HUNDREDS of people are expected to converge on the village of Barefield at 10am on Sunday morning for a 5k/10k run to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Clare Crusaders running group.
Over the past 20 years, the Clare Crusader runners, from their participation in the Dublin City Marathon, have raised in excess of €850,000 for the Clare Crusaders clinic which provides a range of therapies for free to hundreds of children with additional needs each year.
Ahead of the family event on Sunday, a member of the running group, David Burke who has completed tenmarathons with the Crusaders, said, “We would love for anyone who has run with the Crusaders over the past 20 years to dust off the trainers next Sunday, they may have lapsed from the discipline that running gives or perhaps simply life has just gotten in the way”.
He said, “Our motto this year is ‘twenty years running for those who can’t’ so we would love to see some familiar faces from the last 20 years at our Anniversary run this Sunday”.
Recalling the start of the running group, David recalled how Ennis man and married father of four, Howard Flannery saw how there was no government help or funding for children requiring therapies and parents and families had to take the journey on their own. “Howard decided he was going to run a marathon and raise money for these children and get the vital help needed for them in some way. So, he banded a crew together of unwilling walkers’ runners and crawlers every weekend in the Halfway House car park and set his goal on the Dublin city marathon. It was a success and things started to happen. In 2006 the group grew exponentially and here we are 20 years still pounding the roads”.
Howard’s own life was cruelly cut short when he was knocked down and fatally injured while out cycling near Dromoland on June 3rd 2007.
In a statement this week, Howard’s family, Gráinne and their four children, Cathal, Ali, Cayla and Conor said “as Howard’s family, we’re proud that what began with his early morning calls and relentless energy has grown into a community still running 20 years later. If Howard wanted you to run, you did because he was only ever about good things. That legacy lives on in the miles, in the funds raised, and most of all in the lives changed, like our own son Conor, now thriving in college”.
The torch lit by Howard Flannery has been carried on by other Crusader ‘leaders’ over the past 20 years, particularly Kilkenny man, Pat Bogue who was the driving force for the Crusaders for a number of years before his own untimely death at the age of 49 in November 2021.
Howard along with Pat and another Crusader stalwart, the late Noel Purcell will be remembered this Sunday and all three would have been gladdened at the sight of over 50 Crusaders starting out on an early morning 15 mile training run last Saturday in Quin in preparation for this year’s Dublin City Marathon.
David said that “we are looking at close to 80 taking to the starting line for Dublin this year – quite possibly the largest ever”. He added, “this year to mark the 20th anniversary we have had a number of successful away days to spread the word of the Crusaders around the county”.
Along with the runners there is a dedicated team of hydrators and support crew who cover the route each Saturday.
On the impact the Crusader runners have had on their communities, David stated, “They have had an enormous impact – they have helped raise awareness of the Clinic which needs €250,000 per annum to just keep the doors open. They have created a large community of runners in Ennis and beyond, the Orange top is synonymous with the Group and each individual is proud to say they are a Crusader be it now, ten or twenty years ago. The easy part is often running the marathon, the children whose names we wear on our back face their own battles day in day out, the running group is immensely proud to do our bit to help them over the last twenty years.
David was hopeful the Crusaders would still be pounding the roads of Clare in twenty years time. “I have no doubt though, that as long as those children with additional needs in the County need services, there will be a group out on the roads each week doing their bit to raise awareness for those children as well as raising vital funds. It is more than just a running group. While the ethos of the group is to raise funds for the Clinic there is amazing camaraderie amongst the group. If you are looking for a training group or people to run with then get in touch. Lifelong friendships are forged on the roads of Clare during those ‘long runs’ in the training for the Dublin marathon each year. It’s truly a unique bond to train for a marathon with this group”.
David said that “the organising committee for the run would like to say a big thank you to all the local businesses who have supported this run, provided sponsorship, refreshments etc and all those businesses and individuals who have supported us down through the last twenty years. We are truly grateful”.
