True Spirit, Courage and Determination - Deirdre O'Reilly - An Inspiration
This is what the Cork Women's Mini-Marathon is Really About!
37th Evening Echo Cork Women's Mini-Marathon 2018
Sunday September 16th 2018
Deirdre O'Reilly and Sean O'Leary reach the Finish Line, with Deirdre's sister Mary on hand
For most races, the question on most people's lips is "Who won?", but Cork Athletics' Evening Evening Echo Mini-Marathon is no ordinary race. Sure, some 2,000 or so of the 6,600 entrants yesterday were going for times, places and Personal Bests, but, for the majority of participants, this was a charity fundraiser, while others may have taken part in memory of a friend or loved-one. However, for a significant few, this was a marker of their personal battle to overcome adversity. One such participant was Bandon mother of two, Deirdre O'Reilly
The last two finishers yesterday were Bandon woman Deirdre O'Reilly, who was accompanied by Sean O'Leary, and finished in 3 and a half hours, long after the rest of the competitors had left....But this was *NEVER* about time for Deirdre. This was her personal Marathon and what a marathon it was!
In 2013, just a few days before Christmas, Deirdre suffered a massive and devastating stroke. Her family were told that she was unlikely to survive and, if she did pull through, that she would require 24-hour care for the rest of her life. She defied the odds, and, according to supporters at the finish line yesterday, she spent some 18 months in the National Rehabilitation Hospital, in Dun Laoighaire, Dublin, recovering, and learning again how do many of the things that most of us take for granted.
So yesterday was another step in Deirdre's journey. It may seem a relatively long time - approx. 3-and-a-half hours for the 6 kilometer course, but this was more than just a stroll for Deirdre. This was a marker representing this woman's strength of mind, courage and determination. This shone through at the finish line, even though the distance must have been sapping, as a delighted Deirdre reached the end. Along the route, Deirdre had been offered a lift back by the ambulance crews on duty for the event, but she politely declined. Having reached the finish line, one of the officials offered to get his car to bring Deirdre to her own transport, but this was also declined "I'll walk", Deirdre declared.
There was a road-closure order in place for the route, however when this expired at 3pm, with Deirdre still a good distance out from the finish line, it was necessary to dismantle the Finish-Line gantry and remove the rest of the barriers, balloons, banners and promotional material and open the road to traffic. However Cork Athletics resolved to ensure that Deirdre would get a finish time, and that a crew of of officials would be there when Deirdre finished. When she crossed the line at the end of the 6km, there were a dozen or so officials, family, friends and supporters were there to meet her.
Pat Walsh, Cork Athletics Mini-Marathon Finish Area Manager congratulates Deirdre O'Reilly and Sean O'Leary
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