period of nine days.

In May and June of this year (2010) I cycled 1745 km. (1,084 miles) from Faro in Portugal to Bergerac in France, via Portugal, Spain and the Pyrenees and raised a further €4,465 in sponsorship for the Children's Medical and Research Foundation of Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin.. (See http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/Faro2Dublin )

The cycle was self supported and self-funded so all sponsorship raised, without any deductions, went directly to Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin.

I am now planning to do another long fundraising cycle in July 2011 when I will cycle the 440+ miles from Neskaupstadur in the extreme east of Iceland to Keflavik in the west. Once again, 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, Crumlin.

I am asking you to support my fundraising cycle across Iceland for Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, by sending me a cheque/postal order/bank draft made payable to Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin and mailing it to Eugene O'Leary. 67 Grace O'Malley Drive, Howth, Co. Dublin. or by donating on-line through my sponsorship page on the Children's Medical and Research Foundation of Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin web-site: http://cmrf.org/sponsorshipManager/Usr_EventDonation.asp?EventId=781
All donations will be properly receipted.