In April 2013 Thurles resident & Co Galway native Commandant Michael Walsh (Retd & former aide de camp to H.E. the President of Ireland), will join forces with Yvonne Tyler to undertake a 2500k trek on foot. Their trek will begin here from Holycross Abbey, Thurles, in Co Tipperary, ending eventually in Santiago de Compostella Galicia in Spain, and will follow the Ancient Pilgrims Route, known as “The Way of St James.”
Note, “The Way of St. James” was one of the most important Christian pilgrimage routes taken during medieval times & legend holds that St. James’s remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain, where he was buried on the site of what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela.
The final goal of Michael & Yvonne’s three month trek, however, is to increase an awareness of Autism nationally here in Ireland and highlight, not just its effect on family members and persons with Autism, but also to raise much needed funds for two specific Autism related charities, namely the Tús Nua Autism Residential and Resource Centre here in Thurles and Cottage Autism Network based in Co Wexford.
Michael is seeking your support for this trek and in particular the charities he hopes to support. Both Yvonne and Michael know, from first hand, the effect that Autism has on families and in his own case, his son Cian who is cared for in the recently opened Tús Nua Autism Residential and Resource Centre (a ‘RehabCare,’ project ) in Thurles. Yvonne’s niece Anna Gill and family receive great support from Cottage Autism Network in Wexford and without the generous support both of these groups give to all families in similar situations they are not sure how they and many other families could cope.
Before they set off on this trek in April 2013, they have planned many varied fundraising events, in the realisation that it has never been a more difficult time financially to find funds, but nevertheless they are seeking your generous support for the many fundraising events planned.
Both Yvonne & Michael are anxious to make it known, that all monies donated through fundraising events will go directly to the chosen charities and all costs relating to their proposed trek will be personally funded by the participating individuals themselves.
We at Thurles.Info will be reporting regularly on Michael & Yvonne’s progress, as they walk across northern Spain on this Pilgrim Route.
They both hope that they can count on your support & if you require any further information or want to make a small donation, do please contact Michael at Telephone (Mobile) 087 2755445, (Land-Line); 0504-22408 or Email mjtwalsh@eircom.net
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