ESB Networks woman in marathon walk

Nuala scanlan from ESB Networks in Osprey House has frequently lifted the trophy for her category
in the Sligo walk. Her most recent escapade puts the 50K Sligo course somewhat in the shade. In the company of other long-distance walkers, Nuala
has just completed a gruelling nine-day 185 mile walk across Ireland - covering an average of
more than 20 miles a day.

Ex ESB staff member John Mulligan, formerly of ESB Retail, has made a name for himself as a travel writer since taking up the VS option in 2004.
His most recent book, Following in the Footsteps of the Four Famous Flannerys, details the story of four young men who left the west of Ireland in 1862 to
walk to Dublin in order to catch the emigrant ship to New Zealand. Their arrival there coincided with the gold rush in Central Otago. Historian Ruth
Delany in the book’s foreword, describes their subsequent adventures as “an extraordinary story of grit and determination”.

The book describes the author's retracing of their
footsteps, including his walk across Ireland from Dublin to the west coast at Newport. The Simon Community has adopted the book as the theme
of an extremely challenging fundraising trek, an event that it now intends to host on an annual basis. Conscious of the criticisms that sometimes
follow fundraising treks abroad and anxious to promote trekking in Ireland, the organisation
invited walkers to try to attract sponsorship for the nine day trip from coast to coast.

John Mulligan and Nuala Scanlan, along with several other walkers, took up the challenge and successfully made the trip in September. The entire journey was the equivalent of walking seven full marathons in nine days, with no rest day in
between.

The Simon Community has managed to create an event that is at the same time enjoyable and very challenging. Despite the difficulty of the challenge, about two-thirds of the original starting line-up managed to complete the entire course.

More details of the walk can be found on
www.fourflannerys.com. If anyone is interested in getting involved in next year's walk they can follow the links on the website or contact the Simon
Community fundraising team on 01 6715363.

Nuala's verdict? “Wouldn't have missed it, had a brilliant week and saw Ireland in a new light. Sligo
now looks easy by comparison.”