Families, friends and communities will come together in the Phoenix Park on Sunday, November 8th for the 15th Remembrance Run 5K supported by 123.ie – a unique event dedicated to remembering those who are no longer with us.
For 15 years, Remembrance Run 5K has provided people of all ages and abilities with an opportunity to walk, jog or run together in memory of family members, friends and others who have touched their lives.
Close to 5,000 people are expected to gather in the Phoenix Park this November for an event where finishing times and personal bests take a back seat to remembrance, community, hope and togetherness.
Many participants will carry the names, photographs and memories of loved ones around the 5K route, while music, poetry, song, the Wall of Remembrance and a poignant one-minute silence before the start combine to create an atmosphere unlike a traditional road race.
An idea born from friendship
Speaking at the launch of the 2026 event, Remembrance Run founder Frank Greally reflected on the friendship that inspired him to create the event following the death of acclaimed sportswriter Con Houlihan in 2012.
“I founded the event in memory of my dear friend Con Houlihan, who passed away in 2012,” said Greally.
“Con used to say that we all have a primal wish to be remembered.”
Shortly before travelling to cover the London 2012 Olympic Games for Irish Runner Magazine, Greally visited his friend in St James’s Hospital.
Both sensed it would be their final meeting.
“Con told me, ‘I’m on the last slope. You’ll get along without me, but maybe not as well,’ with that wonderful wry smile of his,” Greally recalled.
“When I returned from the Olympics, I decided I wanted to create something in Con’s memory.
“The idea was for a 5K walk or run in the Phoenix Park, but one that would be about much more than running – it would include choirs, music, poetry and song, a Wall of Remembrance where people could write the names of family and friends, and a screen where photographs and messages could be shared.”
The inaugural Remembrance Run was held later that year and immediately struck a chord with participants.
“People of all ages came together in fond memory of loved ones while also celebrating their own gift of days and the joy of living,” said Greally.
“Over the years, people have told us that they find real comfort in taking part.
“The one-minute silence shortly before the start, with thousands of people standing together and each thinking of someone different, remains an incredibly profound moment.”
For many families and groups of friends, Greally says, the event has become part of a wider day of remembrance.
“Families and friends often make a complete day of it. They walk or run together and then go for lunch or dinner afterwards. It gives us an opportunity to pause, to remember and also to appreciate the time we have together.”
Every participant has a story
At the heart of Remembrance Run are the thousands of individual stories carried around the Phoenix Park each November.
Every participant arrives with a different reason for taking part – a family member, friend or loved one whose memory they want to celebrate.
As part of the 15th anniversary campaign, oranisers will share some of those personal stories in the weeks leading up to this year’s event.
Among those taking part will be Paul Flaherty and his family, who will remember Paul’s 15-year-old son Cillian, who died suddenly in October 2024.
Laurena Meagher, from Kildare, will remember her husband Kevin, who died suddenly in December 2016, just one month after the couple were married.
Running subsequently became an important part of Laurena’s life and her experience of grief.
Anita Kelly and her family will also return to the event to remember Anita’s sister Maria, who died from cancer in 2022. Remembrance Run has since become an important opportunity for the family to come together in her memory.
Their stories – and those of other participants – will be shared in the coming weeks as the event approaches.
While every story is different, the message at the heart of Remembrance Run remains simple: everyone has someone to remember.
Music, memory and togetherness
Music has been part of Remembrance Run from its earliest days and will once again play a central role in the 2026 event.
The Lucan Gospel Choir will once again provide part of the soundtrack to the morning, alongside music, poetry and song designed to create moments of reflection, remembrance and celebration.
One of the most poignant moments of the morning takes place shortly before the 5K begins, when thousands of participants stand together for a one-minute silence – each person privately remembering the individual, or individuals, who brought them there.
Participants can also add the names of loved ones to the Wall of Remembrance, while the Remembrance Screen will return for 2026, displaying photographs and personal messages submitted by families and friends.
Remembering our athletics community
The 15th edition will also provide an opportunity to remember the many athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials, club members and friends who have passed away and whose contribution continues to be felt throughout Irish athletics.
Athletics Ireland is inviting clubs across the country to join this year’s Remembrance Run and to remember those from their own clubs and communities who are no longer with us.
Clubs, families and individuals are invited to submit photographs and personal messages for inclusion on the Remembrance Screen in the Phoenix Park, creating a collective celebration of people who have made a lasting contribution to their families, clubs and communities.
The deadline for submissions to the 2026 Remembrance Screen is Sunday, November 1st.
Register at RemembranceRun.ie