The Wildman seeks 'heroes of the hill!'
As he walked the busy corridors of the neo-natal ward in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, it was all too obvious to the Wildman of Tara that the funds raised at the Tara Dawn Run were needed more than ever. This was the place that the thousands of Tara Dawn Runners had turned out for over the past seven years. This was the front line. The hard end of the wedge. The real deal. Tired parents and seriously sick little children inhabit these cramped cubicles 365 days of the year. They never turn away a baby in need. Ward nurse Anita showed the The Wildman ridiculously arcane conditions that parents must endure whilst dealing with the stress of a sick child. This is the terrible situation in modern Ireland.Thankfully, hope is on the horizon; thanks to the funds raised by the public a brand, spanking, new wing is currently being built and kitted-out that will transform the lives of the staff, parents and patients at Crumlin. But to finish the job the wildman needs your help!
Help us make the Tara Dawn Run bigger and better than ever! Beginning at 4 in the morning on Saturday 15th June, the four kilometre 'fun-run' is anticipated to grow to its largest number as people clamour to take part in this novel event which is now in its seventh year. It has established itself as a unique family-friendly event that attracts people to run on the seat of the High Kings of Ireland around the summer solstice each June. 1000 wet and happy dawn runners took part in 2012. The ballads boomed out as the rain lashed down on the hardy Tara Dawn Runners in 2012. The wettest weekend of the summer and it still did not deter the amazing people that make the Tara Dawn Run so special (the participants). It should have been a total wash out but that’s not how Tara Dawn Runners approach life; they ENJOYED the rain…. they’re all mad! But we love them. The fancy dress took a step up too. We had Superman, Sonic the Hedgehog, a nun, a cow……. and of course the tuxedo clad Shay and James. The Wildman put in an appearance too…. the paint ran a bit! Another great year for the Tara Dawn Run!
Already the event has raised over €50,000 for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and Tara Dawn Run founders James Gibbons of Skyrne, and Shay Sheridan of Dunleer, hope they can significantly add to that total in 2013.
Speaking at the launch James said: 'This year we came to Crumlin for the launch because we really wanted people to see where the money is going. So many locals in Tara help out and welcome the fun-runners from all around. These volunteers give their time happily and it’s because Crumlin is such a good cause'. Shay added that 'Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin is close to my heart as my own little girl has spent many nights there. She had her lower leg amputated as a baby and needs to revisit the Hospital regularly. The work they do and the lives they change cannot be overstated. They are heroes and that’s why we want to give something back and get thousands of people on the Hill of Tara at 4am on 15th June. Let’s make a difference together.'
To register, log onto www.taradawnrun.ie.