Rain fails to dampen spirits as Royal Canal Odyssey completed
Torrential rain battered the Market Square on Saturday evening, June 14, as the Royal Canal Odyssey finished their 100km journey from Dublin to Mullingar.
The Royal Canal Odyssey was set up by a group of runners, including Donal Cassidy, who is originally from Castlepollard, to celebrate the links between Dublin, James Joyce and Mullingar.
The group set off from the Joyce Tower Museum in Sandycove at 6 am, with the first runners trickling in towards the finish line at 5.45 pm.
Of those who took part, there were some who joined along the way, and others chose to cycle or follow the runners by vehicle, including local politician Robert Troy, who joined for the last 10km.
Upon their arrival at the Joe Dolan statue, the group were greeted by the cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Liam McDaniel.
Upon meeting the group, Liam said: “I just want to congratulate everyone involved, in running that distance; I just don't know how you did it, so congratulations.
“I think that this is a fantastic event, to be able to celebrate the historical connection between James Joyce and Mullingar is fantastic, it is good for everyone involved and it is good for the town, so I just ask that you all continue partaking in this wonderful event.”
Speaking just after the group's arrival in Mullingar, participant Ted Burke said: “Donal Cassidy kind of had a dream of what we might do, and I was on board right way because I always dreamed of running up the canal myself.
“Of course, we had no idea what the weather was like, and we couldn't have got a worse day for the run; it was apocalyptic.
“But to arrive here in Mullingar and the crowd of people waiting for us, and to receive a welcome from the chairman, it was honestly one of the most emotional finishes I've ever had to a run, it's beyond words for me.”
Donal Cassidy, one of the founders of the Royal Canal Odyssey spoke just outside Ulysses Bar, saying: “The elements threw everything at us, but it makes for a better after-dinner story, and it's just an absolute privilege to be part of it.
“This is our inaugural year, and hopefully as the years go on, it will get bigger and better.
“It's just an absolute privilege to have it end in Mullingar, just to celebrate that James Joyce connection which is so important to the town.”
“In Ulysses, James Joyce describes Leopold Bloom looking down upon the canal and thinking about cycling to Mullingar to surprise his daughter, Milly Bloom, he never got to, but thankfully we did today.”
A welcome reception organised by Greville Arms manager Barbara Celinska was held in Ulysses Bar, with refreshments and Irish Coffees provided, along with a speech by local historian Ruth Illingworth, who spoke all about Mullingar’s James Joyce connection.