Huge support by late 28 year old Mayo Man's GAA teammates for 5 Peaks over 5 Days Challenge
June 23, 2025
Family, friends and teammates from his local GAA club of the late James McNeive gather for a photo ahead of their participation in Summit for James, back, l/r: James's: brother and teammate with Aghamore GAA Michael; cousin John McNeive, Easter Gaels GAA player; teammate Liam Conboy, Aghamore GAA; cousin Ross Egan, teammate Aghamore GAA; (front row) teammate Darren Duffy, Aghamore GAA captain; cousin Grainne McNeive; mother Bernadette McNeive.
Family, friends, and GAA teammates of the late James McNeive, from Knock, Co. Mayo, a much-loved member of the communities he touched, are preparing to honour his memory, from tomorrow June 24th until 28th through the Summit for James – 5 Peak Challenge less than a year after the 28-year-old’s tragic death.
A core group of 30 dedicated climbers, including James’s family and former teammates from the local Aghamore GAA club where James played, will take on all five peaks across the UK and Ireland. Over 400 people are expected to support the final climb on Croagh Patrick in James’s home county, including architect and TV personality Dermot Bannon. Remembering James, cherished by his pupils, their parents and colleagues in the schools where he taught, Dermot Bannon said, “James was an amazing person and was special to our family, as he was my son’s teacher.”
The primary school teacher tragically lost his life in a road accident last August. The Summit for James - 5 Peak Challenge will raise funds for several worthy causes which were close to James’s heart including the Irish Kidney Association, the charity chosen as his younger brother, Matthew, age 27, has spent his entire twenties on dialysis while waiting for a second kidney transplant.
In an extraordinary show of determination and resilience, Matthew plans to take on three of the five mountain peaks as part of this 5-day event. For two of the days, Matthew will have to attend dialysis treatment at Beaumont Hospital, yet he remains committed to pushing forward with three of the climbs.
Lending their support to raise awareness of the challenge with their large social media followings are Mayo man Garron Noone, Irish professional golfer Leona Maguire, and Arsenal football legend Paul Merson, a particularly meaningful gesture, as James and his late father Pete were lifelong Arsenal supporters. There will be live link updates from each of the mountains to local Mid-West radio presenter Tommy Marren during his morning show, with the final summit broadcast live back to the station, as Tommy himself joins the climb.
Anyone can join the challenge, whether they wish to climb, donate, or spread awareness. The event is self-funded, meaning participants cover their own costs. This ensures that 100% of funds raised will go directly to charity. While honouring James’s memory, the goal is to raise in excess of €50,000 through the online fundraising platform, https://www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/James5PeakChallenge
Participants will scale the highest peaks in Ireland and the UK over five consecutive days, beginning at Ben Nevis in Scotland on what would have been James’s 29th birthday on Tuesday, 24th June and finishing on Saturday, 28th June with a climb up Croagh Patrick in Co. Mayo. A core group of 30 climbers will be undertaking all five peaks, including James’s mother Bernadette and his aunt Noreen along with other dedicated climbers including a large group from Aghamore GAA where James played, his brother Michael and his six cousins Ross Egan, Enda and Declan Sweeney, John and Grainne McNeive and Gary Fahy. Their commitment is a heartfelt tribute to James’s memory.
Close to 80 participants will take part in the Carrauntoohil climb including James’s sister Fiona and his girlfriend Catherine Carr (from Letterkenny). 400 people are expected to support the Croagh Patrick climb with Parish Priest Fr. Richard Gibbons giving a blessing at summit.
The challenge will begin on 24th June with Ben Nevis, in Scotland (1,345 metres), followed by Scafell Pike in northern England (978 metres), then to Snowdon in Wales (1,085 metres). On the fourth day, the Challenge will continue back home to Ireland, for the country’s highest peak, Carrauntoohil, Co Kerry (1,038 meters).
The challenge will culminate with a final ascent of Croagh Patrick in Co. Mayo. Although not as high as the other peaks, after four consecutive days of climbing, it will pose its own challenge, and serves as a fitting, symbolic end to the journey in James’s beloved home county.
Remembered for his boundless energy, kindness, and the joy he brought into the lives of others, James left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him, from his family and friends and neighbours, to the children he taught, sporting teammates, and those he studied with and worked alongside. As a tribute, his family has founded the James McNeive Foundation to support charities that reflect his values and passions including the Irish Kidney Association which advocates for kidney patients like his brother Matthew.
Matthew, a twin, was diagnosed with Triad Syndrome before birth, a condition that left him with one functioning kidney and dependent on dialysis for much of his life. At just ten years old, Matthew, a patient at the Children’s Hospital in Crumlin underwent his first transplant at CHI Temple Street. It gave him eight and a half years before the kidney failed and he needed dialysis again just as he was set to start college. Since 2018, he has undergone haemodialysis three times a week at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, each session lasting over four hours.
Despite the immense health challenges, Matthew received a sports scholarship to TUD for his sports accomplishments, and he graduated from college with 1st Class Honours and now works full-time as a Cardiac Physiologist at the Beacon Hospital. But his day-to-day life remains severely restricted by his illness. He lives on a strict diet, cannot travel freely, and is constantly on alert for the call that could give him the gift of a second transplant.
Unfortunately, due to complications from his previous transplant, Matthew has developed high levels of antibodies, which makes finding a match especially difficult.
The late James had planned to step in as a kidney donor in the Paired Exchange Scheme based in Belfast, a programme where his mother, Bernadette, had volunteered to donate one of her kidneys so that Matthew, might receive a matching kidney from another donor in the network if a suitable deceased donor wasn't found. Concerns about age-related risks for Bernadette meant James was prepared to take over as the family’s donor, ensuring that Matthew could still remain eligible to receive a kidney in the exchange. James tragically passed before he could fulfil this intention. Michael, Matthew’s twin, who is not a suitable match is now going forward for the paired exchange programme.
In speaking about his brother James and the inspiration for the 5 Peak Challenge, Matthew said, “James was the heartbeat of our family. He had this rare ability to light up any room and lift the people around him, whether you were a friend, a student or a stranger. He had a deep love for his school communities and his local GAA club. That’s why the charities we’ve chosen reflect his passions, teaching, mental health, sport, a children’s charity, and of course the Irish Kidney Association, because he never liked to see me struggle. He always wanted to do something to help and supported organ donation.”
“In his memory, we wanted to do something that reflects his spirit, his love for life, and his love for helping others. It’s emotional, but it’s also something we’re proud to do for him. The 5 Peaks Challenge will be just one of many events we hope to organise under the James McNeive Foundation.”
Like his late brother, Matthew shares a deep love for sport and also played for his local Aghamore GAA club. He represented Transplant Team Ireland at the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships in Finland, in 2016 when he was 18 years old, from which he brought home three bronze medals, one in the 100m sprint, and two in table tennis, both singles and doubles. These accomplishments came during the years following his first kidney transplant, before his current time on dialysis.
The Summit for James - 5 Peak Challenge will raise funds for several charities including Make-A-Wish Ireland, Daisy Lodge, Mayo Mindspace, Irish Heart Foundation, the Irish Kidney Association, and numerous local schools and sports clubs where James made his mark including Aghamore NS, Ballyhaunis NS, Barnacarroll NS, Bekan NS, Gortskehy NS, Knock NS, St. Louis Community School, Tooreen NS, Glasnevin NS, Aghamore GAA, Eastern Gaels GAA.
Even members of the Mayo diaspora living in Australia are showing their support. Friends and acquaintances of the late James in Australia came together from across the land down under to Brisbane on Saturday, 21 June, for a climb up Mount Maroon. Around 40 people took part in this tribute called ‘Warm Up for James’, which has been organised by James’s cousin and best friend, Lorna Egan. Among those participating was Ciaran Harrison, James’s best friend who now lives in Sydney, Australia. Since Ciaran is unable to return to Ireland, his brother, Brendan Harrison, a former Mayo player, will be taking on all five peaks in his place. Ciaran returned to Mayo last August, along with seven others who also live in Australia (his girlfriend Lauren, Lisa and Jason and Lorna and Regan), to attend James’s funeral.
Closer to home, another cousin, Siobhán Sweeney Dolan, and her husband Eoin Dolan -both primary school teachers like the late James - organised a climb up the Sugarloaf in Wicklow on June 2nd. They were joined by fellow teachers, SNAs, and children from the schools they teach in and where James taught, in a moving show of solidarity and remembrance.
The McNeive family warmly welcomes all forms of support, whether through a donation, participation in any of the upcoming climbs, or simply by helping to spread awareness and celebrate the life of James, who touched so many in such a profound way during his life, tragically cut short.
Your support, in any form, will make a lasting difference and help ensure that James’s legacy continues to inspire and uplift others.
To learn more you can follow the event on
Facebook: TheJamesMcNeiveFoundation
Instagram: @the_james_mcneive_foundation
TO DONATE visit: https://www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/James5PeakChallenge
100% of the funds raised will go directly to the nominated charities and causes with all expenses for the climbs being personally covered by the participants themselves.
The organisers are also actively seeking corporate sponsorship, with a dedicated sponsorship package available.
For more information on the Irish Kidney Association or to request an organ donor card or download a digital donor card into your mobile wallet visit www.ika.ie
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