Long time St. Colmcilles club member Boib Canty has decided to complete a Marathon Walk at Kielder Lake.

"On Monday 03 October at Kielder Lake in Northumberland I will be hoping to complete a marathon walk for the first time. It will not be a competitive walk but a solo effort on my part.

In doing so I am hoping, with your support, to raise money for a defibrillator for St Colmcilles GAA club to have available during games and training at our pitch in Cotlandswick.

The marathon course that hugs this man-made Kielder Lake from start to finish is quite challenging. It is unusual in that the course mostly consists of stiff up and down climbs on rough pathways through woodland. Still, my training to date is going well. I will be hoping to complete the 26 miles and 385 yards in 8-9 hours.

My daughters, Fiona and Catherine, are going to run the Kielder Lake Marathon the day before and they, along with their sister, Clare, will support me as I attempt my first ever marathon.

The talk about a defibrillator came about again after I announced my marathon walk. Then, it was suggested it might be a means to raise money for a defibrillator and the associated costs for ensuring its safety and security. Our pitch as you know lies in an isolated spot so protecting the defibrillator would be absolutely essential.

Hopefully, the need to use it will not arise but having a defibrillator available will always be reassuring. Each year thousands of people have cardiac arrests away from hospitals.

Should the need arise at St Colmcilles' grounds to use the defibrillator, it would offer valuable life saving time before emergency staff arrive. Medical sources say the chance of survival after the heart stops falls by around 10% for every minute that passes without defibrillation.

In giving, your donation will help ensure St Colmcilles plays its part in this important area of welfare for players, supporters and members in St. Albans.

Thank you,
Boib"