Damian ‘driven’ to finish charity cycle

The memories of family and friends who have died from cancer inspired a man to keep pedalling during the tough days of a 2,000km fundraising cycle from Copenhagen to Ireland.

Damian O’Brien, 40, from Cobh in Co Cork, arrived to a hero’s welcome in his home town yesterday after the 12-day adventure across north western Europe to raise funds for pioneering research being conducted by the Cork Cancer Research Centre (CCRC).

When the going got tough, Damian said he dug deep by thinking of two people, in particular, with whom he had lost contact in recent years before their deaths from the disease.