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Kenyan is first to cross Dublin Marathon finishing line as actor Colin Farrell takes part

Updated / Sunday, 27 Oct 2024 21:32
Kenyan Moses Kemei was the first runner to cross the finish line
Kenyan Moses Kemei was the first runner to cross the finish line

Kenyan Moses Kemei was the first runner to cross the finishing line of the Irish Life Dublin Marathon in a personal best time of 2:08.47.

Around 22,500 people registered to take part in the event.

The first wheelchair participant who crossed the line was Sean Frame from Scotland with a time of 1:45:13.

Hiko Tonosa of Dundrum South Dublin AC broke the Irish record to win the national marathon title in 2:09:42 and placed third overall.

Asmirach Nega was the first placed woman in a course record time of 2:24.13.

The Irish women's national title went to Ann-Marie McGlynn of Letterkenny AC in a time of 2:34.05. This represents back to back wins for McGlynn in the Irish Life Dublin Marathon.

A number of road closures and diversions were in place across the city and county to facilitate the running of the race and the public were advised to allow more time for travel.

It is the 43rd running of the marathon in the capital with tens of thousands of participants taking to the streets to complete the gruelling 26 mile course.

It got under way at Leeson Street Lower at 8.40am, and wound its way around the streets of Dublin before runners completed the course at Mount Street Upper.

Among the participants are international athletes, wheelchair participants, charity runners and first timers.

74-year-old Colette O'Hagan from Co Louth completed her 1,000th marathon today, while actor Colin Farell ran in honour of his friend Emma Fogarty, the longest surviving person with a rare skin condition called Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

Participants continued crossing the finish line up until 5pm this evening.

(Watch: Colin Farrell says he received 'incredible support' during the marathon)

Actor Colin Farrell at the start of the marathon
The actor joins his friend Emma Fogarty, the longest-surviving person in Ireland with EB

Read more:
Dublin's rocky road to marathon success
RTÉ Brainstorm: What happens to your body when you run a marathon?

Runner, 84, 'would feel guilty' if didn't compete

Kevin Stynes competed his 41st Dublin Marathon in a row

84-year-old Kevin Stynes, from Coolock in Dublin, competed in his 41st Dublin Marathon in a row, to raise money for Down Syndrome Dublin.

Speaking to RTÉ's This Week, he said: "When I got to 2,000, my granddaughter Rachael was born with Down syndrome, so I started doing it for children with Down syndrome.

"I’m still doing it for them, and I’d feel guilty if I didn’t do it for them every year."

Martina McGuirk from Balbriggan in north Dublin ran it for the first time today.

She said that her late mother was the one who inspired her to get out and take on the challenge.

She ran the marathon in aid of St Francis Hospice in Raheny.

"My mum passed away five years ago with cancer and she was in the hospice, and they were just absolutely amazing, like earth angels.

Martina McGuirk was raising funs for St Francis Hospice in Raheny

"She would have always done the mini marathon in aid of the hospice. But when she was in the hospice herself, passing away, she didn't want to go too soon.

"She held off and held off, and they were saying that they felt it wasn't a 10K that she was doing. It was a marathon.

"So I promised my mum that I would do a marathon for her. So for that reason, it's really, really special for us and for me to be doing it for the first time and also to be raising funds for the hospice."

Additional reporting Gavin O'Callaghan

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