‘Marathon a day’: Leitrim woman walks solo from Mizen Head to Malin Head to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland

A Leitrim woman is close to completing an epic ‘marathon a day’ unassisted solo walk from Mizen Head to Malin Head to raise vital funds for the North West Regional Branch of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.

Iris Murphy – who is a native of Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim and lives in Riverstown, Co. Sligo - set out on the 600 kilometre journey from Mizen on Monday July 24 with her tent and backpack and no support vehicle.

Iris’s daughter Shania Murphy and niece Evie Pierse are among the approximately 1,400 children and adults in Ireland living with the condition.

Iris, who is due to finish at Malin Head on Sunday August 6, says she has experienced the kindness of strangers along the way – with some people joining her for part of the walk or offering her accommodation as a break from camping in wet weather. 

So far, Iris has walked between 42 and 45 kilometres each day – the equivalent of a marathon a day – and she has often pitched her tent in fields along the way after walking for eight to nine hours. 

Iris Murphy says:

“Finding a place to camp is the tricky bit of it. My feet were pretty sore by the time I got to Ballinamore last night (Wednesday), and you can’t really camp in a town, so I walked on in the direction I was taking today and found a place to pitch the tent.

“It’s about asking people if they own the land and if they would mind me camping there. I’m very environmentally conscious, and I leave no trace behind me. I’ve met lovely people who have allowed me to camp on their land and made me breakfast the next day. The most significant thing about this trip has been the kindness of people. I’ve had no bad experiences with anybody, and I have met very kind people who have given me accommodation in their homes.”

Typically, people who undertake the epic journey are accompanied by a support vehicle, but Iris wanted to achieve it on her own. “That’s really the only rule I have apart from that I stay on my feet and keep going,” she says.

“My intention was to do it completely on my own but the village of Riverstown is way too helpful. They have been helping me since I got close to home.”

Back in 2008, Iris did a coast-to-coast walk from Sligo to Drogheda for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland. 

“So, when I finish this, I will have walked the length and the breadth of Ireland for Cystic Fibrosis. I’m delighted to be doing this.Cystic fibrosis is a long-term, life threatening and highly challenging disease.  The challenges are ones that my daughter Shania Murphy, as an adult, and my niece, Evie Pierse, a toddler, along with all cystic fibrosis sufferers, have to deal with every day of their lives.”

Anyone who would like to support Iris’s fundraiser for the North West Regional Branch of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland can do so here: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/MizentoMalinsolowalk.