OMAGH VICTIM'S MOTHER TO WALK WALL OF CHINA
Omagh victim's mother to walk wall of China
TWO years after the bomb in Omagh, the mother of inspirational teenager, Claire Gallagher, who was blinded in the explosion, has undertaken to walk the Great Wall of China in order to raise money for people who cannot see.
Mrs. Marie Gallagher will be putting her best foot forward with the challenge of a lifetime in October and at 40, she said she is relishing the challenge.
"Life begins at 40 and anyhow I enjoy walking. I go out walking a couple of times a week in the Tyrone countryside. Rain, hail, sunshine or snow, I'm out there," she said
"I was going to go in June but my trip to China has been put back till October, which is good really because it means I have a bit longer to prepare for it," she said.
Mrs. Gallagher decided to step out for the charity after reading an article appealing for trekkers in the sister paper to the Tyrone Constitution, the Tyrone Courier.
"A patient had left the Courier behind them, and I thought I think I would like to do it'," she said.
"The RNIB was making an appeal to do the walk because it said that blind people met challenges every day," said the intrepid mother, who added that her inspiration had been the way her teenage daughter, Claire, had met the challenge of being blinded.
"I don't know the distance that I will be walking along the Great Wall of China yet but it will probably be about 100 miles," said Mrs. Gallagher, who will be accompanied on her Orient adventure by Jayne Hartley, a long time friend who is keen to support her.
"What we have been told is that we will have to climb up 1,600 steps on our walk. That will be the difficult bit. I'm not sure exactly what the weather on the Great Wall of China will be like in October. It's 30 to 38c in summer there and it is nearer to the Equator," she said.
"We have been told that it could be a bit wet there in October, but sure there's nowhere wetter than the West of Ireland. Walking in a bit of a rainfall won't worry me, I'm used to it," said Mrs. Gallagher.
"Jayne will give me support, in fact we will be able to motivate each other," she added.
All the sponsorship money raised by the walkers will go to the Royal National Institute for the Blind.
Mrs. Gallagher said she hoped to raise as much sponsorship money as possible. To that end, she and her walking companion have set up an account, under the name of RNIB China Trek, with the Halifax at High Street in Omagh. The account number is 00272849 and the sort code is
110987.
Anyone who feels they would like to help is welcome to make a donation over the counter.
"I have a lot to do though, but I am looking forward to it and I am excited about it. It will be very interesting," she enthused.
She went on to say that The Royal National Institute for the Blind had been "marvellous" to Claire and she thought of her trek as a means of giving something back.
Her daughter Claire, who is now 17, continues to pursue her dream of a career in music. Marie says proudly that her daughter is putting a "huge effort" into her A-levels. She is studying music and religion.
"Claire has her good days and her bad days. Every day is a challenge to blind people," said Marie.
"Her main aim is still a career in music. She is now studying Grade 6 level on piano. She is doing really well in her music and planning to go to university - probably in Belfast," she said.
Claire Gallagher won the hearts of everyone in the Washington White House at a St. Patrick's Day gathering, when she accompanied Londonderry musician Phil Coulter on the piano to entertain US President Bill Clinton and his distinguished guests.
Claire has also performed on one of Coulter's CDs and the plucky teenager was the subject of a moving BBC TV documentary.
TWO years after the bomb in Omagh, the mother of inspirational teenager, Claire Gallagher, who was blinded in the explosion, has undertaken to walk the Great Wall of China in order to raise money for people who cannot see.
Mrs. Marie Gallagher will be putting her best foot forward with the challenge of a lifetime in October and at 40, she said she is relishing the challenge.
"Life begins at 40 and anyhow I enjoy walking. I go out walking a couple of times a week in the Tyrone countryside. Rain, hail, sunshine or snow, I'm out there," she said
"I was going to go in June but my trip to China has been put back till October, which is good really because it means I have a bit longer to prepare for it," she said.
Mrs. Gallagher decided to step out for the charity after reading an article appealing for trekkers in the sister paper to the Tyrone Constitution, the Tyrone Courier.
"A patient had left the Courier behind them, and I thought I think I would like to do it'," she said.
"The RNIB was making an appeal to do the walk because it said that blind people met challenges every day," said the intrepid mother, who added that her inspiration had been the way her teenage daughter, Claire, had met the challenge of being blinded.
"I don't know the distance that I will be walking along the Great Wall of China yet but it will probably be about 100 miles," said Mrs. Gallagher, who will be accompanied on her Orient adventure by Jayne Hartley, a long time friend who is keen to support her.
"What we have been told is that we will have to climb up 1,600 steps on our walk. That will be the difficult bit. I'm not sure exactly what the weather on the Great Wall of China will be like in October. It's 30 to 38c in summer there and it is nearer to the Equator," she said.
"We have been told that it could be a bit wet there in October, but sure there's nowhere wetter than the West of Ireland. Walking in a bit of a rainfall won't worry me, I'm used to it," said Mrs. Gallagher.
"Jayne will give me support, in fact we will be able to motivate each other," she added.
All the sponsorship money raised by the walkers will go to the Royal National Institute for the Blind.
Mrs. Gallagher said she hoped to raise as much sponsorship money as possible. To that end, she and her walking companion have set up an account, under the name of RNIB China Trek, with the Halifax at High Street in Omagh. The account number is 00272849 and the sort code is
110987.
Anyone who feels they would like to help is welcome to make a donation over the counter.
"I have a lot to do though, but I am looking forward to it and I am excited about it. It will be very interesting," she enthused.
She went on to say that The Royal National Institute for the Blind had been "marvellous" to Claire and she thought of her trek as a means of giving something back.
Her daughter Claire, who is now 17, continues to pursue her dream of a career in music. Marie says proudly that her daughter is putting a "huge effort" into her A-levels. She is studying music and religion.
"Claire has her good days and her bad days. Every day is a challenge to blind people," said Marie.
"Her main aim is still a career in music. She is now studying Grade 6 level on piano. She is doing really well in her music and planning to go to university - probably in Belfast," she said.
Claire Gallagher won the hearts of everyone in the Washington White House at a St. Patrick's Day gathering, when she accompanied Londonderry musician Phil Coulter on the piano to entertain US President Bill Clinton and his distinguished guests.
Claire has also performed on one of Coulter's CDs and the plucky teenager was the subject of a moving BBC TV documentary.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0852
Published Date: 08-Feb-01
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.