BY Rachel Cunningham
Giving a whole new meaning to the term ‘fundraising drive’, two former Connacht rugby teammates, Dubliner Mikey Smyth and Offaly native Peter Bracken, will embark on a road trip from Dublin this Saturday May 22, with the aim of performing 32 songs in 32 counties and raising money while on the road.
Mr Smyth said that those tuning in to the Facebook Live should keep their eyes peeled for special guest appearances in his musical performances, revealing that Simon Casey will be joining him for a song in Offaly.
No stranger to a musical fundraiser, last November the Terenure native travelled around Dublin performing music while making free hot soup and treats available to the city’s homeless community.
“We will be beginning and ending with a song for Dublin because there are so many wonderful ones to choose from. Hopefully people will tune in and be able to sing along with us”, said Mr Smyth.
The funds raised will go towards the non-profit organisation Mayo Autism Camp, which provides socially inclusive activities for children on the spectrum and their families, through meaningful play and peer interactions.
Mr Bracken spoke highly of its services, telling the Dublin Gazette: “My own young lad Noah, who is 10, has autism and uses the services quite a bit during the school holidays. We’d love to raise as much as we can for a very worthy cause”.
The journey will be kept as green as possible, as they will be driving an electric Volkswagen ID4, which will be on loan to them from Connolly Motor Group in Ballina.
You can follow along on this journey via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/peter.bracken2 and donate directly to the Mayo Autism Camp Go Fund Me https://www.gofundme.com/f/d38j3d-mayo-autism-camp?utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer
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