A priest is among a group of people who will, for the first time ever, abseil from the turrets of an iconic cathedral in Co Cork.Kathleen Geary, a community employment supervisor who is organising and competing in the event, said they will have to abseil approximately 70 metres from the turrets to the ground.
"It’s so difficult to come up with new and exciting fundraising ideas to help bring in money," she said. "There are so many worthy causes out there, we needed something unique and this is it. I looked for an iconic building in Cobh for the abseil and the cathedral fitted the bill."
Permission for the challenge was given by parish administrator Fr Michael Leamy, who has also signed up for the abseil. He and the rest of the group are undergoing training at Ardmore Adventures under the tutelage of Ronan O’Connor.
The group also includes four women, a bar owner and Mark Anderson, who organised the town’s Titanic 100 commemoration.
The youngest abseiler is 15-year-old Emmett Burns.
"We’re asking people please support these brave souls in their bid to keep Cobh People’s Regatta afloat for another year," Ms Geary said.
The regatta will run from Aug 17-19.
Meanwhile, a commemoration to remember all those who died when the Lusitania was sunk in 1915 will be held in Cobh next Sunday at 11.15am.
The afternoon will feature live music, food, craft stalls and children’s entertainment on the promenade.
The sixth annual Barrack Hill Ball Roll lottery will take place on the Bank Holiday Monday 4 pm.