Munster Rugby announced this week that they will run a cycle from Musgrave Park in Cork to Warrington in England in aid Motor Neurone Disease. The decision to take on the cycle came after Paul Derbyshire, Munster’s Strength and Conditioning coach and a native of Wigan, but whose family reside in Warrington, was diagnosed with the disease. Paul will finish his contract with Munster Rugby at the end of this season.
Paul Darbyshire, Munster Head of Strength & Conditioning for the past four years was diagnosed last September with Motor Neurone Disease. Paul, has continued to carry out his duties with the squad with a characteristic courage and humour that has been an inspiration to all. The notion of this cycle was first mooted by Ricky Sergent who is coach of the soccer team that Paul’s son Jack plays with in Warrington and Sergent will be joined by former Munster wing Brian Carney and a group from Warrington for the trip. A native of Wigan in the north of England, Paul played almost all his professional Rugby League career with Warrington Wolves. He is married to Lyndsay and has four children, Ella (13), Georgia (11), Jack aged 7 and baby Harry, born last October. Funds raised in the course of the cycle will go to the Darbyshire family and to fund research into Motor Neurone Disease being carried out in Trinity College Dublin by Professor of Neurology Orla Hardiman. The Munster Rugby Cycle for Paul Darbyshire & Motor Neurone Research begins in Musgrave Park in Cork on Sunday June 19th, with the Irish stages finishing in Trinity College Dublin on Tuesday 21st. The cycle then moves to the UK, finishing in Warrington on Thursday 23rd June 2011.
