Former Laois Offaly TD and Taoiseach Brian Cowen has showed his support for a local charity which has raised huge sums of money Mr Cowen was on hand as Offaly All-Ireland Footballing champs from 1971 paraded the Sam Maguire Cup once again to back the Paddy Fenning Walk which has raised more than €150,000 . Fifty years to the day since they made the historic breakthrough by winning the county’s first ever senior All-Ireland title, the team reunited to honour their late teammate, who passed away last year after a stoic battle with motor neurone disease (MND). Mr Cowen the launch the walk, commenting that the “spirit of Paddy Fenning is alive and well here this morning” and referencing “the great life that he lived, the great Tullamore man that he was”. He remembered how when playing underage football with Clara, opposing Tullamore teams invariably had Paddy Fenning at the helm and that defeat was often their lot. Mr Cowen also recalled the Offaly team’s success of the early 70s and how, like youngsters all around the county at that time, he strived to perfect the “Tony McTague sidestep”. He added: “I’m grateful for the opportunity to support this wonderful cause and I think of him [Paddy Fenning] and many others who have gone to their eternal reward but have left behind a great legacy and I hope that, in the years to come, we’re able to keep it up.” KEEP READING BELOW PICTURE AND TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY OF PICTURES CLICK ON NEXT ABOVE Picture - Ciara Kinnarney The last of Paddy’s many initiatives - to raise €150,000 for MND research and support services as well as homeless causes in Offaly - was realised with the sum surpassed as contributions poured in at Tullamore GAA Centre on Sunday morning ahead of the walk, which had some 300 participants. The walk set off from Tullamore GAA Centre and down Convent View before continuing along the Grand Canal and returning on a loop to complete the 5km route. To complete the walk, Willie Bryan and Tony McTague, the respective
IN PICTURES: Former Taoiseach Brian Cowen makes public appearance with Sam Maguire for local charity
![Former Laois Offaly TD and Taoiseach Brian Cowen has showed his support for a local charity which has raised huge sums of money Mr Cowen was on hand as Offaly All-Ireland Footballing champs from 1971 paraded the Sam Maguire Cup once again to back the Paddy Fenning Walk which has raised more than €150,000 . Fifty years to the day since they made the historic breakthrough by winning the county’s first ever senior All-Ireland title, the team reunited to honour their late teammate, who passed away last year after a stoic battle with motor neurone disease (MND). Mr Cowen the launch the walk, commenting that the “spirit of Paddy Fenning is alive and well here this morning” and referencing “the great life that he lived, the great Tullamore man that he was”. He remembered how when playing underage football with Clara, opposing Tullamore teams invariably had Paddy Fenning at the helm and that defeat was often their lot. Mr Cowen also recalled the Offaly team’s success of the early 70s and how, like youngsters all around the county at that time, he strived to perfect the “Tony McTague sidestep”. He added: “I’m grateful for the opportunity to support this wonderful cause and I think of him [Paddy Fenning] and many others who have gone to their eternal reward but have left behind a great legacy and I hope that, in the years to come, we’re able to keep it up.” KEEP READING BELOW PICTURE AND TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY OF PICTURES CLICK ON NEXT ABOVE Picture - Ciara Kinnarney The last of Paddy’s many initiatives - to raise €150,000 for MND research and support services as well as homeless causes in Offaly - was realised with the sum surpassed as contributions poured in at Tullamore GAA Centre on Sunday morning ahead of the walk, which had some 300 participants. The walk set off from Tullamore GAA Centre and down Convent View before continuing along the Grand Canal and returning on a loop to complete the 5km route. To complete the walk, Willie Bryan and Tony McTague, the respective](https://www.connachttribune.ie/jpim-static/image/2026/04/28/09/iconic-upload-1632823219540.JPG?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=70&enable=upscale)
