This Dublin man could become oldest person to cycle around the world
A Dublin man is set to complete a Guinness World Record by becoming the oldest person to circumnavigate the globe by bicycle.
Rush native Dermot Higgins has spent the first nine months of his retirement pedalling 31,000km in an attempt to break a world record and raise funds for Trócaire.
To date, he has raised over €7,000.
The retired teacher set off on a 31,000km cycle around the world last June.
The 55-year-old the father of four hopes to become the oldest person in the world to successfully complete the challenge.
"I just want to do something different, something out of the ordinary, something extraordinary," said Dermot.
"Completing the Round the World Cycle will be my life's ambition realised. Having the opportunity to promote Global Goals and to support Trócaire is the icing on the cake."
He is currently in the USA and he plans to arrive in Washington DC just before St Patrick’s Day, where he will meet a host of dignitaries including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
Dermot will continue to New York City where he will take part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade before undertaking the last leg of his journey from Lisbon to Madrid.
In Madrid, he will be joined by a group of 12 friends to rally around and cycle the last leg of his trip, culminating in his arrival into Dublin on Easter Sunday.
Few Pictures from India pic.twitter.com/7Fkfo9OvXT
— GoGoDermo (@GoGoDermo) October 5, 2017
By the end of his journey, Dermot will have trekked through 21 countries. He has been cycling solo, camping daily, transporting all his own gear and equipment and spending as little as €15 a day.
"What Dermot has undertaken is an extraordinary challenge. Not only that, but he’s using his challenge to shine a light on global poverty and social justice," said Reidin O’Connor, fundraising manager with Trócaire.
"Here in Trócaire, we’ve been following his progress closely and his commitment has been really inspiring over the past year.
"We wish him the best of luck for the last leg of his journey and I hope that he achieves everything he has worked so hard for."
