3 Bucks Left Comedian on Battling Chafe on the Mayo Green

Stephen Kelly, the Swinford-born comedian of 3 Bucks Left, is no stranger to putting himself in ridiculous situations. To kick off this year, he traded the stage and creamy pints for Mayo's Great Western Greenway, running five marathons in five days Jan 1-5. His goal? Raising money for Cancer Fund for Children Ireland.
“With live shows, tours in Australia, New Zealand, and America on the horizon, and social media demanding attention, I knew if I didn’t do it now, I’d never get the chance again in 2025!’”

Back in 2016, Stephen faced a life-changing moment when he collapsed at home and was rushed to the National Neurosurgical Centre at Beaumont Hospital with a brain bleed.

“I was a goner,” he recalls. “They told me I was as close to dead as you can get without actually checking out.

Determined to repay the hospital for saving his life, he turned to running as his way of saying thank you.

Since then, Stephen’s taken on an annual challenge, turning his running shoes into fundraising machines for good causes. But this year, he decided to up the ante.

Teaming up with his mate Peter Cassidy—known to fans as Frenchtoast—Stephen braved the icy January winds of Mayo to run the scenic route from Westport to Achill. Picturesque as it sounds, it wasn’t all smooth running.

On Day 2, Stephen hit a problem runners know all too well: chafing.

“It was brutal. I was waddling along, nearly crying, when Peter whipped out a tub of Vaseline and goes, ‘Here, fix yourself.’”

What followed could have been lifted straight out of a sitcom. Shorts down, Vaseline in hand, Stephen found himself mid-application when a walker appeared out of a nearby tunnel.

“She just stops dead, staring at me like I’d lost the plot,” Stephen laughs. “And Peter, of course, starts making jokes. It looked terrible—me bent over under a bridge, Peter egging me on. She bolted past us with her dog like she’d seen something out of Trainspotting. We were laughing so hard we nearly forgot about the run.

Despite the laughs, the final stretch was no joke. By Day 5, exhaustion, freezing temperatures, and sheer mental fatigue were threatening to take Stephen down.

“I was in bits,” he admits. “Normally, when you’re on the last day, you think, ‘Grand, we’re nearly there.’ But I got into an awful headspace, wondering, ‘What the feck am I doing this for?’ I was in terrible form, without a full support crew around, I felt utterly alone—it made the day incredibly difficult,” he admits.

Still, Stephen’s stubborn streak kicked in.

“When I say I’m going to do something, I’ll crawl to the finish if I have to. You don’t stop just because it’s hard. You push on—and maybe swear a bit while you’re at it.”

Even at his lowest, Kelly’s resolve never wavered. With his trademark determination and a few well-timed quips, he powered through the challenge. “If I say I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it. And thanks to my trusty friend Peter Cassidy, we did it,” he states.

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A post shared by Jack Walsh (@jackwalshdronephotography)

For Kelly, these gruelling runs are more than just a physical challenge. They offer him a space to decompartmentalize his busy life as a touring entertainer and father of five, providing the mental clarity to reflect and reset.

“What I found on that run was that it was a great leveller. It gives you plenty of time to think and reframe everything. With live shows and the constant pressure of social media, your mind is always full. These challenges force you to concentrate solely on moving from A to B—and that’s a great opportunity for contemplation,” he explains.

The commitment to Cancer Fund For Children Ireland goes far beyond logging miles for Kelly. Inspired by volunteer survivors like Jack Walsh—who even contributed drone footage for the cause—his runs carry deep personal meaning. The charity currently operates a respite facility in Northern Ireland and is working to expand its reach into the Republic of Ireland with a new “Daisy Lodge” in County Mayo. These lodges provide families with a much-needed break from the pressures of caring for a seriously ill child.

Stephen’s Greenway challenge was filled with moments of pain, awkwardness, and hilarity—but in the end, he crossed the finish line with his head held high and his legs barely functioning.

“If you’re wondering whether I’ll do it again next year,” he grins, “ask me after my thighs stop screaming.”

To support Stephen’s fundraiser for Cancer Fund for Children Ireland, you can donate here. Because sometimes, the best way to thank someone is to run circles around your own limits—with a smile.

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