This summer will see an Irish duo competing in ‘the greatest motoring adventure on the planet’ all in a bid to raise much needed funds for Aoibeann’s Pink Tie foundation, who provide aid for children with cancer. Irish representatives, ‘Straight Sideways’ comprises of Craig O’Rourke (Wicklow) and Ronan O’Neill (Wicklow) who are commencing (and hopefully completing) this journey of a lifetime in their trusted 1992 Toyota Starlet, which they picked up on Done Deal for €500.

The Mongol Rally thunders 10,000 miles across the mountains, desert and steppe of Europe and Asia. There’s no back-up, no support and no set route. It is about getting lost, using your neglected wits, raising shedloads of cash for charity and scraping into the finish line with your vehicle in tatters.

Team Straight Sideways - “Our biggest challenge right now is raising funds for our chosen charity, we’re aiming to raise €5,000. The reason we picked Aoibheann’s Pink Tie is that we know where the money raised is going directly to families who need support. We just hope some families can benefit from this crazy adventure.”