• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • News
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Archives
    • Volume 16: 2014/2015
    • Volume 15: 2013/2014
    • Volume 14: 2012/2013
    • Volume 13: 2011/2012

Student Independent News

NUI Galway Student Newspaper

  • Home
  • About
  • Get Involved
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

“I saw the opportunity and I jumped at it. ;NUIG student Darragh Burke talks to SIN about his fundraiser to conquer Kilimanjaro

December 4, 2020 By Sin Admin Leave a Comment

NUI Galway student Darragh Burke will be taking on the tough terrains of Kilimanjaro to raise funds for meningitis research.

By Oisín Bradley 

Sports Editor 

A group of NUI Galway students are undertaking a unique and fascinating challenge in order to raise money for a worthy cause. 

Nine months from now, NUIG student Darragh Burke and a group of fellow thrill seekers plan on being nearly six thousand metres above sea level at the peak of highest free standing mountain in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro. 

The group of brave climbers are undertaking the feat as part of a fundraiser for the national Meningitis Research Foundation. 

Speaking to SIN, BA student Burke revealed how he found out about the challenge and was immediately hooked. 

“Another NUIG student by the name of Sean Maguire got in contact with me and told me about a webinar that was going on about it.  He sent on the link an hour before and told me to have a look. 

“I saw the opportunity and jumped at it.” 

At first, Burke didn’t know too much about the charity or their cause, however after looking into their amazing work in trying to combat meningitis, he became more and more engrossed. 

“I didn’t really know an awful lot about the challenge or the charity or anything like that beforehand, but then I looked into the Meningitis Research Foundation and the work that they’re doing.  It’ll be a really good experience and challenge and I’m really looking forward to it.  

It’s a win-win in my book.  We’re raising awareness for a good cause and you get to do something amazing.” 

Training for the group is well under-way, and even from the earlier stages of preparation some members of the group are pushing each other all the way, says Burke. 

“There’s four or five people from NUI Galway doing as well a group from University of Limerick.  In total there’s about twenty or thirty of us.” 

“They you’d need a fairly basic level of fitness for it, but we’re all challenging ourselves by doing running challenges and the like.  For the month of November, I said I’d run 200 kilometres over the thirty days.  That level of fitness would probably be enough to get to the top.” 

When asked about hesitancy in getting involved, Burke immediately dismissed the notion. 

“It’s meant to be taking place in August of next year, so hopefully everything will be calmed down with Covid and all and we’ll be able to actually head out there.” 

“I just jumped at the opportunity to be honest, it just seemed like a really good opportunity overall.  It combines a worthy cause with an exciting challenge and we can’t wait to take it on.” 

“There’s not been much to do recently, and it’s good to try and do something productive and spread a bit of positivity.” 

People who are looking to donate can only do so online at the moment given the current situation.  That said, the generosity of donors at the moment is strong.  You can find the link to Darragh’s ‘Just Giving’ page here;

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/darragh-burke1

 

 

Follow Us
Facebook Follow
Twitter Follow

Related

Filed Under: Sports

Reader Interactions

Drop us a comment! Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Tweets by NuigSin

More News

The Myth of the Quitter

The Myth of the Quitter

By Gary Elbert   No Mas. The iconic moment when Roberto Duran … [Read More...] about The Myth of the Quitter

The Blame Game

Written by Nina Deacon It was recently reported that thousands of Irish … [Read More...] about The Blame Game

A season of sackings scandal, good fortune and fine margins, Galway United 2020 in review

A season of sackings scandal, good fortune and fine margins, Galway United 2020 in review

By Oisín Bradley  The cliché of ‘a tale of two halves’ is one which is … [Read More...] about A season of sackings scandal, good fortune and fine margins, Galway United 2020 in review

COPE Galway’s Swim Where You Are Christmas Event

COPE Galway’s Swim Where You Are Christmas Event

By Saoirse Higgins  Features Editor  For the past 30 years, wide-eyed, … [Read More...] about COPE Galway’s Swim Where You Are Christmas Event

Galway GAA season in review: Gaelic Football 

Galway GAA season in review: Gaelic Football 

By Oisín Bradley  As the curtain falls on the first year of Padraic Joyce’s … [Read More...] about Galway GAA season in review: Gaelic Football 

Footer

RSS Latest SU News

  • SU Weekly Email 15 – 21st January 2021 January 21, 2021
  • Dúil agat sa Ghaeilge? January 18, 2021
  • Mac Léinn Iarchéime a Thoghadh Chuig Údarás na hOllscoile January 15, 2021
  • Election of Postgraduate Student to Údarás na hOllscoile January 15, 2021
  • SU Weekly Email 14 – 14th January 2021 January 14, 2021

Recent Posts

  • The Myth of the Quitter
  • The Blame Game
  • A season of sackings scandal, good fortune and fine margins, Galway United 2020 in review
  • COPE Galway’s Swim Where You Are Christmas Event
  • Galway GAA season in review: Gaelic Football 

Recent Comments

  • Vegan Restaurants Galway – Hostel Dublin & Galway on The Temple Café: A Social Enterprise making a difference in Galway
  • Mom Jeans on the rise: What next, Grandma crop tops? – Fox in Thought on Mom jeans on the rise
  • “Young Sheldon” — Student Independent News (SIN) – The Bigger Picture on Young Sheldon promises to entertain and fill in The Big Bang Theory’s gaps

Copyright © 2021 SIN Student Newspaper. All rights reserved.