A LIMERICK man who was told he would never cycle again said he was overwhelmed after raising more than €200,000 for Down Syndrome Ireland by completing the 640km Tour de Munster cycle in four days.
Eight years after a life-changing spinal injury, endurance athlete Conor O’Dea proved exactly what’s possible with determination by completing the demanding route across all six counties of Munster.
A former Ironman athlete, paralysed in a cycling accident in 2017, Conor, supported Paula O’Keeffe of Bluebird Care, rode the route using a custom-built trike.
Reflecting on the achievement, Conor said that his massive achievement “wasn’t just about me, it was about Paula, our friends, our families, and everyone who believed in what we were doing”.
“The support along the way has been overwhelming, and knowing that we’ve raised significant funds for Down Syndrome Ireland makes every single kilometre worth it.”
Bluebird Care is also donating towards Conor’s Tour de Munster ride, with all funds redirected to Down Syndrome Ireland’s Munster branches.
Mark McInerney, general manager at Bluebird Care Ireland, said the service was proud to support “resilience, and the power of human connection, and Conor and Paula represent all of that and more”.
“Their journey is a shining example of what’s possible when compassion meets determination.”
After his life-changing collision, Conor never imagined he’d one day return to one of Ireland’s toughest charity bike events.
“They told me I wouldn’t cycle again, but that was never going to be the end of the story,” he quipped.
“Life didn’t end. It just changed.”
The Limerick man took part in the mammoth cycle before his injury and said the event holds deep personal meaning for him.
“After the accident, getting back on the road with a trike and feeling the wind in my face, it was nearly emotional,” he recalled.
“Tour de Munster was always a goal for me. The camaraderie, the people, the welcome in every town, it’s a family.”
Since his injury, Conor has also raised funding for charities Spinal Injuries Ireland, Millimetre 2 Mountains, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Greenmount Cycling Academy, Down Syndrome Limerick, and the Tour de Munster Charitable Foundation.
Paula O’Keeffe, who first met Conor at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, during his fight to get back on the saddle, remarked: “He was lying in a hospital bed saying, ‘I’m going to get out of this bed. I’m going to walk.’ And I just thought, okay, let’s try.”
Paula herself hadn’t cycled a bike in 15 years, but after meeting Conor, she signed up for her first triathlon.
“He even inspired me to do that,” she said.
“We push each other on. I get just as much out of it as he does.”
Ellen Tuffy, committee member at Down Syndrome Limerick, praised Conor and Paula as “a beacon of hope and determination”.
“Conor’s achievements, both physical and mental, are truly extraordinary. He embodies the powerful message that disability does not equate to inability, a belief we hold strongly at Down Syndrome Limerick,” she said.
“Conor’s journey continues to inspire our members with Down syndrome, showing them that they too can challenge and overcome the stereotypes often imposed by society.”
To donate to Conor’s online fundraising page visit idonate.ie/fundraiser/ConorODea54221.
