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The 12 participants after completing the event in Killarney on Saturday.
TWELVE charity runners made the most of the longest day of the year by running a mile in every county in the Republic of Ireland to raise funds for the Kerry Hospice Foundation and they’re raised over €9,000 with this year’s event.
Starting in Mitchelstown, on Friday last, the charity runners covered 26 miles across 26 counties in 26 hours, finishing their final mile in Killarney.
This is only the second time that such a unique event has taken place. In 2013, the Great Irish Marathon event raised €6500 towards the building of a 15 bed Specialist Inpatient Palliative Unit in Kerry, in Kerry General Hospital grounds.
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The time around, 13 participants ran in memory of Killarney native, Patsy O’Keeffe, mother of GIM runner Niamh O’Carroll, who sadly passed away from cancer in November 2018.
The twelve runners who took on the challenge were Niamh O’Carroll, Andrea Thornton, Eoin Murphy, Declan and Patrice O’Mahony, Colm Murphy, Conor Cusack, Felicity Sheehy, Dee Keating, Karen Condon, Sharon Condon and Caroline Corkery.
On the road during the event.
They were fortunate that temperatures were high and skies were clear for their epic 26 hour challenge.
“It was very special to run our 13th mile beneath Newgrange at sunset on the summer solstice and to experience sunrise whilst running on Mullaghmore Beach in Sligo,” reflected Great Irish Marathon founder, Andrea Thornton, a teacher at Mercy Mounthawk.
“Spirits remained high throughout the day and night, helped in part by the lovely people we met en route. At 2am in Longford, while we were running through the streets of Granard, a local man, clearly surprised to find 12 people in high-vis jackets running towards him, donated to the event. Other people bought us chips in Dublin and offered us water en route. We were spoiled”
The runners concluded their 26 hour marathon at Market Cross at 12 noon on Saturday to the rousing applause of friends, family and supporters.
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“So far, the event has raised close to €9000 for the Kerry Hospice Foundation and donations are still coming in. We would like to thank everybody who has supported this great cause so far, especially O’Callaghan’s coaches and drivers Ken and Donie who transported the 12 runners around Ireland for their 26 hours of running, providing motivation and support along the way.
Local businesses Mulgrew Respiratory Services and Caroline Corkery Counselling Services have also generously supported the event. For further information on how you can support the Great Irish Marathon and donate to the Kerry Hospice Foundation, please visit www.facebook.com/GreatIrishMarathon, Twitter @great_marathon).
You can make donations or help to promote this event by visiting https://give.everydayhero.com/ie/great-irish-marathon-2019 or you can contact Andrea Thornton on greatirishmarathon@gmail.com
