Roscommon man, 89, walking 165 km to raise money for charity for 90th birthday

Jim Callery, the founder of the National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park, is walking 165 km and hopes to arrive in Dublin with €25,000 raised by his 90th birthday in October

An 89-year-old Roscommon man is walking 165 km to raise money for charity for his 90th birthday.

Jim Callery, the founder of the National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park and of Westward Scania, is walking the entire 165 km of the National Famine Way as a fundraiser for his 90th birthday.

Having started at the trailhead in Strokestown Park House on Wednesday (25th September), the youthful 89-year-old hopes to arrive in Dublin on Tuesday 15th October, his 90th birthday.

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Jim is doing the walk in remembrance of Strokestown's Missing 1,490 famine emigrants and friends and family will walk sections of the trail with him.

The Roscommon man is raising funds for charity for current day immigration and has set an ambitious target of €25,000. He invites his friends, colleagues and supporters to donate through his GoFundMe page.

The weather might be prove challenging for Jim as heavy rain is set hit Ireland this weekend, but this isn't putting him off. He said: “I don’t let the weather bother me. I know the 1,490 emigrants who did the original walk weren’t as well clad and prepared for the elements as I am. They had no choice – I am lucky, as I do”.

The National Famine Way crosses six counties and is a collaboration between Waterways Ireland, the Irish Heritage Trust and the county councils along the route. The local authorities involved are Roscommon, Longford, Westmeath, Meath, Kildare, Fingal, and Dublin.

The symbol of the National Famine Way is a pair of children’s shoes displayed at the National Famine Museum. The trail is waymarked by bronze replica shoes, a poignant reminder of the journey the 1,490 souls made.

The walkway is open to walkers at any time and the route and associated stories can be followed through a free app. Walkers can also purchase an official passport to get stamped along the route.

You can donate to Jim's cause online here.

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