Arachas sponsored 26 Mountains 2 Mayo charity challenge raises €1.5 million
Over early June, Irish charity Cancer Fund for Children took on an epic challenge supported by Ardonagh’s very own Arachas. We recap on a month of fundraising, celebrate the money raised by our colleagues, and find out how the total will enable the charity to create a new world-class respite centre.
From 7–15 June, Arachas proudly sponsored Cancer Fund for Children’s latest charity challenge. Over 70 people, including 50 Arachas colleagues and 20 adventurous business leaders from across Ireland, UK and the USA took on 175km and 11,000 meters of elevation—1.25 times the height of Everest—across 26 mountains from Donegal to Mayo.
The 26 Mountains 2 Mayo was a physical and mental challenge which saw participants endure rain, winds, low visibility and gruelling terrain, as well as sleep deprivation with early morning starts and late nights. Beginning with Errigal in co. Donegal and ending triumphantly at Mweelrea in Co. Mayo, the journey tested every ounce of physical and mental endurance.
This once-in-a-lifetime challenge—scaling the highest mountain in every county across the island of Ireland in just nine days— led to participants raising an astonishing €1.5 million in support of children, young people, and their families impacted by cancer.
On each climb, the main group of participants were joined by the Arachas relay team, with a total 50 colleagues tackling mountains across the country. Along the journey, we were joined by special guests - Arachas brand ambassador Seán Óg Ó hAilpín , Irish Olympian, Sarah Lavin and Irish rugby players Rory Best, Marcus Horan, Tommy Bowe, Devin Toner and Andrew Trimble.
Arachas CFO Martin Mohan speaks after the climb
Arachas team members then attended the closing ceremony in Cong, Co Mayo where they were welcomed with a tour of the site of the new Cancer Fund for Children Daisy Lodge facility which is scheduled to commence construction shortly.
Alongside those taking part in the challenge, colleagues from across Arachas also held their own fundraising events – starting with a launch on 6 June, which included colleagues from the Sandyford office scaling a climbing wall!
Charity challenge highlights
- The Sandyford office hosted the main launch event that featured a live broadcast from their boardroom with Classic Hits. Arachas also had a 30ft inflatable climbing wall on the green outside the office which was tackled by their colleagues and brand ambassador Seán Óg Ó hAilpín.
- Members of the Northwest team, joined by family and friends, climbed Truskmore Mountain in Sligo—one of the 26 peaks that was tackled during the nine-day challenge in June.
- The West team completed Diamond Hill on Saturday 31 May and they were also joined by Mairead Geehan from Cancer Fund for Children. This was followed up by a sports day event where staff revisited their school days with old games like the tug of war, egg and spoon race and wheelbarrow race.
- The Cork team hosted a coffee morning in their office. This was followed on Friday by a walk along the Marina Walk from to Blackrock Castle on Friday.
- In the Mid-West region offices, colleagues came together for a Tipperary office Versus Limerick office football game.
- The Capital Insurance Markets team hosted a games day which included a coffee morning and colleagues challenging each other at various activities including a table tennis tournament, putting green challenge, FIFA and board games.
- The Naas office fundraising activities included hosting a Cake Sale & Coffee Morning, Office Olympics, and “Dress Your Desk” Competition.
- The Birr and Tullamore offices joined together to take part in a number of walks across the area to fuel their fundraising efforts.
- The Waterford office hosted a charity football match, followed by a breakfast morning in the office to further boost funds.
- The Santry office hosted a coffee morning, dress down day and a range of office games for their fundraising.
How the funding will make a difference
The funds raised will go directly to Cancer Fund for Children, a charity offering vital emotional and therapeutic support to children across the island of Ireland. The charity’s services are delivered in hospitals, family homes and at Daisy Lodge Co. Down—its therapeutic short-break centre..
With demand far exceeding capacity, the charity is now preparing to build a second Daisy Lodge respite centre in Cong, Co. Mayo.
Construction begins in July 2025, and the impact of the 26 Mountains 2 Mayo fundraising effort will be felt for generations to come.
Find out more and support Cancer Fund for Children
- Donate to Arachas’ Just Giving page
- Find out more about the 26 Mountains 2 Mayo challenge
- Learn about the work of Cancer Fund for Children
