Jim’s Epic journey ends on his 90th birthday

Founder of the National Famine Museum, Jim Callery is set to complete his charity walk of the National Famine Way today, October 15th.

Mr Callery, who undertook the 165km to raise money for current day immigration, will arrive in Dublin today, Tuesday, on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

Having initially set a goal of raising €25,000, he has vastly exceeded that goal with more than €50,000 raised.

He is finishing his journey at EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum, and the National Famine Memorial on Custom House Quay, Dublin in the coming hours.

Jim’s wife Adeline and his two sisters, 96 and 94 year old Eileen O Connell and Nanette Callery, will be there to welcome him along with four generations of his family.

When he reached Maynooth on Thursday last he gave an interview on the Ray Darcy show on RTÉ Radio 1.

Jim’s daughter, Caroilin, director at Strokestown Park, gave an update on the journey from Maynooth. “The second day was horrific, we did 14 kilometres in torrential rain but apart from that we’ve managed to duck and dodge showers here and there.” There were days that were promised bad that didn’t turn out too bad.

Caroilin spoke of Jim’s enthusiasm. “My biggest problem has been holding him back,” she laughed.

He picked up a slight cold on the walk, but this didn’t get in his way spoke on national radio before finishing the final legs of his journey.

The Westward Scania founder said that the feet stook it well despite feeling a few twitches in his back. He spoke of the support he had received along the way, with children from the schools in Maynooth cheering him on his way.

Caroilin spoke of the support that her father had received on the walk. “It’s been really nice, he’s had family members, nieces and nephews, children and grandchildren, work colleagues and friends, have walked different stretches with him on different days, which has been really nice.” 

Four generations of the Callery family took part in the Maynooth stretch of the walk as Jim, his daughter Caroilin, granddaughters Trudi and Michaela and great-granddaughter Olivia took part, meaning the youngest member of the family, two month old Olivia, joined the oldest member Jim on the walk.

Jim is thankful of the support his fundraiser has garnered thus far.

Donations from across the globe have come in for Jim’s walk, from the USA, England, Spain, Germany and Sweden which, as Jim pointed, means the fundraiser has donations from six different countries, the same number of counties he had walked through.

The 90 year old will celebrate his birthday in a unique way with his family.

Donations can still be made to the walk on Jim’s GoFundMe page.