Last weekend’s Climb with Charlie fundraiser has surpassed over €2 million as a number of walks and climbs took place in Wicklow.
Former RTÉ journalist Charlie Bird tackled Croagh Patrick on Saturday with friends, former colleagues and famous to raise funds for two charities, the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and Pieta House.
Mr Bird revealed in December how he had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, which is a progressive neurological condition that attacks the motor neurones, or nerves, in the brain and spinal cord.
At the time of publication €2,034,279.00 has been raised, according to the fundraiser’s official website, with 238 climb locations throughout the country, including Wicklow.
Some of the climbs that took place in the Garden County includes Scarr Mountain, Bray Head and Promenade, Church Mountain, the Sugarloaf and Drumgoff to Lugnaquilla.
Irish retailer Dunnes Stores supported the campaign by allowing its customers up until Sunday evening to donate €2 at the tills when paying for their shopping.
In a Twitter post, Charlie paid tribute to a woman who tragically passed away while completing a climb for the campaign on Saturday.
“I want to offer my condolences this morning to the family and friends of Cora O Grady from Mitchelstown in County Cork,” the former journalist said. “Cora who was climbing in the Galty mountains took ill and passed away. Her family and friends are in my thoughts and prayers.”
