Sheffield's only Gaelic football team raised over £3,500 for NHS staff by collectively running 1,790 km

St Vincent’s GAA raised £3,582 for NHS workers in the city by collectively running a total of 1,790 km during lockdown – the distance between Ireland’s most northern point in Malin Head to the most southern point in Mizen Head, before virtually travelling back to Sheffield.

The money generated by more than 50 members of the Gaelic team committing to individual, daily runs over 11 days, will be donated to Sheffield Hospitals Charity to support front line workers.

Members of the club originally planned to only run 1040km, the distance it takes to travel the length of Ireland, but decided to increase their collective target after they completed the challenge five days ahead of schedule.

St Vincent’s GAA players then elected to run an extra 750km as a club and complete the journey from Mizen Head to Sheffield in the hope it would increase donations for NHS workers.

Committee member and University of Sheffield dental student Eimear Wilson explained how the team came up with the idea to run even further.

"We just wanted to go above and beyond just like people had been donating wise”, she said.

"It was a bit of a mixed bag there is all different sorts of abilities and age groups within the club but everyone went over and above – some people were running 20 miles in one day, others doing five kilometres here and there.”

Club members celebrated their achievement of running 1,790km within 11 days with a group video chat.

The 26-year-old student shared what it felt like to partake in such a physical and mental challenge to help those working to keep the public safe during the coronavirus crisis.

"I was never more proud to be part of such a club than I was when we raised all this money”, Eimear added.

"It was just great because there's a real sense of camaraderie between everybody, especially because we are all separate and missing the craic with everybody.

"It felt like everybody was back together again even though we were apart.”