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INSPIRED BY CHILDHOOD tales of Phileas Fogg and his around the world trip, Irishman Dermot Higgins is set to complete a Guinness World Record by becoming the oldest person to circumnavigate the globe by bicycle.
Retired teacher Dermot Higgins, from Rush, Dublin embarked on a 31,000km cycle around the world last June in an attempt to break a world record while raising funds for Trócaire and the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
At 55 years old, the father of four set out to become the oldest person in the world successfully complete the challenge.
Seven months into his journey, Higgins has trekked through 21 countries. He kicked off the trip in Madrid and travelled through Europe, Central and South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Higgins is currently in the US. He is set to arrive in Washington DC just before St Patrick’s Day. Once there, he will meet a host of leaders including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
Following this, Higgins will travel to New York City where he will take part in the city’s St Patrick’s Day parade.
From here, he will undertake the last leg of his journey from Lisbon to Madrid where he’ll be joined by a group of 12 friends. He is set to arrive back in Dublin on Sunday 1 April.
“Completely the round the world cycle will be my life’s ambition realised. Having the opportunity to promote Global Goals and to support Trócaire is the icing on the cake,” Higgins said.
I’m in really high spirits at the moment though feeling a little cold travelling through Bible belt America… In a week’s time I’ll be in Washington where I believe I can really make my voice heard in relation to promoting what’s really important to me – sustainability.
Trócaire’s fundraising manager, Reidin O’Connor said: “What Dermot has undertaken is an extraordinary challenge. Not only that, but he’s using his challenge to shine a light on global poverty and social justice.
“Here in Trócaire, we’ve been following his progress closely and his commitment has been really inspiring over the past year. We wish him the best of luck for the last leg of his journey and I hope that he achieves everything he has worked so hard for.”
Dermot Higgins is raising funds for Trócaire online here.
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That’s fantastic!!! Well done Sir.
Fair play!
Retired at 55 Great country
@Paul O Riordan: you could retire at any age if you want ,it just that the money isn’t great
@FlopFlipU: on a sliding scale is it. No one told me that
@Paul O Riordan: not 1 bit envious are you
@Paul O Riordan:
One family member retired at 47, my father at 77
When it’s entirely self financed you can do as you like
@Paul O Riordan: mind your own!!!
@Paul O Riordan: Have you always been a grade A A****h**e? People like you just suck every last bit of good out of everything. Do you know this man’s back story or is it one of your hide behind the keyboard judgements?
How did he cycle across the oceans……
@Alan McCartney: Apparently he swam the ocean sections with the bicycle strapped to his back.
@Alan McCartney: Apparently he swam the ocean sections with the bicycle strapped to his back which is deemed acceptable.
@Alan McCartney: I would have liked to see a few references to Chukchi Sea, the Diomede Islands and Alaska. also Afghanistan and the NWT in Pakistan rather than Madrid, Australia and Waghington DC…
@Alan McCartney: *sigh (There’s always one)
55? Sure he’s only a youngfella.
I would absolutely loveeeee to do this. I’m gonna do it when I’m 56, lololol.
When will someone travel around the world just for fun and forget about the goody goody charity thing?Tell people you’re going around the globe for a laugh and you have nothing better to do.
@Sarah Bullimer: what on earth is wrong with raising money for charity?
Well done! Full of admiration for him.
Excellent well Done
Fair play to him. well done Sir a great achievement. I remember hearing a few years ago about someone else who was doing this or something similar, and they got as far as Dublin and had their Bike nicked from outside the GPO. He said he hadn’t had to lock it in any other city he had been too before Dublin.
@thatsnotme: maybe so but hardly unique to Dublin. Cycling UK report that 327,000 bicycles are stolen every year in England and Wales
W
Well done Viktor Orban sir
Go Dermo go. Enjoyed the posts along the way well done
horrible prostate issues – forgive me for assuming
His arse must be killing him!
I’d say his poor hoop is in shite
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