Latest news with #DublinCityHalfMarathon
Irish Independent
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘I feel my dad with me all the time. In a race like the marathon, I definitely feel his presence'
It created such a buzz among her fourth class pupils that they think she's going to the Olympics. They now also ask her every Monday morning if she had a race at the weekend. Winning the Dublin City Half Marathon has been the biggest victory of Sheridan's running life. When she was a kid, her dad, Paschal – a dedicated runner in his time – used to mow a track in their garden at home in Hayestown, Navan, for his daughters to run around for fun. At 18, Sheridan took up running again after her father got very sick. He had brain tumours on and off during her childhood but a decade ago he was diagnosed with a tumour that spread to his lungs. Before his death in August 2015, bedside chats about her running used to energise her father. 'When my dad got sick after the Leaving Cert, I started running as a crutch for my mental health to get outside. He was a passionate runner. He was really excited to see that I was running,' says Sheridan, speaking at a launch for the 2025 Irish Life Dublin Marathon. 'He was in bed, he was quite weak and sick, but he still always asked me, how much did you run today? 'When he passed away, loads of his friends were calling over that he used to run with. Even races I go to this day, I meet a lot of his friends. I suppose it's nice to have that connection. I really enjoy people telling me different stories about him every race that I go to. 'I do feel him with me all the time. In a race like the marathon, I definitely feel his presence with me.' Last year's Irish Life Dublin Marathon was the 28-year-old's first experience of running a marathon. She finished 14th overall in 2:42:57 and fifth in the national championship race and she's taking on the challenge again this year. She has been coached for the past few years by David Carrie who was a great friend of her late father's. She says they're both alike with a positive outlook. When a mental health coach came to talk to staff in her school, they were asked to rate their days. On that particular day, Sheridan ranked her day with the highest of 10 even though nothing special had happened because 'I think knowing the lows of seeing someone on a hospital bed. That's a minus.' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more She knows she's a steely mentality. 'I'm an endurance runner. And mentally I'm quite strong when the demons are in your head halfway through the marathon, you just have to block it out and trust yourself. It's not so much about running in the marathon even though it's 42 kilometres, it is more about being mentally strong and bullet-proof I suppose. 'Looking at my dad in particular but my mam [Rita] was sick as well, she got breast cancer when I was in fourth class. I don't think we were ever hard done by or anything. We'd an amazing childhood. 'There might be so much chaos going on and so much hardship but you just have to focus on your own journey and get through the days. It's not every day that you're going to have an amazing day. Just ride out the hard times. 'I'd never really be doubting myself so much. If training is going well and you're not injured, there's no reason why the race shouldn't go well. When it gets tough in the race, just tell yourself you can do this.' Dublin Marathon worth over €23m to local economy Last year's Irish Life Dublin Marathon generated €23.79m in economic impact according to an independent Economic Impact Assessment by University College Dublin. The UCD study also found that for every €1 spent by attendees or organisers, an additional €2.29 was injected into the local economy, benefitting Ireland's hospitality, transport, accommodation and small business sectors. 'It is a great figure to see, especially when you're talking with Dublin City Council, and people like that,' said Jim Aughney, race director of the Dublin Marathon. 'You always knew it was worth a lot to the city, but you couldn't put a figure on it. It just proves the value of the marathon to the city.' The 2025 edition will take place on Sunday, October 26 and the continued rise in popularity of running is seen through the fact that the Half Marathon and Fingal 10k in the Irish Life Dublin Race Series have already sold out. 'The Frank Duffy 10-mile will sell out as well. We've never sold out the full race series before,' Aughney added. 'Running is on a boom, not just here in Dublin, but around the country. I think we're back to or better than pre-Covid.' It was also confirmed that the transfer window for the sold-out 2025 Irish Life Dublin Marathon and Half Marathon will run from July 24 to August 26. Returned marathon entries will be made available for resale on a first-come, first-serve basis from July 18 through the official event website.
RTÉ News
25-04-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
'Amazing' - Dublin woman says running helped drug recovery
A Dublin woman who "hit rock bottom" due to drugs is now running half marathons with her daughter, who she lost connection with while in the throes of addiction. Fiona Taaffe, from Kilmore, completed her first Dublin City Half Marathon alongside her daughter, Karinann, last month. Six years into recovery, the 57-year-old said Coolock Running Club has been "amazing" in her rehabilitation, as it pushes her to achieve goals that she never thought possible. "When I first started, I couldn't run for the life of me," she said. "But I was running all my life away from pain," she added. Coolock Running Club will host the fourth year of the 'Another Way 5K' at Darndale Park tomorrow at 11am, which aims to highlight the availability of help for those involved with drugs and criminality. It is part of a local campaign to "get the message out" on the alternatives to addiction. Ms Taaffe said she had been in some form of addiction for 30 years. "I didn't know what addiction was. I thought if you weren't shooting up heroin, you weren't an addict," she said. "But there were times I was found wandering around out of my head on tablets," she added. Following the breakdown of her marriage, her substance abuse became worse, and Ms Taaffe said she chose drugs over her children, which has caused her "a lot of shame and guilt". "Karinann saw things no child should have to see. I'd go to the pub, probably leave her on her own, and come back and have a party in the house," she said. When gardaí were called to the house, Ms Taaffe said she was presented with an ultimatum - either her daughter would have to be cared for by other family members or be taken into State care. Following this, Karinann was looked after by an aunt. Karinann said: "When I knew how deep my mam was in addiction, I didn't want to know her. "But even though I had so much resentment and anger, I think I still held hope." Following a family intervention in 2019, Ms Taaffe began the recovery process and stayed at Cuan Mhuire Treatment Centre in Co Limerick. Karinann supported her mother throughout the process and their relationship began to repair. Ms Taaffe said she promised herself that she would never lie to her daughter again and would do her best to never hurt her again. 'Making up for time lost' Karinann said she no longer holds resentment but had "a wall up" when her mother came out of treatment, as she was constantly worried that she would start using drugs again. However, when her mother joined Coolock Running Club she could see it gave her purpose and was significantly helping sustain her recovery. "I'd see people out running and think I'd love to do that, but self-doubt would kick in and I'd think I wasn't good enough," Ms Taaffe said. She said that after learning breathing and mindset techniques from the club coaches, running has become a regular habit. "I was told it was me against me," she said. Ms Taaffe credits the support of club members for keeping her going. When she ran her first 5k, they came back to pull her over the line and cheer her on. After running a 10k, she booked a place in the Dublin Half Marathon in March this year and Karinann decided to join her. Ms Taaffe said Karinann phoned her during the race and with 3km left to run when was struggling. "She stayed on the phone the whole way through and pushed and pushed and pushed me," she said. "I knew I couldn't let her stop," Karinann said, adding: "If I could just get her to the point and then bring her to where the running club were. "And when she saw their faces, that they stuck around and waited for her to cross that line, it was unbelievable." Ms Taaffe and her daughter said they are now "making up for time lost". "It's hard to see someone you love be so sick," said Karinann. "If there is a part of you, no matter the anger you hold toward that person, just hold on to that hope because I think that's what got me through," she added. Ms Taaffe said she thinks she has done "amazing things" in recovery. She said her message to other people in addiction is to reach out for the "loads of help" available. "But you have to want the help," she said, adding "most people say you have to hit rock bottom. I hit rock bottom and then there was another rock bottom beneath that". "I'm so grateful the help was there. Don't suffer in silence like I did because there's an amazing life out there," she said. The Another Way 5K is a collaboration between Coolock Running Club, local community organisations, the Get The Message Out group and endurance athlete Ger Redmond. The success of the Another Way 5K event prompted Mr Redmond and his friend Anthony Brady to establish the club in 2023. Running played a huge part in transforming Mr Redmond's life after imprisonment for involvement with drugs. It is one of a number of projects backed by the Darndale Implementation Oversight Group, a Dublin City Council initiative to tackle complex and engrained issues in Darndale. Dr Jack Nolan, chair of the group, said such events are needed to show communities affected by drugs that they are not forgotten. "Darndale Another Way 5K encourages people to consider a different way of life by highlighting opportunities, services and activities available," Dr Nolan said.
RTÉ News
25-04-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
'Amazing': Dublin woman says running helped drug recovery
A Dublin woman who "hit rock bottom" due to drugs is now running half marathons with her daughter, who she lost connection with while in the throes of addiction. Fiona Taaffe, from Kilmore, completed her first Dublin City Half Marathon alongside her daughter, Karinann, last month. Six years into recovery, the 57-year-old said Coolock Running Club has been "amazing" in her rehabilitation, as it pushes her to achieve goals that she never thought possible. "When I first started, I couldn't run for the life of me," she said. "But I was running all my life away from pain," she added. Coolock Running Club will host the fourth year of the 'Another Way 5K' at Darndale Park on Saturday 26 April at 11am, which aims to highlight the availability of help for those involved with drugs and criminality. It is part of a local campaign to "get the message out" on the alternatives to addiction. Ms Taaffe said she had been in some form of addiction for 30 years. "I didn't know what addiction was. I thought if you weren't shooting up heroin, you weren't an addict," she said. "But there were times I was found wandering around out of my head on tablets," she added. Following the breakdown of her marriage, her substance abuse became worse, and Ms Taaffe said she chose drugs over her children, which has caused her "a lot of shame and guilt". "Karinann saw things no child should have to see. I'd go to the pub, probably leave her on her own, and come back and have a party in the house," she said. When gardaí were called to the house, Ms Taaffe said she was presented with an ultimatum - either her daughter would have to be cared for by other family members or be taken into State care. Following this, Karinann was looked after by an aunt. Karinann said: "When I knew how deep my mam was in addiction, I didn't want to know her. "But even though I had so much resentment and anger, I think I still held hope." Following a family intervention in 2019, Ms Taaffe began the recovery process and stayed at Cuan Mhuire Treatment Centre in Co Limerick. Karinann supported her mother throughout the process and their relationship began to repair. Ms Taaffe said she promised herself that she would never lie to her daughter again and would do her best to never hurt her again. 'Making up for time lost' Karinann said she no longer holds resentment but had "a wall up" when her mother came out of treatment, as she was constantly worried that she would start using drugs again. However, when her mother joined Coolock Running Club she could see it gave her purpose and was significantly helping sustain her recovery. "I'd see people out running and think I'd love to do that, but self-doubt would kick in and I'd think I wasn't good enough," Ms Taaffe said. She said that after learning breathing and mindset techniques from the club coaches, running has become a regular habit. "I was told it was me against me," she said. Ms Taaffe credits the support of club members for keeping her going. When she ran her first 5k, they came back to pull her over the line and cheer her on. After running a 10k, she booked a place in the Dublin Half Marathon in March this year and Karinann decided to join her. Ms Taaffe said Karinann phone her during the race and with 3km left to run when was struggling "She stayed on the phone the whole way through and pushed and pushed and pushed me," she said. "I knew I couldn't let her stop," Karinann said, adding: "If I could just get her to the point and then bring her to where the running club were. "And when she saw their faces, that they stuck around and waited for her to cross that line, it was unbelievable." Ms Taaffe and her daughter said they are now "making up for time lost". "It's hard to see someone you love be so sick," said Karinann. "If there is a part of you, no matter the anger you hold toward that person, just hold on to that hope because I think that's what got me through," she added. Ms Taaffe said she thinks she has done "amazing things" in recovery. She said her message to other people in addiction is to reach out for the "loads of help" available. "But you have to want the help," she said, adding "most people say you have to hit rock bottom. I hit rock bottom and then there was another rock bottom beneath that". "I'm so grateful the help was there. Don't suffer in silence like I did because there's an amazing life out there," she said. The Another Way 5K is a collaboration between Coolock Running Club, local community organisations, the Get The Message Out group and endurance athlete Ger Redmond. The success of the Another Way 5K event prompted Mr Redmond and his friend Anthony Brady to establish the club in 2023. Running played a huge part in transforming Mr Redmond's life after imprisonment for involvement with drugs. It is one of a number of projects backed by the Darndale Implementation Oversight Group, a Dublin City Council initiative to tackle complex and engrained issues in Darndale. Dr Jack Nolan, chair of the group, said such events are needed to show communities affected by drugs that they are not forgotten. "Darndale Another Way 5K encourages people to consider a different way of life by highlighting opportunities, services and activities available," Dr Nolan said.
