'I carried Hari's Harley jacket on my bike for the entire trip'

The family of a little Kentstown boy who died of meningitis when he was just two years in 2017, marked the weekend of his ninth birthday on Saturday with a unique fund raising marathon.

Little Hari Ingman, a son of Aled and Eileen Ingman, died in 2017. Hari was a delightful little boy whose death devastated his family.

His grandad. James (Jim) McCormack, and Jim's son Dara are members of the Irish 66ers - a group of bike lovers who took part in the Temple Street Challenge two years ago. The group rode the famous Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles to raise funds for Temple Street. Jim and Dara each raised €10,000 for the Children's Health Foundation in Hari's memory, having paid their own way to the US.

Jim and Dara plan to take part in the bi-annual even again this year to raise even more funds in little Hari's memory.

Meanwhile, last weekend, Jim's brother Sean, whose wife, Majella died in 2021 after a lengthy illness, and Sean's son Stephen, ran a unique marathon in both Hari and Majella's memory.

Majella had felt a particularly special bond with Hari, whom she was adamant watched over and protected her throughout her long illness.

She had suggested that Seán dedicate his marathon runs to Team Hari to raise funds for the children's hospital's charity.

Last Saturday Sean and Stephen ran from Hari's grave in Kentstown to Majella's grave in Inniskeen, a distance of just over the length of a marathon, taking in Slane, Collen and Ardee, Tallanstown and Louth Village.

Hari's Dad Aled, Majella's nephew, Oran and Jim's sister Bernadette all ran part part of the way with them. Jim escorted them on his Harley Davidson and Dara drove the support car.

Sean, a Co Louth native, is a GP in Wales and ran his first marathon in 1998 when he completed the Dublin City Marathon.

He found himself hooked on running marathons and during the year's of Majella’s illness she continued to encourage his running and was always extremely proud of him.

Sean along with Hari’s mum, Eileen Ingman and her husband Aled who live in Kenstown, helped organise a team to run the Dublin Marathon in Hari’s memory on his first anniversary and 22 people, including Sean and Aled took part.

Before Majella died in late 2021 she had suggested that Seán dedicate his marathon runs to Team Hari to raise funds for Jim and Dara and their Temple Street Challenge.

Last year, Sean ran from Majella’s grave to Hari’s grave on the weekend of Hari’s eighth birthday and ran in the opposite direction last weekend.

Hari's grandad Jim and uncle Dara are big motorcycle enthusiasts and decided to join the Irish 66ers for the Temple Street Challenge in 2022.

The Irish 66ers have been taking on this challenge every two years since 2002 to raise funds for Temple Street and the Children's Health Foundation.

"There were around 65 of us on Harley Davidsons and 20 support staff and we did the route over 11 days. We raised €412,000 in 2022," Jim explained.

"It was a great experience, mind blowing. The route is 2,448 miles and it is a fabulous run."

Jim said the loss of his grandchild was devastating. "I needed something to occupy my mind," he said,

"It was good to have something to focus on, I carried Hari's Harley jacket on my bike for the entire trip," he said.

Prior to travelling to the US, the 66ers did some training with the Gardai in Tempemore.

"Quite a few of the team are garda motorcylists," Jim explains.

"We had a full LAPD escort through Los Angeles, Beverly Hill to Santa Monica Pier."

Jim and Dara are planning on doing it all again in September, once again in little Hari's name. "Hari's name is kept very much alive and through various fundraisers he has touched the lives of more people than we ever will," said Jim.