Congratulations to Edward Byrne and the Byrnes of Cloncurry and Kilcock who raised 8,300 euro for MS Ireland during a three day charity walk along the Royal Canal.

The walk was organised by Edward Byrne, researcher with Clan O’Byrne of Leinster, and took place during three days over the May bank holiday. The walk started at the ancestoral family home at Railway Terrace in Monaghan where the author James Dawson-Byrne was born in 1878 and continued along the banks of the Royal Canal to the family’s current home on the Navan Road in Dublin.

A core group of eight people, including Edward, completed the 60 mile treck over the three days but hundreds of people joined in at various stages along the route.

The motivation for the walk was to raise much needed funds and raise awareness of MS, a disease which hit the family personally when Edward’s uncle Pat Byrne was diagnosed with the disease just over ten years ago.

MS Ireland were on hand at the start of the walk and met up with the family for a much needed celebrationary drink at the Brefni Inn on the Navan Road at the end.

This was a unique event which incorprated the rich history of the Byrne family and included a ceremony at the Byrne family grave in Kilcock cemetry on the Sunday afternoon marking the 100th birthday of Edward’s grandfather John Byrne who was born in April 1912.

A cheque for 8,300 euro was presented to MS Ireland today at the Brefni Inn by Edward Byrne and his family.