Human chain of walkers take over Prom for hospice

And while it didn’t take long for the ‘chain’ to break up and become strung-out in places as some walkers powered ahead and others paced themselves, taking it all in their stride, the potent sense of togetherness and unity was palpable.

Mothers, brothers, sons, fathers, daughters, sisters, wives, uncles, grandchildren, aunts, grannies, granddads, husbands, friends, work colleagues, neighbours, cousins – they were all remembered or were the ones doing the remembering as over 2,000 walkers snaked along the Prom from Claddagh Hall to Blackrock and back again in memory of loved ones.

There were white t-shirts bobbing along as far as the eye could see, stretching the length and breadth of the six and a half kilometres course on Sunday, a beautiful and dry September day.

The official start time was noon but many walkers chose to set-out earlier, hours earlier  – some were heading to Croke Park to watch the Galway minors in the hurling final and others set-off off early enough so they could get back to a TV in time for throw-in.

But no matter when they set-off, all participants’ fundraising efforts are a vital contribution to help maintain the Renmore facility, as well as helping to part-fund it’s day care and home care services.

Some participants had personalised t-shirts, with the name of the loved one they were walking for emblazoned on the front; others had multiple names on their chests; some even had photographs of loved ones’ faces; while some had generic tees with no names at all . . . but everyone remembered loved ones who passed away in the care of Galway Hospice.

Complete strangers passed and read the names of each others, each knowing what the other had been through, and taking comfort in the knowledge that however bad and sad an experience, it would have been a lot worse without Galway Hospice. By remembering those who have passed away, walkers ensured that the final days of others’ lives in future will be lived out in dignity and comfort in the caring hands of the special staff at Galway Hospice.

There was poignancy attached to the walk but for the most part there was no sorrow on the day, and the overwhelming collective emotion was positive as friends and family reminisced about the good old days when their loved one was still with us.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.