A Galway native’s epic fifteen-day trek in an open-top vintage tractor along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way has raised almost €16,000 for people in Gaza.

Teacher and father-of-four Pat Murphy from Corofin braved the elements along the famous picturesque route in his restored 1962 David Brown, which can only reach a maximum speed of 24kph.

His 2,800km drive from Malin Head in Donegal to Mizen Head in Cork caught the attention of thousands of local residents and tourists and made headlines across local and national media.

Pat hoped to raise at least €5,000 on his GoFundMe page called ‘Malin to Mizen Charity Tractor Run for Concern’ – but it has so far raised more than three times that amount for the aid organisation Concern Worldwide and its Gaza appeal.

“I’m very grateful to everyone who donated and supported the tractor run. The whole experience was wonderful,” said Pat on arrival at Mizen Head last Thursday.

“The weather was the biggest challenge. I experienced heavy rain, wind, thunder and lightning so that wasn’t easy.

“I also had to be alert on the road because the roads are like spaghetti and the margins are cliff edges so there wasn’t much room for error.

“The best part of the tractor run was the beautiful scenery and meeting people along the route,” he added.

Pat said he chose Concern because of his past involvement with the charity as a volunteer in Rwanda in 1995 and 1996 after the brutal genocide that occurred there.

“Having worked with Concern in Rwanda, it made me really appreciate how lucky we are here in Ireland. I experienced real poverty and the effects of war,” he said.

“Once I saw the horror in Gaza, I knew I wanted to help. It’s important that the people of Gaza know we care about them and that they are not alone.”

Concern’s Chief Executive David Regan praised Pat Murphy for his incredible fundraising achievement.

“We applaud and thank Pat Murphy and his friends and family supporting him for his incredible fundraising success,” he said.

“He has spent the last two weeks driving in an open top tractor along the Wild Atlantic Way and raised an enormous amount of money, which will go towards helping the people of Gaza.”

Pat was accompanied on his adventure by his friend Tony Harrison who drove a campervan for them to sleep in each night.

Another friend, Brendan Joyce, transported Pat’s tractor from Corofin where he grew up to Malin Head and collected it when they reached Ireland’s most south-westerly point at Mizen Head.

To support Pat Murphy’s tractor fundraising trek for Gaza, go to his GoFundMe page https://gofund.me/2fbd8bd6.

Pictured: Pat Murphy looking back with the Mizen light house in the background having completed his trek for Concern and Gaza.