The screams of panic and terror in the aftermath of last year’s blasts were replaced by unbridled shouts of joy and congratulatory cheer this year as the crowds on Boylston Street applauded the weary finishers in the 118th Boston Marathon, one year after two bombs exploded near the finish line.
Kailyn Kwong (23), a Canadian final-year medical student at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and a six-year resident of Dublin, completed last year’s marathon just three minutes before the first bomb detonated on Boylston Street.
“This year the security was overly aggressive but appropriately so,” she said, speaking near the spot where she saw the first explosion last year. “The crowds were amazing – never once were you alone, never once was someone not shouting for you.”
There were 204 Irish citizens listed as participants in the marathon by organisers, the Boston Athletic Association.
An emotional Pat Purcell (39), who travelled from Kilkenny, was disappointed that he didn’t set a personal record, a goal he wanted for his family and for the three victims and 264 injured last year.
He described running down Boylston Street as emotional. “From mile one the atmosphere and noise from the crowd was incredible. They were all in – they took back their city today,” he said.
Sean McGowan (56), an accountant from Mullinavat, Co Kilkenny, at first regretted wearing his name on his running shirt – every five yards someone shouted his name. “It proved a huge benefit in the last five miles because I couldn’t stop with everyone shouting at me,” he said.
“Without them I would still be running,” said Sarah Dinneen (21) from Galway of the cheers of “Go Ireland” from spectators when they saw the Irish flag on her top.
“It was the whole way along the course,” said her friend Suzanne McDonnell (31), from Baldoyle, Dublin. Both were among a group of charity runners from the RCSI in Dublin.
Micheál O’Loughlin’s Clare jersey drew shouts of “Come On The Banner!” and “Up Clare” but mostly from runners passing him. “I am the slowest Clare man,” he said.
Originally from Milltown Malbay, O’Loughlin has since 2006 lived outside Boston in Hopkinton where the world’s oldest marathon begins. He ran this year for his US-born children, Rose (8) and Peter (6).
“I didn’t want them to be scared by that nonsense last year,” said a shattered O’Loughlin just past the finish line.
“They were both worried – ‘what if it happens again.’ I told them, ‘we are not afraid of them; we will show these people that we will not be bullied.’”
“That was 26.2 miles powered by pure love – all the way,” he said.
