The first 50-mile Sligo Walk (1963) for Annual Sligo Walk
Sent to us by Mona Geelan, Sligo

Thirteen hours and 31 minutes after setting out from Carraroe, Sligo, the previous night at 9.02pm, the first four members of the ESB staff’s 50- mile walking team arrived in Castlebar. Four hours later, 14 of the 15 men had arrived at the same destination, thus achieving President Kennedy’s target of walking fifty miles in 20 hours!

A very large crowd witnessed the start from Carraroe on Friday night. Just before the start, the Mayor Ald, James Gannon, was introduced to all the walkers, and to Mr. K. McLaren, District Manager, who presented a letter to be borne by the walkers to the Chairman of the Urban Council in Castlebar.

Very Rev. T. Moran, Adm. St. Mary’s then blessed the team. The first caravan base was at Achonry Creamery, fourteen miles from the start, and at this point, a large number of well-wishers from Sligo called to the caravan. Here the walkers received their first meal and, if necessary, had their feet dressed. Throughout the night the walkers were assisted by two members of the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps. For protection against car accidents, the marchers wore reflector armbands and carried small torches.

Ald. Gannon, Mr. McLaren, Mr. P Lavelle, Chairman of the Castlebar UDC, Mr. T McCarthy, District Manager, Galway and the Sligo District Accountant, Mr. M Moran attended the dinner given in Castlebar on the Saturday night. Ald. Gannon presented certificates to the finishers.

Back home on Saturday morning, interest in the town had reached such a degree that people were phoning the ESB district offices in Sligo enquiring as to how the walk had gone.