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A Guide Dog Called Kitty

It’s a strange name for a dog but the family of Kitty Philbin, whose roots are firmly in County  Mayo and  who sadly died in September of last year are determined to raise £5000 to name and train a guide dog pup in her memory. Kitty, who lived in , was a keen dog lover and her dog Alfie who is totally blind is being looked after by the family. When a cheque for 200 euros was sent from relatives in Ireland to donate to charity was received Kitty’s family decided to give this to Guide dogs for the Blind and asked for a dog to be named after Kitty in her memory, not realising what the naming and training a dog actually cost.

At first this sum seemed totally out of the question before the plan to go on a sponsored cycle to visit a number places which were special to Kitty and link up with family members across was hatched. Kitty’s brother John and her three nephews David Barron, Kevin Philbin and Christopher Philbin will set off on a marathon journey beginning in Brisbane Street then cycling to Portpatrick where Kitty spent many a happy holiday before taking the ferry across the Irish Sea and resuming the cycle across Ireland to County Mayo where Kitty’s mother  Kathleen was born and where her father Nickie’s family came from. They will cycle to Ballina, to meet up with the Corduff family live then on to Rossport and Stonefield  where they will complete their journey in the village where Kathleen was born into the Connolly family who still have the pub in the village. They will certainly deserve a refreshment by the time they reach this family hostelry! They will be met there by Kitty’s sister Maureen who will travel over from by a slightly quicker mode of transport courtesy of Ryanair!

The entire cycle is somewhere between 300-400 miles but none of the family is too keen on finding out just how far they will actually be in the saddle!  All proceeds from the cycle will go to Guide Dogs For The Blind and it is hoped that enough money will be raised to name a dog after Kitty. Any donations will be gratefully received.