Legend (dictionary definition)

 

In student language, a legend is:

(a)       someone who has just bought you a pint

(b)     someone who has just offered to buy you a pint

(c)       someone who through copious amounts of Red Bull and a catering jar of coffee have done a year’s work the night before exams….and passed.

 

A 10 K Legend is

(a) someone who through extraordinary personal effort, dedication and commitment earned wagon loads of funds for the 10K and in doing so surpassed   the previous best effort by their college.

(b) given seriously huge amounts of time to inspire, motivate, cajole and harangue other students to help them acheive this highest total-fund raising by their college.

 

NUIG

Siobhán Burke  

Her energy and commitment were fantastic. She put together a really professional photographic exhibition in NUIG which was based on her visit to Belarus. NUIG raised pots of gold and the NUIG students sportingly showed their appreciation for her hard work and commitment to the 10K by chucking her into a fountain. Will someone in Galway please enter her as the Galway Rose for the Rose of Tralee? We would like NUIG to award her an honourary doctorate for her services to humanity and also for her efforts to support the bars and nightclubs of Galway.

 

UCC

Paul Kearney

What can be said of Paul that he has not already said himself? Paul overcame his Tipperary origins and the boy made good in UCC picking up rudimentary English en route. Suave, debonair, supremely intelligent (to quote an extract from his personal website, which is recommended reading for anybody who wants to travel to South America, Asia, Australia or Tipperary), Paul is God’s gift to women (to quote another extract from his personal website). In Paul’s year as president of UCC, the 10K team there raised the highest total of any college in Ireland. Self effacing as ever, Paul claimed all the credit for himself. We missed you soooooo much Paul when you went off on your world tour.

When is the next one planned?

 

GMIT

Vinnie Casey

When Vinnie Casey was a baby, his mammy entered him in hundreds of bonny baby competitions. He always finished last. She is still entering him in these competitions and he is still coming last! Despite this, Vinnie has had considerable success in life, being voted Young Galway Person of the Year by the Connaught Tribune as a result of the highly successful 10K campaign in GMIT in 2002. Vinnie is a noted admirer of some of the finer things in life, Tipperary hurling, songs by Kylie Minogue, creamy pints and books with lots of pictures. When Vinnie was born, the midwife slapped his mother.

 

 

 

 

St. Patrick’s Drumcondra

Mary O’Leary

There’s something about Mary. With a smile as big as her heart, Mary O’Leary is one of those people who always adds something to everyone’s life. There must be a production line somewhere producing exceptional people and feeding them into St. Pats where they do magical things for the 10K (O.K. Johnny “Horndog” Tiernan is an exception, but he got deported to Arizona. Don’t come back Johnny, ‘cos all is not forgiven!!!). Back to Mary.

 

 

 

IT Tralee

John Vahey

It is said that John Vahey is the first member of his family to walk upright, however there is nothing Neanderthal about John. A handsome, attractive man about town (according to his mammy), John has based his life on the teachings of the Dalai Lama and Jackie Healy-Rae. A   noted party animal (some people consider the word “party” slightly superfluous when describing him), John’s leadership of the 10K effort in Tralee was energetic, creative and apparently resulted in all charges being dropped for the previous three years. A nervous public speaker, Vahey really earned his legend status by speaking publicly for the first time in his life making class addresses for the 10K He has exploited the Tralee 10K success by flaunting himself around Tralee town accompanied by a Labrador puppy. Ken “Tubba” Mc Mahon is IT Tralee’s trainee legend and is currently studying the Vahey technique. We wish you well Tubba.

 

 

 

 

Mary Immaculate – Limerick

Aine Mc Grath

Aine is a graduate of that special place in Limerick – Mary I. She is a teacher and hundreds of young Irish kids will experience someone really special, just as children in Belarus experienced someone who is beautifully gifted. Aine’s sincerity and compassion and hard work gave the 10K a great result in Mary I. There is a huge tradition there of great support for the 10K and we are very grateful. Here are some quotes from famous people about Aine:

She is the path to true enlightenment – Dalai Lama

Aine Mc Grath – she rocks – Pope John Paul

Aine Mc Grath is bleedin’ gud person and dats a fact – Bertie Ahern

Like, who the f*&^ is Aine Mc Grath? – Bob Geldof

 

TCD
Annie Gatling

Annie’s list of achievements reads like eh, quite a list of achievements. Mother of Aoife, former President of Trinity Students Union, attractive, quietly spoken, a great friend and doer of good deeds, articulate (when sober),   Annie is Trinity’s 10K legend. Anyone who has seen the 10K audio-visual for 2002 will have been moved by the beautifully tender photo of Annie holding a Belarussian orphan. There will be many fine hours in Annie’s life, but this will always be one of your finest.

Of course there is a darker side to Annie’s life which we hate drawing attention to. Like hell we do. Annie enjoys her liquor and after a few vodkas, can speak russian and if your lucky,you will hear her rendition of Waltzing Matilda.

 

WIT

Ian O’Brien & Brian Sweeney

When Ian O’Brien and Brian Sweeney got elected as president and deputy president of WITSU they promised to reform the union. This is exactly what they did gaining the respect of students and staff of the college. These guys are Gods but nobody could accuse them of being goody-two-shoes. They will bring huge leadership talent to Bike2Belarus combined with Munster charm, an ability to imbibe copious amounts of alcohol, smoke prodigious amounts of strange tobacco-like products, and flirt with anyone between 6 and 60! Waterford Institute of Technology where these guys did a lot of good stuff when they were young and healthy holds the record for the biggest fund-raising effort by any Irish college (beating near neighbours UCC by a few Euro). We are looking forward to WIT making another big splash in the first Bike2Belarus in spite of Ian and Brian's efforts and their better-looking successors!

PS If you need a dodgy second-hand car, apparently Ian is your man.