RUNNING man Tony McGourty will take on the Longford Marathon this Sunday in a bid to raise money for his old friend, Father Gabriel Dolan.

The Belcoo man is no stranger to long distance running. In the past he has completed the Belfast, Dublin, Londonderry and Malta marathons along with a number of 10K runs.

But inspired by the work of his school mate in Kenya, Tony has an extra incentive to make it to the finish line this weekend.

Father Dolan, originally from Cashel, has been living in Kenya for the last 33 years, working as a human rights activist.

Standing up for the rights of up to 70,000 people, living in unofficial accommodation in a six square mile area in Kenya, has landed the outspoken Fermanagh priest into all kinds of trouble in the past.

He was imprisoned in 2003 for leading an anti-corruption demonstration targeting the then vice-president, Moody Awori.

He has been threatened with deportation on numerous occasions and has had his life-threatened in the past too.

“It is a very dangerous life out there,” Tony acknowledges. “He could have come back on so many occasions but he decided to stay and help these people. He is a fearless man and he is so passionate about his work.

“He spends a lot of time in court representing people and their rights.” Tony looks forward to his friend’s visits back to Fermanagh every few years.

“He comes back to visit his family who are still living here and to spread the word of his work out there,” he explains.

“The people he helps are all living in shanty buildings. There is no government support for his people.

“So he relies on the donations of people to carry out his work.

“He has built a secondary school and is in the process of building a primary school. He has also a health centre but now needs the money to run it.

“I think to be honest we have a duty to help people less fortunate than ourselves. Some of the stories that he has told me about life our there are shocking.

“Just imagine what it must be like to live in a shanty town. It is third world poverty on a scale that we simply cannot comprehend.” Anyone wishing to donate to Tony’s marathon run for Father Dolan can contact him directly to make a cheque payable to Father Gabriel Dolan send it to Tony at his address: Rushin, Belcoo.