Picture Gallery: Fergal presents €105,000 each to Hospice and North West Stop

Arigna nurse Fergal Guihen (27) officially presented cheques for €105,000 each to the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation and North West Stop, marking the the culmination of an extraordinary fundraising journey that saw him cycle across three continents and 28 countries over nearly two years.

Fergal departed Ireland in March 2024 and arrived at Sydney Opera House, Australia in February 2026, completing a solo cycling expedition that took him through some of the world’s most remote and demanding terrain, including the Tibetan Plateau, the Taklamakan Desert, and war-affected regions of Afghanistan.

Along the way he faced extreme weather, a violent attack in Iran, and the devastating personal loss of his first cousin to suicide during the journey.

The €105,000 raised for Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation will support the charity’s vital palliative care services across the western seaboard as well as its landmark new project – the Sunflower Children’s Hospice, set to be the first children’s hospice built outside of Dublin and the first of its kind constructed since 2011.

Fergal told the gathering at the cheque presentation at Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway, where MC was John Lynch, that the journey was always about more than just the distance.

“I am incredibly proud to have raised over €210,000 for the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation and NorthWest STOP suicide prevention services.

“The Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation provided vital palliative care for my great grandmother in the final days of her life, and both charities are extremely close to my heart.

“I hope every euro raised makes a real difference to the families who need these services most.

“The support I received throughout the journey was overwhelming. I met extraordinary people along the way and relied on the kindness of strangers across dozens of countries.

“Donations and messages of encouragement came in from all over the world, and in every country, I passed through I experienced a generosity I will never forget.

“I know the funds raised will make a real difference, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported me along the way.”

CEO of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, Martina Jennings, said: “Fergal’s achievement has left us truly humbled. To cycle across three continents, endure everything he endured, and still keep these causes at the heart of it all, that speaks to an extraordinary character. We are so grateful to Fergal for choosing Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation.

“This €105,000 will make a real and lasting difference, both to our existing hospice services in Mayo and Roscommon, and to the Sunflower Children’s Hospice. We have a big year ahead of us and generous support like Fergal’s brings us ever closer to making that vision a reality.”