A tribute to Linda

Linda’s son-in-law Stephen Snodgrass began organising the fundraiser after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in January with the objective of donating any funds raised to the Foyle Hospice, which cared for her for the last six weeks of her life.

Stephen told the Sentinel he decided to organise the Errigal climb as a tribute to Linda and the staff at Foyle Hospice who took her in on February 26, 2010, just weeks after the family received the devastating news of her illness.

He explained: “Linda spent six weeks in Foyle Hospice and during that time I was touched by the great work and care all the staff gave Linda. Nothing was a problem for the staff. If Linda or the family needed anything, they got it.

“Whilst Linda was still living I spoke to a friend whose mother-in-law had passed away shortly before Christmas 2009 and we came up with the idea of cycling from Malin Head to Mizen Head.”

The marathon nature of a bike ride down the entire west coast proved a logistical nightmare, however, so an alternative plan was put in action, as Stephen explained.

“It was hard to organise in such a short time so another friend came up with the idea of climbing Mount Errigal,” he said. “I met up with Gary Curry and set a date which was June 5, 2010.

“Our first aim was to have 40 people which we hoped would raise 40 each and that would have meant a total of 1,600.”

The fundraisers far exceeded that total in the end, increasing it more than sixfold in fact, after a concerted sponsorship drive to which the entire community contributed. A total of 10,504 was ultimately raised.

“I went to Foyle Hospice who printed off my sponsor sheets and I then started asking Linda’s friends and family if they would help.

“Word got around that I had organised the walk and some people phoned to ask could they come along because members of their families had passed away from cancer and they wanted to give some help back to the Foyle Hospice,” explained Stephen.

And as it happened God smiled on the climbers on the day of the main event. They took off from the Waterside on a lovely June morning and were walking on the slopes of Donegal’s highest peak before noon.

“The day of the walk was a beautiful sunny Saturday in June and we left the Old Waterside Health Centre at 9am by bus,” said Stephen.

“On the bus we had four senior citizens in Billy Donaghy, Noel Moore, Jimmy Hetherington and Martha Snodgrass, and they all did very well.

“We started walking at 10.30am and after a few water breaks we were at the top of Errigal at 12.30pm, had lunch and a few photos and started our walk back down at 1pm. The last person to reach the bottom was at 2.30pm,” he added.

“Our grand total was raised for the walk was 10,504. I would like to thank everyone who attended on the day and making it a success,” he said

On top of the amount raised from the Errigal climb money was also contributed from a Donnelly and Taggart sponsored 4x4 event at Don Shields’ Sand Pit in Ballykelly.

The family and friends of Linda extend their thanks to Leroy Simpson who organised St John’s Ambulance to attend on the day; Uel Hamilton, who organised Donegal Mountain Rescue; Edward Porter, who organised Risk Assessment for insuring the event; Cecil McKeegan; Bishop Edward Daly; Oscar Harper Mini Bus Hire who provided transport; and sponsors Ken McCorkell Tyres; HSBC; ERM Mechanical; Pipe Sketch Ltd., Spar Church Brae; The Round Table Club, Coleraine; and Dungiven Road Primary School where Linda worked in shortly before she was diagnosed with Cancer.