Athlone Irish Rail worker's 200km cycle challenge to support colleague

A local Irish Rail worker is preparing to set off on a 200km fundraising cycle from Athlone to Newport in Mayo in order to support a friend and work colleague who is battling Motor Neurone Disease.

Tom Brady, who works at a level crossing control centre with Irish Rail in Athlone, will be embarking on the cycle on Saturday, May 18.

He is doing so to raise money to support Oliver Johnston, a train driver who spent eighteen years working in Athlone, with the ongoing health expenses incurred as a result of the Motor Neurone diagnosis he received last November.

Oliver is now living in Mayo, having transferred in his job from Athlone to Westport in 2016, but two of his sons, Aaron and Dylan Johnston, are current Irish Rail staff members in Athlone.

Tom began organising the fundraising cycle several weeks ago, and set up a GoFundMe page, Tom's Fundraiser Cycle for Ollie, in early April.

At the time of writing, just over €3,000 had been donated to the online page, by more than 70 individuals, and Tom said he had been given an additional €400 or so in offline contributions.

When contacted by the Westmeath Independent recently, Oliver spoke about his personal journey and Motor Neurone diagnosis.

Originally from Dublin, he moved to his father's hometown of Ballinasloe when he was 20 years old, and began his railway career.

"I started working with Irish Rail in 1998, and worked my way up to being a train driver. I was in Athlone for eighteen years, up to 2016, and made some great friendships in that time.

"They're a great bunch in Athlone and all over, really. The Westport lads are the same, as are the Ballina guys.

"I have four sons and two of them work for Irish Rail, based in Athlone. My son Dylan is a signal man with Irish Rail, and a colleague of Tom's, and my son Aaron is abroad on a career break at the minute.

"They are fifth generation railway workers, because my father was a driver, my grandfather was a signal man, and my great-grandfather was the station master in Ballinasloe, going back to the 1800s."

Having raised his family in Ballinasloe, Oliver's first marriage ended and he moved to Newport in Mayo in 2016.He remarried in February of this year.

Oliver's diagnosis last November came after he had spent some time in hospital in Galway.

The 48-year-old said he knew something was amiss because he could feel himself losing strength in his hands.

After tests in Galway hospital, he was told he had Motor Neurone Disease, and this left him feeling shell-shocked.

"I was never sick before. My appendix was removed as a teen, but I never had anything worse than a cold or a flu or a sore back. This was not the news I was expecting, and I knew nothing about the disease or how it would affect me.

"I have to commend all the staff in University Hospital Galway's Neurological Department for their and care and continued support to date."

Unfortunately, the disease has been taking a noticeable toll on him as time has gone on.

"It's been fairly rapid. Every week, I feel myself getting weaker and weaker. It's a horrible, horrible disease," he said.

In March, Oliver took part in a promotional campaign in connection with the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association's 'Drink Tea for MND' fundraiser, and he said he was hugely appreciative of the help and support he had been receiving from people.

"Everyone wants to help in any way they can. I've had great support from my family, friends and work colleagues," he said.

Tom Brady is a keen cyclist and part of the Kilteevan Wheelers club. While the 200km journey from Athlone to Newport will be a challenge, it's not quite as severe as one that he completed a few years ago.

Not long before the Covid-19 pandemic, Tom cycled the length of this island, 593 km from Mizen Head to Malin Head, in less than 24 hours!

Stopping only for food and bathroom breaks, he completed the mammoth cycle in just 20 and a half hours' cycling time.

On Saturday week, Tom will be setting off from Athlone at 9am and he plans to meet with Oliver when he arrives in Newport.

He said Irish Rail colleagues, or anyone else who wishes to do so, would be welcome to join him for all or part of the cycle on May 18.

* You can support the fundraiser on the GoFundMe page here.