My friend Sinead and Ciara taking a detour on our prom walk in aid of MS
At first glance, it wasn’t the day for it. The wind howled. The rain spat. It was ugly. And yet we managed to haul ourselves to the prom in Salthill to support the Easter Monday walk in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland.
There is a great atmosphere at these events – a sense of excitement that will make even the coldest of participants forget about the grey shroud that is our spring bank holiday weather. The sense of camaraderie beforehand - and of achievement afterwards - is enough reward.
There is a degree of smugness, knowing that by lunchtime, we have walked a few kilometres against the sea air and donated a few euro to charity in the process.
Everyone sets off at their own pace. The dog walkers, like ourselves, toddle along at the behest of our canine companions. Joggers and runners take flight to the Claddagh and back, bounding forward with every stride.
Images of Salthill on our prom walk in aid of MS
We donned bright red t-shirts and smiled broadly to all of those braving the elements for the cause.
En route, we were stopped by an American student, who asked us to take her photo for her professor back home – a researcher into the disease in the US. We took her smiling picture against the backdrop of the Salthill seascape before she went on her way.
You never know who you are going to meet. We all connected by the illness – whether through a friend or family member - and we were delighted to #getactiveforMS.
