The Father Ted milk float left Galway yesterday to begin a 40- day push around Ireland in a fund-raising drive for two Down Syndrome charities.
The 70-year-old float featured in an episode of Father Ted, when the hapless Fr Dougal found himself driving it after it had been booby-trapped by a malevolent milkman.
Peter Philips of the Friends of Father Ted group said the event started as a joke, in a throw-away comment he made on the Gerry Ryan Show. Now more than 1,000 volunteers are expected to get involved in pushing the milk-float on the 798-mile trip.
The vehicle was secured at Tuam Garda station last night and will continue towards Claremorris, Co Mayo today.
It will spend 10 days in the North before coming down to Dublin and ending its trip in Kilfenora, Co Clare, on February 28th, the 10th anniversary of the death of Dermot Morgan, who played Father Ted Crilly.
Staff from institutions such as Intel, BBC Radio Ulster and UCC are all supporting the event which is expected to raise more than €750,000 for the two charities. Details of the itinerary are available on www.ted40.com
