Leitrim couple prepare for extraordinary 600km tandem cycle to support Irish Guide Dogs

A Leitrim couple are taking on a formidable challenge, cycling more than 600 kilometres from Mizen to Malin in aid of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. This will be no ordinary cycle: Des and Sonja Keaney will complete the journey on a tandem bicycle.

The couple, who live in Rossinver, have been training for months ahead of the May challenge. With a combined age of 129, they have never attempted anything like this before, but Irish Guide Dogs hold deep personal significance for them.

Des has Late Onset Retinal Degeneration and has lost his central vision while retaining his peripheral sight. He received his guide dog, Paige, in 2020, an experience he describes as life-changing. “I would walk at a normal pace with her, whereas before that I was going about half pace with the cane and less confident,” he explained, as Paige is able to guide him safely around obstacles.

Sonja has seen first-hand the difference Paige has made, not just to Des’s physical independence but also to his social life. “Nobody's going to say hello to someone because they have a white stick but they will say hello because he has the dog. The dog is an opener for conversations to happen.”

“She goes everywhere with me. The only time I don’t have her is when I’m on the bike. We get on great. It’s really a team,” Des said of Paige.

Since becoming involved with Irish Guide Dogs in 2020, the couple have organised fundraisers for the charity most years. Their next event takes place at SuperValu Manorhamilton on March 14. 

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Alongside fundraising, they are keen to raise awareness of the charity’s work, including the fact that it can cost up to €53,000 to train and support a guide dog. “My primary focus is on raising awareness on guide dogs and sight loss. My interest is more in that than pure fundraising,” Des said.

The cycle will run from May 16 to May 23. Both openly acknowledge how demanding it will be but remain determined. “Cycling the tandem is definitely harder than cycling a single bike,” Sonja explained. “There’s the weight of the two on it. It’s heavier to steer.” Communication is also critical, from coordinating braking and gear changes to warning of bumps and potholes amid traffic noise. Trust, they have found, is central to making it work, with Sonja describing their communication as “continuous.” “You know what North Leitrim roads are like,” Des joked. “It’s a huge difference when you get out on the N15 which is smoother.”

Their longest day will see them cover 140km from Oranmore to Sligo. It is not so much the distance that concerns them, but the sustained intensity. “The difficulty is six days together back to back. It’s a little bit unpredictable but we’re putting in the work,” Des said. Training includes tandem rides every other day, along with gym sessions to build muscle strength.

They believe the experience will be made easier by sharing it with others. Around 80 cyclists are taking part, including eight tandem teams, all of whom have been affected by sight loss in some way. “There’s something lovely about being with other people who just get it, because they’re living it as well. There’s a real comfort in that. That’s going to be a lovely experience,” Sonja said.

Completing the challenge together carries an even deeper meaning for the couple. Des was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020 and underwent treatment that included two months of radiotherapy followed by two years of hormone therapy. “To be honest, when he was first diagnosed we didn’t think he was going to make it. This is massive. The fact he is able to cycle at all is massive. To complete this would be a dream come true,” Sonja shared.

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“One of the biggest challenges was fatigue. A walk up the road would half kill me. To be able to get back and do something energetic, a physical and psychological challenge is great and to be able to do it to support guide dogs,” Des said.

Raising awareness remains central to their motivation. As Des put it, “the society we live in is designed by sighted people for sighted people.”

“I want people to be more aware of the sight loss community. Slowly, it will help make things a bit better in society overall and it all sounds a bit grand but you have to work through that,” he added.

“The challenges of living with sight loss are huge. There isn’t a day off,” Sonja said. “In Des’s case, where he has been losing his sight over a long period of time, there’s that reality of knowing that his sight today is as good as it’s ever going to be because it’s diminishing.”

Des and Sonja’s story is one of resilience and perseverance, grounded in taking one day at a time. As they continue to train for the cycle, their gratitude is clear in simply being able to raise awareness of sight loss and guide dogs.

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Donations can be made to Des and Sonja’s fundraiser online here.