Examiner
7th August 2020
Heroic Harry cycles his way to €25k for Cork charity
Meet fundraising hero Harry O'Hanlon - another inspirational young boy from Cork who has raised tens of thousands of euro for charities hit by the pandemic.
Harry, six, from Kinsale, who was diagnosed with autism three year ago, has raised a staggering €25,000 by cycling more than 100kms over the last month on the new bike he got last Christmas.
He was accompanied on each of his daily 3km cycles by his sister, Chloe, 4, who is now gearing up with her parents, Ricky and Martina, for the final leg of Harry’s epic 33-day fundraiser on Saturday when he sets off from The Dock in Kinsale to cycle to the Blue Haven in the town centre.
The family will be accompanied for the last kilometre or so by dozens of young cyclists from the town’s yacht club and will be escorted by members of the various emergency services. Members of Kinsale Triathlon Club will flank the route to protect the cycling group from traffic.
Ricky said they have been overwhelmed by the response to Harry’s effort.
“We set out on June 7 with the hope of raising around €3,000 but that target was smashed even before Harry pushed a pedal,” Ricky said. We have just been blown away by the support. We’ve even had messages of support from rugby legend Michael Lynagh.
“We never thought we would raise so much for the three groups we’ve chosen. It’s been fantastic.” Harry has completed three years of early intervention with the Shine centre for autism and Sonas, the special junior school in Carrigaline. He has also attended the Rainbow Club Centre for autism, which provides key intervention needs, support and services to children diagnosed on the autism spectrum, before he attends primary school in Kinsale’s Scoil Naomh Eltin next month.
Ricky said all three groups have really helped Harry and the family is indebted to them all for the fantastic work they have done with him and with other children.
Harry’s early cycles were on the quiet roads around the family home but as he grew in confidence, he travelled across the county to complete legs in autism-friendly Clonakilty and in the Regional Park in Ballincollig. Ricky said Harry has completed 120km and that the journey has challenged him physically and mentally.
“It was a bit of challenge around the fine motor skills of cycling, the noise of traffic can overload him, and the weather, especially rain hitting him above his neck, has affected him but he just kept going. “We used a visual schedule which he checks every morning so he knows where he’s going and that helps to reduce his anxiety.
"He knows he’s out cycling and raising money for charity but he’s just a bit young to appreciate the level of support and the amount he’s raised.
It has really improved his cycling, his fine motor skills, and it has given him an outlet that he does enjoy.
You can donate to Help for Harry’s Heroes on his GoFundMepage. on his GoFundMepage.