27 September 2012 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 7
AWARENESS Hotelier’s ‘Tomathon’ for Pieta House
Taking steps to help – with a 250km walk I HIROMI MOONEY
TOM Moran, owner of the Moran & Bewley’s Hotel Group, which includes the Red Cow Inn, raised more than his target of €100,000 for local charity, Pieta House, after he completed a 250km walk last week. The 61-year-old finished the walk, which he named “the Tomathon”, with his family, friends and some famous faces, including Irish Olympic legend Ronnie Delaney, Tipperary hurler Noel McGrath, Dublin footballer Eoghan O’Gara, and model Andrea Roche.
His Tomathon began in Athea in Co Limerick on Tuesday, September 11, and finished last week at the Red Cow Inn, coinciding with the 24th anniversary of when Tom first arrived at the hotel. Moran undertook the fundraising walk after being awarded the title Limerick Person of the Year by the Limerick GAA Supporters Club. While delighted with and proud of the award, he admitted that he felt that the title spurred him on to do something which he felt was worthy of the honour. Through this walk, Moran hoped to raise awareness about suicide,
to remind people in distress where they can go for help, and to raise as much money as possible for Pieta House. He said: “I am hoping this walk will strike a chord with many people who have been affected – either directly or indirectly – by the grim reality of suicide in this country. “I feel the Tomathon is a positive response to that reality. [It is] an opportunity to get together with friends and neighbours to do something collectively to help Pieta House continue with their vital work. “The Tomathon is an affirmation of the power of the community, and
EDUCATION
House tax not linked to grants FIANNA Fail councillor Trevor Gilligan has confirmed that South Dublin county Council will not demand receipts for the household charge before processing applications for student grants. Cllr Gilligan said: “This will come as a relief to thousands of students and their families across south Dublin. There is absolutely no legal basis for linking third-level grants to household charge payments.
Olympian Ronnie Delaney congratulates hotelier Tom Moran on completing his 250km ‘Tomathon’ walk from Limerick to Dublin in aid of Pieta House. Picture: Cathy Weatherston
how, when we work together, we can make a real difference,” he said. Suicide is a growing problem in Ireland, and something that affects families, communities and towns all over the country. Moran was inspired to support Pieta House,
in particular, because he knows many people personally who have been affected by the suicide of a loved one. Pieta House, the suicide and self-harm crisis centre, provides a professional, face-to-face, free of charge therapeutic service for people in
acute stages of distress. Since 2006, they have grown to include almost 80 therapists and staff across their five centres in Dublin and Limerick, and more than 6,000 people have sought help from them, to date. See Gallery on Page 8
Recognised “I welcome the fact that the management of South Dublin County Council has recognised this and is doing the right thing for families in this area. “I can also confirm that, despite the reduced resources available to the council at this time, it is unlikely that there will be any delay in processing third-level grants,” he said.