Essex to Dublin: vet, 73, in 320-mile charity cycle challenge

A 73-year-old vet is embarking on an epic cycling charity challenge in June to mark 50 years in practice.

Jerry Moloney, who celebrated the milestone last year, will cycle 320 miles from his veterinary clinic in Great Dunmow, Essex, to the vet school where he qualified in Dublin in 1975.

Dr Moloney will embark on 20 June and expects the journey to take four days, with his route taking him through Northamptonshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire before he boards a ferry to Ireland in Holyhead.

County Kildare

He plans to cycle a further 40 miles from Dublin to his home county, County Kildare, where he was inspired to become a vet while caring for animals on his family’s farm.

Dr Moloney said: “I love my job as much as I did when I was a new vet and love the connection that being a vet gives you to people.

“To mark my 50 years in veterinary practice I decided to take on a personal challenge and, because I’ve always enjoyed cycling, thought I would see if I could cycle to Dublin. I will be riding an E-bike, which will make the hill climbing easier, but is still a long journey and, as I will be carrying a heavy load and cycling with two fairly battered knees, it will push me to the limit.

“Along the way, I also want to do some good by raising money for three excellent and very deserving charities.”

Good causes

The veterinary surgeon is raising money for Vetlife, Unicef and Essex and Herts Air Ambulance.

A fund-raising page has been set up for donations online.

Money raised for Vetlife will be matched by VetPartners, which is supporting it as its charity of the year for 2026.