Major fundraising motorbike run to go through Westmeath

A unique fundraising motorcycle run pitting cyclists against motorbike riders will cross Westmeath, Longford, and Roscommon en route from Meath to Mayo at the weekend.The challenge is part of the sponsored motorbike run organised by the John Curran Water Rats Motorcycling Club from Navan, Co. Meath in aid of the Ciaran Maree Cancer Research and Development Fund, in memory of a young man who passed away a year ago.The cyclists involved are well prepared for the challenge - four of them took part in the recent 3,000 mile race across America (RAAM) and one in the Beijing Olympics, and one in the Malin Head to Fair Head challenge.Alan Duffy, Steve McMenamin, Colm Laverty and Adrian McNally took part in the recent RAAM, a 3,118 mile race from San Diego, California, to Annapolis, Maryland, in seven days earlier this summer. They led the race for 2,300 miles, neck to neck with the eventual winners for the last 170 and only defeated by a minute.The motorbike run is in memory of the late Ciaran Maree, who passed away in September 2007 after a short battle with cancer. The accountancy graduate was an enthusiastic sportsman and planning to travel to Australia with friends when illness struck at the age of 25.Following his death and to acknowledge the work of the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital in Dublin, where he attended, the Ciaran Maree Research and Development Fund was established.The route takes in Kells, Athboy, Delvin, Mullingar, Ballymahon, Lanesboro, Roscommon, Ballymoe, Williamstown, Cloonfad, Claremorris, Castlerea, Ballyhaunis and Ballinrobe en route to Tourmakeady, where Ciaran"s father, John, is a native of. Collections are bring made in various towns along the route. Further details are available from John Curran (087) 230 3118 and Thomas Maree (086) 858 5259.