Three

Limerick

men

returned home to heroes’ welcomes after a 16,000km rally that raised enough money to keep a preschool for the deaf open next year.

Brothers Kevin (29) and Aran (28) Power from Ballybrown, Co Limerick, and brother-in-law Stephen Allen (31) from Pallaskenry, Co Limerick, crossed 17 countries in 40 days, on motorcycles, to raise funds for the Midwest Preschool for Hearing Impaired Children in Limerick.

The preschool, run by volunteers, costs €26,000 every year and the €11,000-plus raised by the trio is the biggest single donation it has received since it opened 10 years ago.

All donations went directly to the school because the three motorcycling enthusiasts funded the entire trip themselves.

As part of the odyssey, from London to Mongolia, they had to buy a replacement bike in Hungary, endured temperatures of up to 48 degrees, camped out where dangerous wildlife roam and were made guests of honour at a wedding in a village in Uzbekistan.

Just short of 30 motorcyclists have completed the rally over the past 10 years. When the three Limerick men crossed the finish line together in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, on Wednesday, they donated their motorcycles to a local charity.

Speaking in Shannon Airport on his return, Allen – brother of the school’s principal Maria Allen – paid tribute to all who supported the fundraiser, not least his employers Fyregard Safety in Limerick for their fund-raising and giving him time off.