Mountjoy inmates are on the run

INMATES at Mountjoy Prison are on the run – and prison officials are delighted!

That’s because the run in question is Parkrun, a free weekly timed 5km run or walk that takes place at local parks every Saturday morning all over Ireland and around the world.

The events are normally open to anybody to participate, but the one at the Mountjoy Prison Progression Unit is obviously a little different.

Establishing a Parkrun in prison can be a challenge but a number of groundbreaking initiatives already taking place in the Progression Unit made it possible at Mountjoy.

The Bohemian Foundation is behind many of them, including soccer training and comedy workshops, and their connections opened the doors for the historic Parkrun that launched on September 1 and is now taking place weekly within the walls of Mountjoy.

Parkrun country manager for Ireland, Matt Shields, took part in the launch run and said he was delighted to see the event get off the ground.

“Our policy is to engage with the areas and communities who would most benefit from Parkrun and we think there’s a massive benefit to inmates,” he said.

“This is something the prisoners can do on the inside and their families can do on the outside. It’s a common activity they can share and it’s a point of conversation on visiting days.

“It also brings people into the prison, so the inmates can have interaction with people, all different types of people.”

Shields was joined by Lord Mayor Nial Ring, Bohemians FC midfielder Oscar Brennan and local Parkrun enthusiasts for the launch run.

“It was really good,” he said. “Everybody was dressed in running gear – the Lord Mayor, staff, inmates, visitors, all just sitting around talking simply as a group of runners.”

Shields says Parkrun is something positive inmates can continue to do on release. And that’s one of the reasons why deputy governor of Mountjoy, Donnacha Walsh, was so keen on the idea.

He believes it’s important for inmates and society in general for the prison to forge positive links with the world beyond the prison walls. And Parkrun is a natural expansion of the sport and recreation work being done by The Bohemian Foundation in Mountjoy.

“When they came in with soccer coaching it opened up new ideas to us as to how we can link in with the community,” Walsh explained.

Walsh adds that sport and recreation helps minimise the chances of re-offending.

“The three pillars that keep people out of prison are supports such as treatment for behaviour that leads to offending like addiction, the second is a job and the third is to have a recreation or sport interest to keep them motivated to retain a crime free life,” he says.

“For the last two years we’ve had ex-offenders representing Ireland at a European soccer competition in Holland, winning the first year and reaching the semi-finals this year.

“Those guys have stayed out of Mountjoy for three or four years because they have support, jobs and they also have the football to keep them occupied and help put prison behind them.”

Walsh is quick to point out that the prison coaching and Parkrun is made possible because of buy-in from staff in the progression unit, who he describes as “exceptional.”

“One of our guys does the Parkrun himself and has seen the benefits and he was very keen to share that experience with others,” he adds.

President of the Bohemian Foundation, Thomas Hynes, said he was delighted to support Parkrun at the Mountjoy Progression Unit.

“It’s a fantastic event that everybody can get involved in regardless of fitness levels,” he added. “It’s an opportunity for those who don’t play soccer to get involved in something really positive.”