More than 4,000 people gathered in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Sunday morning for the 15th edition of the Remembrance Run 5K, an event that continues to demonstrate the power of sport to bring communities together through shared experiences of remembrance, reflection and celebration.
This year’s gathering was especially poignant following the death of Ciara Mageean, whose loss has been deeply felt throughout Irish athletics and the wider sporting community.
Participants were invited to dedicate the final 1,500 metres of their walk, jog or run to Mageean.
The event also remembered members of the wider athletics community who have passed away over the past year.
The morning’s programme included music, poetry, a minute’s silence and moments of quiet reflection. A Wall of Remembrance and big-screen tributes gave participants an opportunity to honour the lives and memories of family members and friends.
Event founder Frank Greally reflected on the occasion’s emotion.
“It was wonderful to see over 4,000 people of all ages come together in the Phoenix Park on such a beautiful morning, remembering loved ones while also celebrating their own gift of days and the joy of living,” he said.
“Over the years, so many people have told us about the comfort they find in taking part in the Remembrance Run. The minute’s silence before the start, with thousands standing together, each remembering someone special to them, remains an incredibly moving moment.”
“This year was particularly poignant as we paid tribute to Ciara Mageean, while also remembering those we have lost from within the wider athletics community. The Remembrance Run is about coming together, sharing memories and appreciating the precious time we have with one another.”
As a supporter of the Remembrance Run, 123.ie is associated with an event that connects thousands of participants through themes of family, community, wellbeing and shared experience.
The partnership also sits alongside the company’s wider involvement in Irish athletics, showing how sponsorship can support both the competitive and participative dimensions of sport.
For Athletics Ireland, the Remembrance Run represents an important part of its broader engagement with the running community.
While the organisation’s high-performance athletes generate headlines through international competition, events like this demonstrate athletics’ equally important role in encouraging participation, building social connections and promoting physical and emotional wellbeing.
The event has also developed a charitable dimension, with more than €100,000 raised for good causes in recent years.
Now in its 15th year, the Remembrance Run has established a loyal following and a distinctive identity, giving participants of all ages and abilities a reason to gather each November.
The Sport for Business Perspective
There is something particularly powerful about a sporting event where the principal motivation for participation is neither a personal best nor a finishing position.
Sunday showed the value sport can deliver, from physical activity and mental wellbeing to community connection and the chance to celebrate lives and shared memories.
The tribute to Ciara Mageean added another dimension this year.
More than 4,000 people taking the time to walk, jog, or run in memory of someone special reminds us that sport’s value can’t always be measured by medals, records, or results.
Sometimes its greatest contribution is simply bringing people together.
Athletics Ireland is a full member of the Sport for Business Community. If you would like to join them and see your organisation in our content, on our stages, and in the daily conversation around the commercial world of Irish Sport, email us today and let’s see what is possible.
Image Credit: Athletics Ireland and Sportsfile.com
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