'It was far from ideal' - Kilkenny tourists robbed while raising money for ill boy

Two Kilkenny men are doing their bit for charity, taking on a gruelling cycle from Dublin to Istanbul.

The journey will see them cross parts of the world they have never seen before, on a route totalling approximately 4,000km, in order to help raise funds for a young boy who needs urgent treatment. - DONATE HERE

Sean Lawlor and Cillian Larkin are still travelling at the time of writing and are currently in Split, Croatia with their next big city stop being in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

However, as Cillian has told Kilkenny Live, their trip hasn't been without difficulty.

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"The worst part was definitely the bad luck we experienced in Milan. I had my phone pickpocketed and Sean had his locked bike stolen during the night. It was far from ideal but we managed to sort out a used phone and bike."

That unfortunate set back hasn't deterred the Kilkenny pair, who are keen to finish what they've started.

"So far, this trip has been a great experience. Cycling through countries and seeing the smaller towns and hidden gems has been fascinating. Also, meeting new people along the way has been a great experience. We found Jack, a 27 year old from England in Rijeka, and he will be joining us all the way to Istanbul," Cillian continued.

"We set off from Dublin last month and knew we couldn’t settle for any less than Istanbul. All the donations towards William’s treatment and the awareness we are raising for DMD has been the main motivator.

"We have about 1500km left of our trip and aim to complete it in the next 3 weeks. We would like to thank everyone who has donated so far and hopefully the GoFundMe stays growing for William," Cillian concluded.

So far a total of €3,060 has been raised for the worthwhile cause.

READ MORE: 'On Your Bike' - Two Kilkenny cyclists take part in life changing fundraiser