Cycle in memory of Monksland's Laura raises more than €33,000
A fundraising cycle which took place last week in memory of a cherished Monksland girl who passed away in 2021, two days after being diagnosed with a brain bleed, has already raised in excess of €33,000 for the Children's Health Foundation at Temple Street Hospital.
Ian Carroll, whose youngest daughter, 12-year old Laura, was cared for in the Dublin hospital prior to her tragic passing, said on Monday that donations for the fundraiser were “still coming in” with the event surpassing a previous fundraiser in 2022 which raised almost €33,000.
The exceptional care received by Laura Carroll in Temple Street Hospital, and the ongoing support shown to her family by staff since her passing, was the catalyst for a major charity cycle in 2022 which was organised by staff from IN2 Engineering, where Ian works as Projects Director.
The second IN2 Charity Cycle, which was again held to honour Laura's memory, saw staff from the Athlone office of IN2 at Inish Carrig Business Centre join with over 70 of their colleagues from the Dublin, Belfast, London and Berlin offices of the company last Friday. Three set routes were mapped out, with the longest stretch of 130km taking the cyclists all the way from Dublin to Athlone.
Image 1 of 3
Lorraine and Ian Carroll from Monksland, who lost their youngest daughter, 12-year old Laura, in March 2021, are pictured with Laura’s older sister, Aoife, at the finish line of Friday’s fundraising cycle organised by staff from IN2 Engineering to raise funds for Children’s Health Ireland at Dublin’s Temple Street Hospital.Image 2 of 3
Staff from IN2 Engineering at Inish Carraig in Athlone pictured at the finish line of the fundraising cycle which took place on Friday last in memory of the late Laura Carroll from Monksland: Adam Emerhi, Eoin Heavey, Elaine Galvin, Neil Goss, Nazeer Chan, Ian Carroll (Laura’s Dad), John Murphy, Declan Murray, Eoin Monaghan, Ciaran Duffy, Martin Joyce, Keith Flood, Oran Gallagher and Venay Mondoza.Image 3 of 3
On their bikes in memory of the late Laura Carroll from Monksland were (L to R): her godfather, Kevin Reynolds; sister Aoife; aunt Brenda Reynolds and her Mum, Lorraine.Ian Carroll, his wife, Lorraine, and Laura's surviving sibling, 17-year old Aoife, cycled from Athlone to Mullingar to link up with staff who had set out from Dublin earlier on Friday, before the full group cycled back to Athlone for the final leg of the journey, culminating at the Athlone office of the company on Friday afternoon.
Although the Carroll family, who live at Corran Riada, Monksland, say their life has been “forever changed”, they are extremely grateful to everyone who has made a donation to Children's Health Ireland, and to the staff of IN2 Engineering for organising a second event in memory of their beloved daughter and sister.
Laura's Dad, Ian, is very passionate about improving the support services to families who have lost a loved one, and says his family are “very lucky” to have received so much ongoing support both from Temple Street Hospital, their work colleagues, and their wider network of family and friends.
“I know there are families out there who are left to grieve alone and receive no support whatsoever and if we can raise some awareness around this issue, and the need for support, it would be a great legacy to Laura's memory,” he says. However, he acknowledges that it is an issue which ultimately needs to be addressed "both nationally and politically.”
All funds raised as a result of the IN2 Engineering Charity Cycle in memory of Laura Carroll last Friday will be used to support the vital work in Temple Street Hospital including the purchase of new equipment, investment in paediatric research, and the funding of patient and family support.
Donations to the fundraising cycle can still be made on the JustGiving platform at: