Down Sydrome Tipperary say big 'Thank You' to Tour de Munster cyclists who raised €417,000

The 2023 Tour de Munster charity cycle has raised €417,077.72 in aid of the Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI). The grand total was revealed at a cheque presentation on November 17th which saw cyclists, supporters and DSI Munster branches come together to celebrate the achievements of this year’s Tour. 

Celebrating 23 years since its inception, the highly regarded and indispensable Tour de Munster charity cycle has now raised over €5m. This is the 14th successive year that DSI has been the main beneficiary of the charity cycle, with the Tour raising €4.4 million alone for Down Syndrome Ireland’s Munster branches. 

In total, the tour raised over €442,000 with some cyclists raising funds for other charities near and dear to their hearts, including West Cork Down Syndrome Support Group, West Cork Jesters and Enable Ireland.

The funds raised will continue to make a tremendous difference to the lives of people with Down syndrome in Munster, as well as their friends and families by providing vital services and facilities in each county which they so heavily rely on.

The 2023 charity cycle witnessed over 120 amateur cyclists embarking on a challenging 600km journey through the six counties of Munster from August 10th to the 13th. These cyclists, with the support of their friends, family, and dedicated volunteers along the route, covered their own expenses to ensure that all the funds raised directly benefited DSI and the individual beneficiaries.

Thanking all those who supported the Tour de Munster this year, Linda Gillick of Down Syndrome Tipperary said: “A huge round of applause is in order for all those involved in this year’s Tour de Munster. The funds raised this year will help go a long way to provide much needed supports and services to DSI branch members both here in Tipperary and across the greater Munster region. I am extremely thankful for the heroic efforts of the cyclists and to those who supported and donated to this worthy cause."

Sean Kelly, a longtime supporter of Tour de Munster, once again joined the cycling group for the Tour, covering an average of 150 km per day through the picturesque towns and villages of Cork, Waterford, Tipperary, Limerick, Clare, and Kerry.

Paul Sheridan, the founder of Tour de Munster, expressed his profound gratitude for the overwhelming support the tour received.