Killybegs man Luke McCarthy is set to run the Galway Bay Marathon in two weeks’ time to honour his father and raise awareness for a rare neurological disease.
The run is a deeply personal challenge for 25-year-old Luke, inspired by his father Joe’s difficult battle with Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD). This rare neurodegenerative disease has caused Joe’s health to decline rapidly in a short space of time.
Joe, a well-known house painter, initially began experiencing Parkinson’s-like symptoms four years ago. As his health worsened, medics recognised the condition was more complex.
CDB has no known cause or cure. In the past two years, Joe has become bed-bound, unable to walk and, in the past few months, he has lost the ability to talk.
Joe lives at home with the support of carers, but has had to have long stays in hospital due to various complications. He marked his 64th birthday this week while in Sligo Hospital.
Joe Mc Carthy
Joe’s inability to communicate with his family and engage in football chat about his beloved Liverpool, has hit the hardest.
Luke will do the Run Galway Bay marathon on the 5th of October with the support of family and friends to raise funds for PSPA Ireland, a charity that supports patients and families affected by CBD and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).
“We were raised to make something positive of every obstacle that comes in life. With everything going on in the last four years, I wanted to do something positive. The marathon was something I could fight for. In the process, I want to raise awareness of this disease,” Luke tells Donegal Daily.
This will be Luke’s first full marathon, and he is hoping his campaign can also reach other younger people who may have a family member in the same situation.
“I saw this as a way for us as a family to get stronger in a situation where you feel there isn’t anything you can do,” Luke said.
“You never know what knock-on effect it might have. I believe this is just the start for me. I’d like to volunteer for PSPA one day. I want to do anything I can to make him (Joe) proud.”
Joe with his son Luke before his illness.
The fundraiser has already raised over €12,000, with donations pouring in from his father’s family and friends in Cork and the local community in Donegal.
Joe is a native of Kilworth who has called Killybegs home for over 25 years. It was here that he built a life with his wife, Anna, who taught in St Catherine’s, and raised their two children, Luke and his older sister Ciara.
Joe, Anna, Ciara and Luke Mc Carthy
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity,” Luke said. “My hope is to get the ball rolling for people to connect and chat to each other about these diseases. To connect with other people dealing with this would be huge.”
If you would like to donate to the ‘Run For Joe’ please visit: www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/JoeMcCarthy
Find out more about PSPA Ireland at: pspaireland.ie
‘I want to make him proud’ – Killybegs man on marathon mission as father battles rare disease was last modified: September 20th, 2025 by Rachel McLaughlin
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