In their own words
NOREEN HUNT Ballybrack, Co Dublin
This is my third mini marathon. I am 74 and ran the last one five years ago with my daughter-in-law. She said she was running, so I had to!
I would be running it this year too if I didn’t need to show the others with me their way around the course in case they get lost – that means walking and having to rest when they need to. It fills me up to see the sense of community here.
My sister’s husband died of cancer and she’s here with me today. Between the five of us we have raised about €1,200 already. People must be so proud of all the hard work they put in today, you meet so many wonderful people with different reasons for being here, all working so hard.
POLLY DENNISON Bray, Co Wicklow
I heard on a radio station the head of Ruhama talking about prostitution in Ireland, and it was a wake-up call to me.
I had never heard of a group helping [prostitutes] before and I didn’t realise women had no choice or that there were so many people trafficked in and out of Ireland. I chose Ruhama because I think they do amazing work helping women in prostitution by repatriating them so they can lead independent lives. I felt I wanted to help in some way. I didn’t do much training, I would walk in and out of town a lot!
ANNE CARNEY Trim, Co Meath
I am 64 and have had arthritis for 20 years – and I’m doing it for Arthritis Ireland.
I have done it 10-15 times before and mostly for cancer. I decided this year to do it for arthritis and so my daughter, Ann Marie, and I came up together, just the two of us.
We have raised a couple of hundred, it’s harder to ask people now with the way things are but we’ve been lucky.
I’ve been walking every day and although I get pains in my hips and knees I keep going. Having a positive attitude is the only way!
MARIE KEENAN Co Dublin
I’m walking for Jacob’s Journey. My grandson Jacob was born fine but diagnosed at 18 months with a type of cerebral palsy called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy and he needs an operation on his spinal cord.
There’s a doctor in St Louis Hospital, Missouri, at a specialist centre for children with CP, who will operate on his spinal cord which means he might walk.
Because he’s young, he’d be the youngest from Ireland to have the surgery and the outcome would be better because his muscles are softer. We need to raise €70,000 in total. It will cost €50,000 to fund the operation and for accommodation for his mum in Missouri, and a further €20,000 for help when he comes home to Ireland.
We don’t know what’s going to happen, but this operation gives us hope and the support we’ve gotten is wonderful. We have been fundraising since September of last year and have 90 people doing the mini marathon today.
MARY KELLY Co Kerry
We’re fundraising to put up a memorial for lost fishermen at Fenit Pier, Co Kerry. We’ve 20 up here doing the race and we’ve all been affected in some way by a death at sea.
I lost my husband Tucker in 2000 at sea and we just wanted to all do this together to honour the people we’ve lost.
It’s great to have everyone connect like this, we’re all local and have raised thousands so far.