US TV network NBC to film Wexford stop of charity cycle in honour of 9/11 victims
A GROUP of firefighters from the Wexford Fire Service are teaming up with some of their American counterparts to cycle for charity, with the stop-off in New Ross this coming Tuesday afternoon.
An idea which was first discussed round a kitchen table of a fire station somewhere in New York will finally come to fruition as firefighters from both of the sides of the Atlantic unite for the common good. Held to honour those who died in the line of duty during 9/11, a charity cycle involving fire crews from the US, Wexford, and across Ireland are seeking to raise funds for two much-deserving charities.
This cycle, which will see over 90 crew members travel from Dublin to Kinsale, Co Cork over the course of three days, can be traced back to a conversation between New York City Fire Department (FDNY) battalion chief Danny Sheridan and FDNY firefighter Pete McLoughlin in 1992.
The workmates both had ancestral links in Ireland and dreamed of cycling across the country and visiting the towns and villages of their ancestors. Sadly, for Pete, that dream would never become reality. He died while tackling a fire in Queens, New York on October 8, 1995.
However, since 9/11, the FDNY has held an annual charity cycle to raise funds for the families of those who perished in the terrorist attack and this year, for the first time, that cycle is being held outside the US and, 32 years on from that first discussion, Danny Sheridan will finally get to cycle around Ireland.
The 360km route will begin at the US Ambassador’s residence in Ballsbridge, Dublin on Monday, September 9, with eight firefighters from Co Wexford on the start line. The Wexford stage will see them travel from Gorey, stopping at Enniscorthy and Wexford fire stations, before travelling on to New Ross via the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge. They are stopping at the Dunbrody centre on the quay for a civic reception at around 12.30 p.m.
Andrew Walsh is the senior station officer in the Wexford County Fire Service and he said the numbers involved in the event had grown to such an extent that they would now be travelling in two separate groups during the three-day cycle.
“We have 45 firefighters coming over from the States to take part, they’ll be joined by 50 firefighters from Ireland, eight of those are from Wexford,” he said. “Over the course of three days we’ll cycle to the 9/11 memorial in Kinsale, Co Cork, to raise funds for charity.
“We’ll stop at 17 fire stations along the way, including four in Wexford, and spend some time in New Ross on September 10.”
The American firefighters have chosen to raise funds for Friends of Firefighters in NYC, which provides independent, confidential, and free mental health counselling and wellness services to active and retired FDNY firefighters and their families.
The Irish crew – including New Ross fire fighters who held a car wash and bucket collection at Tesco recently – have been raising money for Aoibheann’s Pink Tie, an organisation which helps children and their families during their battle with cancer, providing the necessary support to allow the family to focus on their wellbeing, their support of each other, and the treatment and recovery of their child.
Andrew said everyone is invited to show their support for the cyclists in New Ross this Tuesday.