Truck Run to raise funds for Raphoe Community Play Group and Donegal Hospice

A Charity Truck Run will take place on Saturday for the Raphoe Community Play Group and the Donegal Hospice.

Trucking for Donegal will raise funds for the Raphoe Community Play Group and the Donegal Hospice. There will be approximately 200 trucks taking part.

The trucks will be leaving Raphoe Mart at approximately 3pm along the R236 to the Ballinalecky Junction on the N14 in the townland of Carrickadawson.

They will turn left and travel to the Manorcunningham Roundabout and taking the second exit onto the N13 and travel to Bridgend and back to the Manor Roundabout and onto the Dual Carriageway and into the Clanree Hotel Car Park.

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Gardaí will be on hand to assist with traffic matters and there should be minimal disruption to traffic on the day.

The event follows on from the Trucking for Creeslough truck run in 2023 - the brainchild of experienced lorry driver Colin Kilpatrick, the team has reassembled for their next mission.

Two years ago, the St Johnston man led a convoy of 432 lorries at Trucking For Creeslough, an event that raised a staggering €117,000 for the Creeslough explosion fund.

“I said I wouldn’t do it because last year took a lot out of me,” he says. “But when the people approached me about doing it, I thought it would be a good idea. The same team is still behind me and we’re hoping to have another successful event for two very worthy causes.”

Colin's four sons have all benefited from the Raphoe Community Playgroup and his youngest boy still attends presently.

The playgroup, first set up in 1982, currently caters for 40 children, but that figure is expected to rise to 50 in the autumn.

Last year, it was confirmed that the building on Castle Road, constructed in 2000 after a mammoth fundraising effort in the area, had defective concrete blocks.

With the playgroup classed as a commercial building, the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme does not cover it. Half of the children are now being catered for in the Volt House with the others in a prefabricated building at the playgroup site.

A big night will take place in the Clanree Hotel after the truckers park up from the run.

Paul Kelly and Band with Paddy Tracey and Karl Kilpatrick will kick off the event, followed by JD Disco, with admission €15 for the dance and auction, which will be hosted by Tony Morning.

Some top prices have already been donated, including: A rally experience with Cloghan driver Damien Tourish before the Donegal International Rally; model lorry number 145 of Decky Holian’s Volvo; a selection of lorry sketches; an A4 commission of choice artwork from Eleanor Duffy; a whiskey barrel; half a pig butchered to you liking from Glenside Bacon Company; two tonne bags of firewood and a bottle of Jameson; 1,000 litres of ad blue fuel; a €250 voucher for Wild Atlantic Camp; hi speed 1/10 scale remote controlled racing car; a €250 voucher for work carried out by Led Lighting; a €300 voucher for A&C Components; round bales of silage; and other cash donations and vouchers.

An entry for the truck run costs €30 with tickets for the dance and auction priced at €15.

For further information, check out the Trucking for Donegal Facebook page or Contact Colin on 085-1059155.