Willie still smiling after 20-mile row 02.07.07

Fresh-faced octogenarian Willie Harrigan hardly broke a sweat during his 20-mile sponsored row on Lough Foyle on Saturday.
	"That was grand," he smiled as he disembarked onto Greencastle Pier greeted by friends and well wishers. Asked would he reward himself with a pint afterwards, he chuckled: "Well, maybe a half pint." Eighty-one year old Willie, from Whitecastle, Quigley's Point, took part in the charity row to raise money for Self Help International.
The funds will go to help impoverished farmers in Eritrea, Africa. Willie was on the same boat as Inishowen fundraiser, Albert Doherty who was joined by a number of big hearted oarsmen and women who took to the Lough with gusto on the day.

Among them were members of Arklow Rowing Club who travelled all the way from Co. Wicklow to take part. "One of our members is always surfing the internet for what's happening on the rowing scene and that's how he found out about today's sponsored row. We decided we would make the trip to join in," said club member, Kealan O'Toole.
The Arklow team were the first to arrive into Greencastle in a time of three hours and fifty minutes. And while the event wasn't a race, young James Lynch, James Peter Hockley and Gareth Gallagher, did Culmore Rowing Club proud as they finished in a very respectable time of just over four hours. There was a carnival atmosphere at the local harbour for those who had gathered to cheer the participants on, with food and face painting provided by Self Help International, courtesy of the Big Red Bus. For more photos of the sponsored row click here .
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