Noel O'Callaghan on the finish line of the Irish Life Dublin City Marathon. He crossed the line with Meath woman Claire.

Noel completes Dublin Marathon and triple challenge for Irish Cancer Society

Olga Aughey

Published: Wed 2 Nov 2022, 3:17 PM

Last updated: Wed 2 Nov 2022, 3:20 PM

Noel O'Callaghan has completed his triple challenge to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society in honour of his late niece and nephew, Andrea Geraghty and Mark Rogers, who passed away from different forms of cancer this year.

On Sunday October 30, the Mullingar man ran the Irish Life Dublin City Marathon in seven hours, having picked up a leg injury on his first challenge, the Cosantóir 10K held in The Phoenix Park on October 12, which was followed by a Croagh Patrick climb three days later.

"I used the Naismith's Rule to work out it would take me seven hours to run the Dublin City Marathon, I was out by 10 minutes. I had picked up a leg injury on the first event, the Defence Forces An Cosantóir," he tells the Westmeath Examiner.

"The leg hurt during the Croagh Patrick climb which took us three hours, two hours to climb and an hour to descend. The pain was not the problem, it was more the fear that I might break my leg and not be able to finish the challenge that I had set myself, that was my main concern," he admits.

During registration for this year's marathon, Noel saw a picture of himself from the 2009 Dublin City Marathon, which he ran in full combat gear and in aid of the Stroke Unity, on display.

"Finishing the marathon was always going to happen, it was only how long it would take me and how much pain I would be in. But my late niece and nephew Andrea and Mark suffered more, so I have no complaints."

Ahead of his triple challenge, Noel had told the Westmeath Examiner how niece Andrea died during the Covid lockdown and his sister Mary had very little access to her. "She died from a rare cancer, small cell cancer of the bladder,” he explained.

“My nephew Mark was a founding member and CEO of a company researching different cancers in Germany, and one of the cancers he was researching, colorectal cancer, was what killed him," he added.

“He died in hospital during the lockdown in Germany, my other sister Pat used to go over, but again she had limited access. It’s been such a mind boggling, horrendous year that I had to do something," he said, speaking of the challenge.

"I would just like to say a big thank you to all who have supported the challenges. My two sisters take great comfort from your kindness in their time of grief and sorrow," he said.