Tinahely Challenge September 2015

Tinahely: ready for the Challenge ahead!

Tinahely Challenge

Runners and walkers have once again the opportunity to face the sporting challenge of a lifetime when the now annual Tinahely Challenge in aid of Pieta House takes place on Saturday, 12 September 2015.  

This year’s challenge, organised by Tinahely Community Projects with generous  local community support,  promises to be a bigger and better event featuring a 32 kilometre run;  a 30 kilometre walk for the battle-hardy participant; or a leisurely 15 kilometre walk for the less experienced participant. 

Building on the success of last year’s event, which raised a fantastic €7000 for Pieta House, the community of Tinahely would like to see not only all last year’s Challengers return to the Tinahely Hills, but hopefully lots of new faces - and legs- as well!

Participants can register for this event by emailing their chosen distance, contact details, including name and contact telephone number  to tinahelycommunityprojects@gmail.com.  Registration is free, but a minimum €40 sponsorship or donation is required on the day.  Updates on the Challenge 2015 can be found on the website, tinahely.ie or Facebook Tinahely Community Projects.

Tinahely Community Projects (TCP) is a group of local volunteers, with an elected committee, assembled to oversee various projects in the Tinahely area. The organisation functions as an umbrella group incorporating Tidy Towns, walking trails, the recycling centre and works to promote Tinahely as an attractive tourist destination.  TCP has overseen a number of hugely successful walking trail projects in the village. These  projects include the hugely popular Railway Walk, and Railway Walk Extension; and the creation of 4 national looped walking trails covering over 40 kilometres, making Tinahely a walking hub for all of County Wicklow.  

Pieta House 

Pieta House, the centre for the prevention of suicide and self-harm provides a professional, face-to-face, free of charge, therapeutic service for people in the acute stages of distress. The organisaton believes no-one in Ireland should be more than 100kms from a Pieta House centre to avail of their clinical services.  The centre also  runs a special campaign to help prevent suicide among Irish men. Alarmingly, for every 10 suicides in Ireland, 8 of them are men.
Pieta House first opened its doors in Lucan in 2006, and since then 6 centres of excellence have followed suit in Ballyfermot, Mugret, Roscrea, Tuam, and Bishopstown; and most recently in Castleisland. Pieta House also has outreach centres in Tallaght and Finglas, Co. Dublin.

Tinahely Challenge

As 80% of the organisation’s funding comes from public donations, fundraising is vital to ensure an ability to cope with the increasing numbers seeking help. To date, over 11,000 people have been seen and helped by Pieta House.