Latest news with #SanctuaryRunners
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Photos show Cork running club members enjoying well-earned street party after the city marathon
Those are the words of Sanctuary Runners Movement Founder Graham Clifford, who said the number of runners doubled the Club's previous record. After the event, the Sanctuary Runners held a street party on Princes Street, which was attended by over 400 people, including the Lord Mayor of Cork City, Dan Boyle. 'Cork City Council gave us great support once again and we were so proud to run with their crest on our shirts and to welcome the Lord Mayor Dan Boyle to the street party, where he presented our Sanctuary Runner of the Year medals in memory of the late Tony Power, who worked for the council and passed away suddenly a number of years ago,' Mr Clifford said. DJ Gwada Mike blessed people's eardrums with tunes from across the world, from Nigerian rap music to Cork's own John Spillane, and those in attendance danced and celebrated as one. Sanctuary Runners in Cork city will continue to meet every Saturday at the Tramore Valley Park, take part in runs by the marina in on Tuesday evenings as well as jaunts from MacCurtain Street on Thursday evenings. Mr Clifford said everyone is welcome to join, whether you wish to walk, run or jog.
Irish Examiner
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Record number of Sanctuary Runners gear up for Sunday's Cork City Marathon
A record number of Sanctuary Runners are getting in some last-minute training in preparation for this year's Cork City Marathon on Sunday, June 1 More than 1,200 Sanctuary Runners, proudly wearing their distinctive blue t-shirts, will be on the starting line for this year's race. More than 1,200 Sanctuary Runners, proudly wearing their distinctive blue t-shirts, will be on the starting line for this year's Cork City Marathon. The group will include 52 different nationalities in what will be the largest ever Sanctuary Runners team, running a mix of the 10km, half and full marathon. Sanctuary Runners first took part in the Cork City Marathon in 2018, when 200 ran in the event, and the 'blue wave' of solidarity has continued to grow since then. 'The level of support for the Sanctuary Runners this year has blown us away,' said Graham Clifford, the journalist and broadcaster who founded the hugely popular solidarity-through-sport organisation. Mr Clifford was recently awarded the Lord Mayor's Trophy for his service to the marathon, integration and the community, following a public vote. He said: What we have really noticed this year is a desire by people in Cork to wear the blue and show their solidarity with people who have moved to Ireland from other countries, celebrating diversity, embracing our multicultural city and sending out a clear message to the world that decency, kindness and welcome flow through these streets. Included on Sanctuary Runners team will be 200 runners from direct provision centres across Cork City and County as well as others visiting from Dublin, Athlone and Limerick. There will be 30 Ukrainian participants in Sanctuary Runner blue - as well as some 70 transition-year students from Coláiste and Phiarsaigh in Glanmire and Midleton CBS. Sanctuary Runners, now a registered charity, has welcomed some 35,000 people to events since it first began on Leeside in 2018 and has 42 groups operating across Ireland. Earlier this month it was named 'Community Organisation of the Year' at the Irish Red Cross Humanitarian Awards whose patron is now President Michael D Higgins. Sanctuary Runners, now a registered charity, has welcomed some 35,000 people to events since it first began on Leeside in 2018 and has 42 groups operating across Ireland. It also has a group in Brighton and will launch its new Sanctuary Runners GB organisation in the UK on June 18. It will hold the annual Global Solidarity Run on October 11 to allow people across the world to demonstrate solidarity with all those who are forcibly displaced or living in extreme poverty. Last year participants in 75-countries took part in the initiative and this year organisers hope to grow that number to over 100 countries. The Global Solidarity Run is supported by Irish Aid, the Ireland Funds and the European Commission. Read More Watch: Sanctuary Runners celebrate their 7th birthday at Marina Park
Irish Examiner
12-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Mother of teen who drowned in Donegal was on beach when tragedy unfolded
The mother of one of the teenagers who drowned off the coast of Donegal was on the beach nearby as the tragedy unfolded. Matt Sibanda, aged 18, and Emmanuel Famiola, 16, died after they and a third male got into difficulties in Lough Swilly close to Ned's Point near Buncrana at around 4pm on Saturday. As news filtered out of a major rescue operation taking place in the locality, residents of a nearby IPAS centre where Matt lived went to the beach as it emerged that one of those in difficulty could be from the centre. One of the residents told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that Matt's mother was among those waiting for news on the beach, adding: 'It was a painful one, it was sad for all of us.' She said she was with Bonnie and described it as a 'painful experience that nobody should go through'. She added: 'It has been a sad one for everyone you know. We all take each other as a family so it's been very sad for everyone in total, including the two centres that were affected in Buncrana.' Matt had been living in the centre with his mother and his young sister. The family had come from Zimbabwe. He was due to sit his Leaving Certificate exams early next month. He and Emmanuel, who was from Nigeria and lived in the second IPAS centre, were very close friends and had been playing football with a third friend when tragedy struck. They had gotten into difficulty when trying to retrieve the ball. Emmanuel was rescued but died later in hospital. Matt's body was found at around 9pm on Saturday night. The third male, aged 19, managed to swim to shore and was taken to hospital. Emmanuel was finishing his transition year in Scoil Mhuire in Buncrana and had just completed a week of work experience in the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin last week. 'Heartbroken' He had recently taken part in a run with the Buncrana branch of Sanctuary Runners. The group issued a statement in which sympathy was extended to the families of both boys. It said: 'Our hearts break for their loved ones and friends. Both young men were known to our Sanctuary Runners group in Buncrana — Emmanuel had run with the group recently. "Sanctuary Runners in Ireland and beyond are heartbroken. We know the strong caring community in Buncrana will give the families the love and support they will so desperately need at such a tragic time x' On Monday, the Irish Refugee Council paid tribute to the boys, saying: 'We are saddened by the tragic loss of two young lives, Emmanuel Familola and Matt Sibanda, in Donegal. We send our heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, and community, and hold in our thoughts the young person who is recovering.'
Irish Examiner
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
John Spillane among community heroes honoured at Lord Mayor's awards ceremony
Folk legend John Spillane has been honoured for his remarkable contribution to Cork's cultural life, and migrant support group Nasc has been honoured for its tireless integration work, as the city recognised its civic leaders. Lord Mayor Dan Boyle presented Mr Spillane with the 2025 culture award as he hosted the Lord Mayor's Community and Voluntary awards ceremony in City Hall on Wednesday to recognise the contribution of various individuals or organisations to the life of the city. Among the winners of the six civic awards were Sanctuary Runners founder Graham Clifford for his work promoting solidarity and inclusion through sport. Musician Jimmy Crowley was honoured for his outstanding contribution to the musical landscape of Cork, as a collector and performer of the city's cultural heritage. Joanna Dukkipati was honoured for her commitment to supporting and empowering migrant communities through encouraging cultural expression, while Nora O'Donovan was presented with an award for her advocacy and efforts in championing the rights of older people in Cork. Siobhán O'Dowd was recognised of her long-term contributions to community development, inclusion, lifelong learning and LGBT+ activism in Cork, while environmentalist Maria Young was honoured for her dedication to environmental sustainability and her encouragement to all to work with and interact with nature. Mr Boyle said the civic awards are an opportunity for him to pick just six from the many hundreds he could have chosen, not for any one event or occasion but for a lifetime of dedication and service in the common good. 'And for every six I could have chosen, there could have been 600 others,' he said. We have all been touched or had our lives enriched by the work of one or more of tonight's community award winners and this is the location and occasion to acknowledge and recognise that. He paid special tribute to John Spillane's contribution to the city and to the world of music and culture, for his lifelong contribution to the popularising of the Irish language and the mythology, music and storytelling of Ireland. 'John Spillane is a man at the height of his creativity, energy and enthusiasm,' he said. 'This then is not so much a lifetime achievement award as a 'watch this space' award. 'John has given us so much and has so much left to give and it is only fitting then that we recognise this in a special way this evening.' Mr Boyle presented his 2025 community and voluntary awards to groups in various categories, including: The Mexican Community Cork, in the arts, culture recreation and heritage category, The Save Our Bride Otters campaign group in the climate action, active travel and sustainable development category, The Clogheen Kerry Pike Community Association in the community development and lifelong learning category, Mayfield Men's Shed in the recreation, sport, health and wellbeing category, Cycling for All Cork in the social inclusion, advocacy and integration category, The Hut Youth Project in the social services, charities and environment category. However, he named Nasc as the overall winner of the community and voluntary awards. Council chief executive Valerie O'Sullivan said while the council is an important presence in the community, it is not the sole means for making improvements in the community. 'Your presence tonight is a very important recognition of the fact you, the community, are the activists on the ground that plot and plan how to improve your area,' she said. Read More Cork sports retailer is running to a new location of its own
BBC News
04-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Migrant and refugee running club prepares for Brighton Marathon
People involved with a running club which supports migrants and refugees will be among the thousands running the Brighton Marathon this than 40 people from Sanctuary Runners in Brighton will be taking part in the 26.2 miles (42km) run or the shorter 6.2 miles (10km) run on Runners, which first started in Ireland, organises weekly group runs for its Holtam, who runs the Brighton group, said: "This is about community integration. Everyone running together and making friends while we do it. "We have over 35 different nationalities involved and we only started last June. "It's what makes it interesting, having people from all over the world, all ages and all walks of life."The full spectrum of life is at Sanctuary Runners Brighton." Mr Holtam also runs Brighton Table Tennis Club, which aims to bring people from all backgrounds together through the of the runners taking part in the Brighton Marathon is professional violinist Leyla Fey, an asylum seeker from said: "I was welcomed so warmly by the Sanctuary Runners Club. It's so diverse and everyone who runs the club is so kind."I like both running and violin but running makes you feel much happier. It helps me play my music."
