Hughie gets set for Iron Man challenge

A NORTHSIDE Traveller who has raised over

?¬30,000 for Temple Street Hospital by running in marathons over the last five years is preparing for his biggest challenge yet.

Hughie Maughan (pictured left) of St Margaret’s halting site in Ballymun is a force to be reckoned with, not just in his dedication to running, but also his passion for raising money to help sick children.

It seems little can stop the popular Northsider from fundraising and setting himself even bigger sporting challenges year-on-year.

The 40-year-old has now set himself the goal of completing the notoriously gruelling Iron Man challenge, which he hopes to complete in Manchester later this year.

Hughie’s latest challenge will see him complete a 3.8 kilometre swim, a 180 kilometre cycle and a full 26 mile marathon.

The thought alone is exhausting but for Hughie the biggest challenge will be the relatively short swim.

“I’ve done the Dublin, New York and Berlin marathons and the London marathon twice so the running should be my strong point,

? he told Northside People.

“But I wouldn’t be the greatest at swimming and putting my head under the water but I’ll have to keep telling myself that I’m doing it for the kids and Temple Street Hospital. That’s what gives me the willpower and the strength to carry on.

?

Hughie has become something of a local legend in Ballymun through his dedication to training and his annual fundraising challenges.

He’s also a familiar face to locals who see him pound the roads on the Northside either on foot or on his racing bike during his intensive training sessions. He currently trains up to seven hours a day for the Iron Man challenge.

“A lot of people know me from the fundraising and I’ve made a lot of good friends and got a great deal of support not just from the Travelling community but from settled people as well,

? Hughie explained.

Hughie and his extended family have also played a major role in changing people’s negative perceptions of Travellers. His cousin Joe Ward narrowly lost his bid for a place in the 2012 London Olympics when his hope of earning a last-ditch wildcard failed.

“Joe Ward and John Joe Nevin are angels for every Traveller in the world,

? Hughie said.

“People are quick to condemn Travellers if they make a mistake but they don’t hear about all the good we do.

“Some members of the Travelling community work as gardaí, social workers and so on.

“Just last year, my own son Hughie was the first Traveller ever to do his Leaving Cert.

“These are some of the really positive achievements we’ve had as Travellers.

?

Hughie hopes to raise

?¬6,000 for Temple Street Hospital through his Iron Man challenge which will be added to the

?¬30,000 he’s already raised for the hospital.

It’s a charity very much close to the heart of the father-of-three.

“My two nieces passed away in the hospital and I would have known many other kids who needed treatment in Temple Street,

? he explained.

“When I was younger I spent about two years in hospital when doctors believed I needed a liver transplant and I had internal bleeding.

“In fact I remember I was in hospital for my 12th and 13th birthdays and a lot of people raised money for me and my care back then, which is why fundraising for Temple Street Hospital is so important to me now.

?

Those who wish to sponsor Hughie Maughan in his Iron Man challenge can do so through mycharity.ie