Godley family 'overwhelmed' at support for fundraising climb

Scaling the summit of Ireland's highest mountain was a very poignant moment for the family members and friends of the late Tommy Godley who undertook the arduous 1,038-metre climb of Carrauntoohil in his native Kerry on Saturday last to raise funds for Offaly Hospice.

It was a climb that the late Tommy Godley himself had undertaken hundreds of times, often accompanied by his Leaving Cert class from Killina Presentation Secondary School, where he was a much-loved teacher of woodwork and technical drawing for 14 years.

The care and support that the late Tommy Godley – who passed away on March 29 last - received from Offaly Hospice during his illness prompted his family to organise last Saturday's climb as a fitting way of honouring his memory.

The event saw upwards of 40 people gather in Cronin's Yard, at the base of Carrauntoohil to be led up the mountain by former world mountain running champion, John Lenihan, who was a great friend of the beloved teacher and athletics coach with Tullamore Harriers.

Chief among the group were a number of his former teaching colleagues from Killina school.

In an emotional post on the Facebook page 'Killina School Life' the school said that, while Tommy Godley would have been “very proud of the organisation and efficiency” on the day of the climb, he would have been even more proud of the “craic and fun along the way, and the sense of achievement afterwards for all.”

As the group gathered around the large Cross at the summit of Carrauntoohil, the sun broke through to reward climbers with spectacular views for many miles in all directions, which prompted his Killina colleagues to attribute the sunshine to “a smiling Tommy's intervention.”

For the immediate family members of the late Tommy Godley, his wife Siobhán, sons Ger and daughter, Ellen, it was a deeply poignant trip. The Godley's oldest son, Jack, who is a member of the Midlands-based twisted trad band, Ruaile Buaile, was unable to attend the climb due to work commitments.

Ellen thanked everyone who joined them on the difficult climb over the weekend.

“Thank you to everyone who donated to Offaly Hospice. We are overwhelmed with the support” she said in a Facebook post. The fundraising initiative, 'Carrauntoohil for Tommy” has already raised close to €9,000 for Offaly Hospice, despite setting an initial target of just €500.

Donations will be accepted up the end of December so there is still plenty of time left to donate.