Barry Bannon from Newry completed a running challenge to raise funds and awareness for Davina’s Ark, an addiction recovery charity based in Newry. The charity assisted Bannon in overcoming alcoholism five years ago.

Bannon stated he felt overwhelmed by the support and experience from the challenge. He received feedback and outreach from people he knew and did not know who followed his progress.

Before starting the race, Bannon said he felt emotional due to the challenge's purpose of speaking for those facing addiction and mental health issues. He plans to repeat the event next year to absorb it more fully.

During each day of the run, Bannon shared a positive message on social media for people dealing with addiction. He described the response as leaving him taken aback.

Bannon noted that people encouraged him because they found his openness about addiction positive and humbling, particularly for those struggling or with family members in similar situations. He aimed to demonstrate recovery possibilities through Davina’s Ark support.

Bannon called Davina’s Ark a unique charity for its work on personal recovery journeys. He said the challenge returned more to him than expected, highlighting widespread support for recovery efforts.