THE ROUND IRELAND CHALLENGE
A group of nine teenagers from the Kinsale area is embarking on a Round Ireland Challenge in aid of the world’s largest charity hospital ship.
The keen sailors, most of whom have just finished their A-levels, will be sailing a 39ft yacht round the coast of Ireland over six days in August, to raise money for the international charity, Mercy Ships. The charity provides free medical and humanitarian aid to the poorest countries in Africa via its 500ft hospital ship, the Africa Mercy. It is the first time any of the youngsters have undertaken such a challenge and their training starts this week at the Kinsale Yacht Club, where they will familiarise themselves with the yacht Sonas kindly supplied to them for the challenge by its owner David Ross

Ben Fusco, 19, from Kinsale, said, “We are all keen sailors and
wanted to combine our love of sailing with doing something for charity. There are lots of great maritime related charities out there but when we heard about the work of Mercy Ships, we were taken by the idea that a ship provides free medical care to some of the poorest people in the world.
“Hearing that thousands of people every year are given free medical care by volunteers on the ship was inspiring and we knew we had to do something special to raise money for them – hence our Round Ireland Challenge.
“Competing in the Round Ireland Race wasn’t an option for us this year so we’ve decided to do our very own version and hopefully it will all go to plan.”
The team will set off from the Kinsale Yacht Club on 12th August and plan to return on the 16th to 19th August
Billy Walsh from Youghal in Cork, who volunteered with Mercy Ships in Benin last year,said, “It’s wonderful that a group a young Irish people have taken on this challenge for Mercy Ships.
“I know firsthand the difference the charity makes to the people of Africa and it was a huge privilege to serve on the ship. Even although I wasn’t part of the frontline medical team, I had the opportunity to meet many of the patients and it was a life-changing experience for them and for me.”

A former Danish rail ferry, the Africa Mercy is currently in Togo and has six operating theatres, a 78 bed ward, CT scanner, X-ray facilities and laboratory services. It also has accommodation for more than 450 volunteer crew, ranging from surgeons and nurses, to cooks and engineers.
Over the last 30 years, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 70 countries providing services valued at £530million and impacting about 2.5million people.
The international charity has treated more than 485,000 people in village medical and dental clinics, performed more than 47,000 surgeries and completed more than 1,000 community development projects focusing on water and sanitation, education, infrastructure
development and agriculture.
Judy Polkinhorn, Executive Director of Mercy Ships UK who will be in Kinsale to greet the team on their return, said, “For a group of teenagers to commit to this challenge on behalf of Mercy Ships is truly inspiring and we are extremely grateful to them for their support.
“Each year, thousands of people have their lives transformed after receiving treatment on the Africa Mercy and this is only possible thanks to people from all walks of life who support
our work.
“I’m looking forward to cheering on the team when they arrive back in Kinsale after completing their impressive challenge.”
ENDS
For further information, please contact Lois Boyle or Lucy Sparkes at Media House
Lois: +44 (0)141 220 6040 / lois@mediahouse.co.uk
Lucy: +44 (0)20 7710 0020 / lucy@mediahouse.co.uk
Note to Editors:
1. Interviews/filming with the team can be arranged on request.
2. The team members are:
Ben Fusco. 19, Kinsale Co. Cork
James Bendon, 18, Kinsale Co. Cork
Ayden Clarke, 18, Kinsale Co. Cork
Sean Murphy, 17, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Tessa Kingston, 16, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Sophie Scannell, 18, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Sean Murphy, 17, Kinsale Co. Cork
Katie Gambier Ross, 17, Kinsale Co. Cork
David Lee, 19, Tralee, Co. Kerry
3. Mercy Ships is a global charity providing developing countries with free medical and surgical services. It also helps local communities develop sustainable water,sanitation and education programmes.
The charity operates the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship – staffed with volunteer doctors, nurses, engineers and agriculturists – that visits ports in some of the world’s poorest countries. The massive need for help in West Africa has also led to the establishment of permanent land-based clinics and programmes, whose operation depends on reliable vehicle access.
For more information or to make a donation please visit www.mercyships.org.uk or call 01438 727800.