AS the Tour de France rolls on this week, club members of Kilburn Gaels continue to prepare for a mammoth physical challenge of their own later this month.
Twelve members of the London hurling cub are to honour the late Cathal Forde with a 400-mile charity cycle from Highgate in England's capital to Gort, Co. Galway, starting on July 28.
All Gaels are invited to the latest fundraiser this Friday night, which takes place in Tony's Bar in Willesden on July 8, with all proceeds going to The Cormac Trust and MS Ireland, two charities close to the heart of Cathal's friends and former team-mates.
Gort native Forde, who was part of the first Kilburn side to win a London Senior Hurling title in 2010, died of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) during a training session in Highgate, aged 28, in April 2012.
The Cormac Trust is a charity that was set up following the sudden death of All-Ireland winning former Tyrone footballer Cormac McAnallen in 2004.
Indeed, it was largely due to the death of Cormac and subsequent cases, such as with Cathal, that the Irish public became aware of the issue of sudden cardiac death among young people.
The Cormac Trust were on hand during Cathal's passing and the family want to come back and support the charity for the work it does.
Meanwhile, the desire to support MS Ireland stems from Noel Harrison, Cathal's former coach at Kilburn, who is suffering from the disease and is receiving treatment from the Mid West Regional Office of the charity.
Cathal's brothers Niall, Sean and Liam, and cousin Brian are all taking part in the cycle, which begins with a 101 trek from Highgate to Stratford Upon Avon.
From there, they'll cycle 110 miles to Corwen in Wales on Day Two, while Day Three will provide a tiny bit of respite with the 70 mile journey to Holyhead.
Across the water, the lads will set off on the 115 miles jaunt from Dublin to Gort, finishing up on July 31.
To find out more about the 'Cathal Cycle 2016' visit www.cathalcycle2016.com and to donate visit www.gofundme.com/cathalcycle2016.
KILBURN GAELS ON TOUR
Kilburn cycling team: Niall Forde, Liam Forde, Sean Forde, Brian Forde, Brian Regan, Paul Killilea, Kevin Campion, Keith Kennedy, Henry Vaughan, Stephen Lambert, Seamus Richardson, Frank Keating.
Support van drivers: Tom Bergin and Dan Sutton.
