A 72-year-old Armagh man has committed to taking on the “last leg” of a world-famous pilgrim’s trail in memory of “the woman he loved”.
Michael O’Connor sadly lost his wife Mary after a battle with cancer in December 2025.
They had previously talked of some day hiking a portion of the Camino de Santiago but never got around to it, says Michael.
Then a few weeks ago the topic resurfaced when talking with his son, Kieran and together they decided to “give it a go” in Mary’s memory and to raise vital funds for two charities that supported their journey.
It’s now become something of a family affair, with Michael to be joined by Kieran, his wife and their 13-year-old twins!
Michael says, “it should be no bother to them” despite the trail covering some 115km… all to be completed in just five days.
The two charities set to benefit from the O’Connor family’s walk will be Marie Curie and Macmillan.
On May 25, the quintet will start out from Sarria and make their way to Santiago de Compostela before finishing at the “magnificent” Praza do Obradoiro.
He had initially hoped to raise £1,000 to be split evenly between the charities, however, in just over a week their GoFundMe page – started by Michael’s other son, Christopher – has already accrued over £5,400!
And he’s been blown away by the support so far, adding: “I can’t believe where it has went to! Honestly, I had £700 within an half an hour! It’s doing brilliant.”
Money has even come all the way from Australia, Holland and Spain, from names he “doesn’t even know” and from countless kind-hearted people from across the county.
Michael has been getting out walking every day in preparation, and says he’s been enjoying every bit of it.
The GoFundMe page set up to collate funds, explains: “This walk is Michael’s way of saying thank you.
“Over five days, he’ll follow the ancient pilgrim path through the green hills and eucalyptus forests of Galicia, passing through villages that have welcomed pilgrims for over a thousand years.
“Every step he takes towards that cathedral will be a step taken in Mary’s memory and in gratitude to the people who cared for her.”
Of the charities, Michael said: “We probably depended more on Macmillan through the whole process and Marie Curie really comes in at the last and they were both brilliant. They are always at the end of the line no matter what.”
The family said that throughout Mary’s illness the “kindness, dignity and compassion shown by both organisations made an enormous difference to her” and to the whole family.
Ahead of the walk, Michael says he is “excited” although agrees it “could be tough enough!
But he knows, no matter what comes his way, his memories of Mary and the fact that this walk is in her honour will “keep pushing” him to complete it.
Make a contribution to Michael’s GoFundMe page here.
