'Iron Man' Mick targeted by thieves

Dura Ace

Sad to hear this

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/iron-man-mick-targeted-by-trickster-thieves-191224.html

moby2101

Wow !

I've never heard of this man, what a story, his cycling endeavours that is.

Could I propose that we make a collection for this man?
There's enough of us on here regularly, that if we only donated 10 each it should make a substantial sum for this legend of a man.

Dunno how we would go about it, Paypal or a bank account?

What do ye think?

J Madone

Despicable

DePurpereWolf

Since being robbed myself a couple of months back, I have absolutely no sympathy for burglars anymore. They have no idea what damage they do, and I really think the gardai should crack down on them much more.

Hermy

Despicable indeed!
Remember seeing a piece about him on the Six o'clock news a few years back - a remarkable man.
I second the suggestion of a collection if it's practical.

Hermy

Here's a link to the Radio 1 documentary Convict of the Road.

rash

I was very saddened to read the story in this weeks Kerry’s Eye. The thief is a total prick. He was passing Mick’s house and struck up a conversation, he told Mick he was a cyclist and played hurling for Limerick. He left and said he will call again, he called back a few days later and said he had a wife and kids and needed money for fix his truck. Mick obviously has a heart of gold and went to get a €100 for him. While Mick’s back was turned he robbed the rest.
Would be nice to do something for him, but raising money on an online forum would perhaps make him an easy target again??

jameverywhere

Damn, I'd give him money. There's nothing that sucks more than being taken advantage of when you're trying to be nice to people. Like, what do you do--stop being nice to people just in case? Naw, we've gotta do something to restore his faith in humanity I think.

Seriously, if there's a way to make a collection, count me in for at least a tenner. Question is, how would we get it to him?

Hermy

Maybe there's a local cycling club the money could be forwarded to. Someone from this parish may know more.

bogmanfan

Very sorry to hear this. The guy is an absolute legend. My grandmother knows him well, and used to visit regularly when she was able. He lives like a hermit on a hillside, and I was shocked when she showed us his house. We called to the house last summer but he wasn't home. The place looked like a barn or an outhouse though.
She said he's been targetted by vandals recently. I'll be talking to her over the weekend, so I'll see if there's any way in which people could help.

TheNah

Hermy wrote: »

Maybe there's a local cycling club the money could be forwarded to. Someone from this parish may know more.

if there was some way to get a collection going i would definitely support it.

rash

+1 bogman let us know how you get on.

jameverywhere

yeah bogman, let us know!

RV

Does it say in the documentary that he doesn't qualify for the OAP? I'd chip in happily even if he does. Brilliant piece of radio too IMO (could have used an interpreter in places maybe ).

VanhireBoys

Jaysus poor Mick -

It shows just how folk living alone are the target now... There is no way a scumbag would try that on a married man in hi s30's in a city housing estate...

A cowardly low act....!

I am all for giving him a few bob.. Let us know the payment details !

carmo13

those cowards wouldn't have got out the door alive when Mick was in his heyday. count me in for a donation to whatever fund gets going. i wonder would Sean Kelly consider donating a percentage of the tour of waterford to the cause?

downwiththatsor

Very sad to hear this legend was targeted by these thugs. It would appear the Mick likes and leads a simple life and probably does not need much money except a few euros for the necessities of food and heat etc. I think we should use any collection to get Mick something to remind him of his legendary days like a framed picture from here -

http://www.kennellyarchive.com/search/?search=Iron+Man&year=&location=&basic_search=Search&usingmoreoptions=0&topic_a=any&startmonth=01&startyear=1953&endmonth=12&endyear=1973

The paper said he lives near Caherciveen now the fist big major feed station on the Ring Of Kerry charity cycle.
Not sure if Mick is a man for the limelight but they could do something for him in caherciveen next July?

Anyway nice to see this forum has thought of him.

Contador could learn a bit from his pre race diet

Just heard now on the mp3 that he gets no pension so i guess money is best after all.

DePurpereWolf

Maybe we could get him a gun instead....

happytramp

Yep, I'm totally on board for this.

531

Count me in for a small donation. The joy and amazement when reading about him in the book 'The Men of the Rás' is worth a few quid. He was certainly different. Makes us modern cyclists with our carbon fibre, lycra etc feel like lambs.

As for the person who considers it ok to rob an elderly man living alone, they are beyond contempt. No punishment is too harsh.

2old4dacold

from today's paper

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/iron-mans-sporting-life-littered-with-epic-feats-191282.html

RV

In the absence of a better suggestion, I am going to send an enevlope to the Presbytery in Caherciveen.

jameverywhere

Any way we can get together on this, or is it just a whole bunch of talk, no action?

I really would like to help but I don't know enough about the place or the man to feel confident I could get him something.

TheNah

anyway we could set up a "just giving" internet page and nominate a local charity to channel the funds? that would make it easy to contribute - i think many many people would like to help out Mick a bit after this.

pprendeville

Anyone here living in Kerry (only one I know of is ROKON). Everyone pays whatever amount into their PayPal account, for arguments sake, and they deliver it. I'll happily contribute.

cdaly_

I'd go along with that.

bogmanfan

Spoke to my granny who knows him well on Sunday. She had only heard what happened, but hadn't spoken to him. She said she'd ring me when she heard more.
I wonder would it be possible to organise a sportive or similar event, with proceeds to go to him? The ROK isn't for a few months yet, but even a hill climb event or something similar on the day after the ROK might be a good idea.

rash

TheNah wrote: »

anyway we could set up a "just giving" internet page and nominate a local charity to channel the funds? that would make it easy to contribute - i think many many people would like to help out Mick a bit after this.

I would think the money would be better given to a 3rd party such as a local charity as suggested, with any money raised dedicated solely to Mick. Otherwise he would only become a prime hit again if money was given direct

jameverywhere

I have a tenner set aside anyhow. any leads on a charity that would be appropriate?

scaeraurelius

I did the story on Mick Murphy for the Examiner and was, like many, appalled at the dickhead who conned him. If I knew who he was I'd staple him to a tree and have Mick fling rocks at him!
Anyway, rant over, I thought about doing something like a sportive / charity spin, and donate the proceeds to the great man, ie, drive down and give him the cash in an envelope. I think there would be interest and even if we got 500 quid out of it, at 50 guys paying a tenner each, im sure he wouldnt decline.
Similarly, what would be easier and probably as lucrative, is setting up a mycharity page?. reckon we could make it work? Could we e-mail the link of the mycharity page to every club secretary in Ireland? I am a cyclist and race most weekends and could send out a few flyers to race organisers? there could be a bucket where riders sign on for the race and they can donate what they want??