An Armagh man – who has already raised upwards of £100,000 for various cancer charities – has embarked on his latest fundraising endeavour.
For Stiofan McCleary, originally from Co Monaghan, has set himself a target of walking 500,000 steps and has already started his quest.
What makes this self-set challenge all the more remarkable is that Stiofan – a driving force in the establishment of Armagh Men’s Shed – only underwent knee replacement surgery in December, followed by a further operation on his appendix in January.
But as they say, it’s hard to keep a good man down and that certainly applies here.
Thursday saw Stiofan take the first steps on his latest charitable crusade for Evora Hospice which, if all goes to plan, he hopes to complete around the end of June.
He told Armagh I : “I’ll have to do at least 20,000 a day, seven days a week. I’m walking all around the wee country roads; for example, it takes me six miles to get to the Men’s Shed in the mornings. I go out the Killylea Road and cut across by the Navan Fort. The next day I go over Folly Glen and down the back of St Luke’s and the new housing development. I go a different route every day.
“On a Saturday I’d walk up to Seagahan Dam from Armagh but I go the back road through Killfaddy, so it works out, back and forth, about 16 miles.”
Stiofan with his late father, Seamus.
All of Stiofan’s fundraising has been done in memory of his late father, Seamus, who sadly passed away in Monaghan in 2014, after a brave battle with cancer.
Initially, he raised money for Macmillan Cancer Care and then decided to focus his attentions on the Southern Hospice, now renamed Evora Hospice.
Stiofan is a familiar face to many around Armagh, deeply involved in community work and playing a key role in the West Armagh Consortium.
He has done so much for so many over the years and his voluntary efforts on behalf of Evora Hospice is now the stuff of legend.
“I would say I’ve raised between £80,000 and £100,000 for various cancer charities since 2014,” explained Stiofan. “The Hospice depends so much on private donations to keep it going.
“I had a couple of friends who availed of the Hospice service before they passed away. Everybody knows somebody unfortunately has been in the Hospice this past number of years. Unfortunately, that’s the way it is. It’s getting more common.”
Over the past 12 years, Stiofan has pushed himself above and beyond to give back to the Hospice.
He has completed seven separate sections of the Camino and regularly holds bucket collections around Armagh and beyond.
People also make donations in person – all of which are gratefully received and go to support the great work being done by Evora Hospice.
Nobody knows or appreciates the care given by the Hospice – and the support for families too – until they actually need it.
Stiofan’s fundraising helps to ensure the wonderful team there are in a position to continue in what they do.
Stiofan on one of his Camino treks for Evora Hospice.
While his Camino walks required more in terms of organisation, the beauty of walking close to home – and doing good at the same time – provided an alternative way to raise money and came about during the pandemic.
“It was quite by chance,” explained Stiofan. “I was walking down the back road from Seagahan Dam one day and this boy met me and said what are you raising money for now?
“This was during Covid and then it came into my head that I’ll do so many steps for the Hospice and it just snowballed from there. People had more time then, instead of sitting in their houses doing nothing all the time. So I did it during Covid and lifted nearly £10,000.”
A JustGiving page has now been set up and donations are already coming in.
But that is by no means Stiofan’s sole way of swelling the coffers.
“A lot who of people just give me money when they see me now,” he added. “I’ll have sponsor forms this week as well.
“I’ve a bucket collection in Armagh on June 19 and I’ve one this Saturday in Keady, so I’ll get my steps in up around Keady!
“The support has been brilliant over the years. People see me coming and say what are you looking money for now?”
Stiofan – with the help of family, friends and the local community – is committed to raising as much money as possible as he continues to fly the flag for Evora Hospice.
Having lost his dad to cancer, he knows only too well the need to help provide continued care and compassion for others facing similar fights.
Always putting others first, Stiofan found himself in hospital, undergoing a knee replacement in December, but has not let that stop him from doing what he does best.
“It sort of held me back for a good while, but now I’m flying and it’s great again,” he said. “You’re tired at night, but you get a good sleep and you’re good to go again the next day.”
