Orla’s Wild Ways in Memory of my Brother Anthony Foley
Orla’s Wildways is Fundraiser in memory of Anthony Foley raising much needed funds Help ease pain for other families CRY (provide free screening for families at risk of sudden adult death), Irish Rugby Charitable Trust (providing support and resources to Injured rugby Players)and Mid Western Cancer Foundation (Anthony was on board of this wonderful charity who provide free holistic therapies and support for cancer patients)I cycled over 3000 km in 2021 of the wild Atlantic way mindfully, savouring the epic journey whilst raising money or the nominated charities. Loving the journey so much I continued on since cycling the rest of the coast of Ireland and cycled across France form Roscoff to Pisa. Be sure and follow our journey on social media and donate to these worthy causes.
Donate here: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/11391559_orla-s-wild-ways-in-memory-of-anthony-foley.html
The fundraising is not done alone; the most recent chapter is thanks to Patrick McCarry who wrote the wonderful play ‘Soldier Field’ capturing Irish Rugbys amazing win over New Zealand ‘All Black’ in honour of Anthony forming the figure 8. The play recieved standing ovations in its 4 sold out shows in Oct 2024 marking Anthony’s 8th Anniversary. The amazingly gifted Barry Murphy’s ‘Alone you stand’ tribute song to our brother Anthony marked Anthony’s 5th Anniversary. (When you donate to below link you get sent the song in your thanks you email or listen on social media). Rosie my incredibly determined sister has continued her epic feats by swimming the Hudson Channel in NYC on June 15, 2022. This is her third channel swim having previously swam the English Channel and the Straights of Gibraltar. Then on the 23rd of September she swam the final channel of the Triple Crown of Swimming , the Catalina Channel, in California. August 2024 Rosie swam Alcatraz and the epic Golden Gate Swim. Rosie herself played for Ireland Rugby team, has an all Ireland Ladies Football medal with Clare, and has other numerous awards which saw her inducted into the UL Hall of Fame in 2019 for a lifetime of sport achievements. This fiercely competitive and successful sports women is one of the reasons Anthony was as successful as he was. And swimming was once their childhood battleground and perhaps Rosie too can thank Anthony for her success in sports. This is the third epic channel Rosie has swam in memory of Anthony and please applaud her efforts by donating.
Donate please: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/11391559_orla-s-wild-ways-in-memory-of-anthony-foley.html
Facebooks Page https://www.facebook.com/Orlaswildways/
Instagram Page https://instagram.com/orlaswildways?igshid=1q7an6m9u1mwu
Book online Limetree, Limerick, February 13th, 2025: https://limetreebelltable.ie/events/soldier-field/
Book online Moat Theatre, February 6th, 2025: https://www.moattheatre.com/shows/solider-field-6th-february-2025
Thank you for taking the time to visit my memorial page for Anthony Foley. Special thanks to all the wonderful souls who has helped make this journey possible and supporting this cause in memory of Axel Foley.
I’ve chosen to fundraise for CRY Cardiac Risk in the Young, The Mid-Western Cancer Foundation and Irish Rugby Charitable Trust. All funds raised here will go directly to these great causes.
I hope you can help me by donating whatever you can. Simply click the Donate button below. All donations are processed securely.
Sharing my page and fundraiser is a great way to show your support. Please do what you can to help.
Thanks to the current world situation this fundraiser was born as weekends are a lot freer. I cycled 3000km over 4 months spread over 10 months due to lockdowns The intention was to cycle the Wild Atlantic way with a huge emphasis on wellbeing. Taking the time to savor beautiful scenery, listen to my body and follow the current guidelines on travel advice. This is a staycation on steroids and was beyond my wildest dreams. The original camino in 2017 a few months after Anthony’s Death across northern Spain on the Route Del Norte on the Camino really opened my eyes to the joys of touring. In 2017 I did not know setting out if my body would be able for the challenge or if we would complete the whole thing as I had a bad horse riding accident two months previously. The 2021 camino was based on honouring my body and well-being. When my body was tired I intended to listen and mostly did. It’s an exploration of the wonderful Wild Atlantic route and well-being. And what a journey. Be sure and look at the videos and pictures on my social media. It was the most epic adventure of my life and a great way to celebrate and remember my Brother Anthony Foley. Please like and share. If you can get up and move …..
Please like and follow my journey on
Instagram: https://instagram.com/orlaswildways?utm_medium=copy_link
Facebook.: https://www.facebook.com/Orlaswildways
Media Coverage From TV, Print and Radio:
TV coverage special thanks to RTE, TG4, Virgin media and Irish Rugby for their generous coverage of this fundraiser.
- Irish Rugby: https://www.irishrugby.ie/2021/11/13/alone-you-stand-a-tribute-to-anthony-foley/
- Virgin Ireland AM: https://cry.ie/index.php/2021/12/06/6th-december-2021-orla-foley-spoke-on-irelandam-remembering-her-brother-anthony-foley/
- Off The Ball: https://youtu.be/_6JGl8dR4m4?si=MYzIItFBBlJhw7ZP
- Youtube UL Talk: https://youtu.be/lgAWmnnHgRI
Radio coverage has been equally generous
- RTE Radio 1 Ray Darcy Kathryn Thomas Aug’21 https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/21990444/
- Ray Darcy Barry Murphy Orla https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22027520/
- Claire Byrne Show: https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22442513/
- Clare FM: https://www.clare.fm/podcasts/honouring-anthony-foley-orla-foleys-inspiring-charity-cycle-journey-2/
- https://www.clare.fm/podcasts/foley-family-pay-tribute-axel-foley-fifth-anniversary-3/
- https://www.clare.fm/podcasts/song-tribute-axel-foley-launched-weekend-3/
- Newstalk: https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/highlights-from-the-pat-kenny-show/the-play-soldier-field-pays-homage-to-great-anthony-foley
Print media has generously supported our fundraiser too
- The Independent https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/i-went-down-wailing-like-a-banshee-sister-of-rugby-legend-axel-foley-on-his-sudden-death-and-legacy/a536502107.html
- Sunday World : https://www.sundayworld.com/showbiz/family-of-rugby-star-anthony-axel-foley-says-play-about-his-life-is-a-lovely-tribute/a1281224142.html
- Extra.ie : https://extra.ie/2024/10/01/sport/rugby/soldier-field-play-anthony-foley
- Irish Mirror: https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/anthony-axel-foley-rip-shoulder-33926991
- I Love Limerick: https://www.ilovelimerick.ie/orlas-wild-ways-anthony-foley/
- Clare Echo: https://www.clareecho.ie/foley-family-on-target-to-raise-e40k-for-charities/
- Clare Live : https://www.clarelive.ie/news/home/893637/sister-of-killaloe-born-rugby-legend-raises-millions-for-local-charities.html
- Evoke.ie https://evoke.ie/2021/11/09/news/new-song-in-memory-of-anthony-foley-to-be-performed-at-ireland-v-new-zealand-game
- Limerick Post: https://www.limerickpost.ie/2022/01/19/lean-on-me-winds-down-as-businesses-start-to-recover/
Many Thanks for your support.
Love Orla xo
MEDIA RELEASE
Sunday, 02 October 2022
Rosie Completes Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming
Former Irish Rugby international Rosie Foley has become just the second Irish woman to complete the arduous Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, a marathon swimming challenge consisting of three historically important swims around the world.
The Killaloe native undertook the charity challenge in memory of her brother, the late Munster and Irish legend Anthony Foley, with all proceeds going to the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation, children’s charity CARI and CRY, which provides screening and free bereavement counselling for families at risk of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS).
Rosie this week followed in the footsteps of her mentor, Fionnuala Walsh, by completing the 32.3 km swim across the Catalina Channel between Santa Catalina Island and the Southern California mainland in the United States. Rosie had previously completed the 33.5 km across the English Channel between England and France (July 2014) and the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, a 45.9 km circumnavigation around Manhattan Island (June 2022).
In matching her brother’s achievement with a Triple Crown of her own, Rosie has become an elite member of a group of less than 279 people who have achieved the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.
Speaking of the charities she is fundraising for, Rosie said, “CRY helps families like ours by screening people who are risk for Sudden Adult Death and provide free helpline for bereavement, CARI provide counselling and support services for children who have suffered the heinous crime of sexual abuse and Mid-Western Cancer foundation provides free support services, including counselling and holistic therapies for cancer patients.”
Rosie’s fundraising campaign is part of an ongoing fundraiser set up by their younger sister Orla, called Orla’s WIldways. Orla has cycled the coast of ireland, The Camino and across France, and to date they have raised over €34,000 for the three charities.
Speaking about her sister’s achievement, Orla said, “Childhood sibling rivalry has helped many a sportsperson summit their Everest in life and even though he is dead nearly 6 years Anthony is still inspiring his family and others to reach for the stars. Rosie completed the Triple crown in Ocean swimming this week, just a month before her 50th birthday. In 2014, prior to Anthony’s death, Rosie achieved her childhood dream of swimming the English Channel and swimming the Shannon to Killaloe to which her younger brother quipped ‘Have you ever heard of using a boat Rosie’ or ‘There are easier ways to get to France – say a plane?’.”
Orla added, “Rosie is a humble sportswoman whose achievements are endless since she was a young girl captaining our school team to wins in camogie, winning as a Junior All Ireland Gaelic Football as player and trainer, and to achieving a lifetime dream of playing 39 times for Ireland, following in her brother Anthony’s and father Brendan’s footsteps. Like her brother she captained Munster to an interprovincial championship. As an avid lover of swimming, she has been actively involved with Irish Water and advocates water safety. As a physical education teacher, coach and president of her local Killaloe Ballina Rugby Club she continues to give back to sport so children learn to have a lifelong love of sport like her.”
To donate to CRY, IRFU Charitable Trust and Midwestern Cancer foundation, visit https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/11391559_orla-s-wild-ways-in-memory-of-anthony-foley.html