It is a small town with a big heart. Arvagh in Co Cavan has been raising money for cancer charities at an annual fundraiser every August Bank Holiday weekend for 17 years. To date €976,000 has been raised, and this year the hope is that the figure will pass the €1 million mark.
This would be a significant achievement given the 2016 census put the population of the Arvagh electoral division at just 959.
The proceeds of this year's Breffni 3 Province Challenge – so called because the fundraiser gives participants the option of a walk, run or cycle across routes which traverse three provinces – will again go to the Friends of St Luke's Hospital, Breast Cancer Research (formerly the National Breast Cancer Research Institute) and Cavan/Monaghan Homecare Association.
The organisers, who expect hundreds to take part, picked cancer charities as the beneficiaries given that the disease affects all families. The Irish Cancer Society says one in four deaths in Ireland are due to cancer.
Participants wishing to take part can do a 5km or 10km walk or run, a half-marathon, or a 25km or 100km cycle on Saturday, August 4th. All start and finish in the town.
Online registration for the events is available at breffni3provincechallenge.com