Every year once Electric Picnic comes around it’s been a case of ‘On your bike’ for Richard Dunne from Stradbally.
Since 2009 he has been taking part in the Tour de Picnic charity fundraiser which sees participants cycle or run from Tallaght Stadium to the EP site.
With his daughter, Sophia who has Joubert Syndrome – a rare brain condition – only after undergoing surgery for scoliosis for the second time last week, he was initially going to take a raincheck on this year’s Tour de Picnic.
“I had decided I wasn’t going to do it this year but I changed my mind when I saw the work done by everyone on the ground at Temple Street hospital where everyone goes above and beyond the call of duty,” Richard said.
“Nobody can do enough for you. The surgeon checked in on Sophia at 5.30am on the Saturday morning. He was so happy that she was doing better than expected.
“It’s a calling, not a job to them. I was in the hospital, working remotely, and I just thought: ‘I have to do this’, “ he recalled.
The funds raised from this year’s 80km Tour de Picnic will go to the ISPCC; the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation and the Children’s Healthcare Foundation.
“We received nursing hours from the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation from the time Sophia was a baby up to the time she was two years old,” Richard said.
Sophia is a wheelchair user and is non-verbal and the joy that she brings to the family is obvious. “When people ask about our children and I tell them about Sophia, they often say: “Sorry” but I tell them not to be sorry, it’s just a different path for our first child which we fully accepted.
“Someone gave us a copy of the poem ‘Welcome to Holland’ which points out that it’s just a different place to the one you thought you’d be in. When she was born, we were told about her hidden intelligence and she takes everything in and is always laughing.”
There isn’t any strenuous training involved for the cycle, said Richard who is 43 and played football and soccer for Stradbally back in the day.
He still plays when called upon now – togging out for the Junior Bs only last year.
“I just do a bit of training over a couple of days in the weeks leading up to the Tour de Picnic. You mentally prepare for it and you get used to it.”
Richard’s wife, Elizabeth gets Sophia who, just turned 12 yesterday, and their other two children, Julian (4) and Olivia (2) into the spirit of things by taking them out in the car to wave him on some of his training stints.
“Julian is at a stage where he knows a bit about what is going on and he is really excited about me being involved in the Tour de Picnic.
“The number of participants at the start line averages at around 200 every year. You register and take off on the back roads: Tallaght, Blessington, Ballymore Eustace, Kilcullen, Athy, and Vicarstown into the Picnic,” he said.
After getting his EP ticket from the organisers and enjoying the welcome on site as well as the hospitality, Richard – a keen music fan – relishes the opportunity to check out the acts.
This year he is particularly keen to see Johnny Marr from the Smiths; Wet Leg, a female band from the Isle of Wight; Scottish group, Young Fathers; and Fred Again who he predicts, could provide one of the best Picnic performances. “He sold out in Madison Square Gardens this summer and headlined most of the festivals in England.”
Richard and Elizabeth also enjoy the chance to let the kids soak up the atmosphere during the day.
“It’s only ten minutes from the family camping area to the house and we have cash at the ready for the kids’ area attractions, which operate on cash.”
When he is not on site over the weekend, Richard can usually be found in the family licensed premises where he chews the fat with family and friends. “I’d recommend it to festival goers as a good place to relax,” he laughed.
“I had always been a big music festival fan and initially I took part in the Tour de Picnic for the buzz. I just liked the sound of it,” he remarked. Now the chance to raise funds for children’s charities spurs him on.
“You just have to raise €450 to take part but I’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of people which has helped me raise well in excess of that so far.
“People can either donate through the EP website or Revolut me on 086-3795060.”
SEE ALSO – An ‘original’ talent for Electric Picnic as Laois girl set to perform three times this weekend
