5 Mile Run / Jog / Walk
In aid of the Neonatal Unit of St. Munchin’s Hospital and the Nicholas First Aid Room at the Cliffs.
For the route, please follow the link:- https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/164224974
Baby Nicholas passed away at the Cliffs of Moher in 2006. His parents Kelly and Delia were so touched by the support they received at the time of the tragedy that they have raised over $80,000 to supply emergency equipment and emergency response training for personnel at the Cliffs of Moher, the very popular tourist destination on the west coast of Ireland where the First Aid Centre is known as “Nicholas Room”. Now, details of a 5 mile run in memory of baby Nicholas have been announced.
The Cliffs of Moher 5 Miler will take place on the16th of March 2013. The run is being organised by the Ennis Phoenix Twinning Board in association with James Sexton – Clare Athletics PRO.
The 5 Miler is part of Phoenix Week 2013 which will mark the 25th anniversary of twinning between the town of Ennis and the US city of Phoenix. For seven days next March Ennis will celebrate the special relationship it shares with Phoenix, Arizona. Over one hundred people will travel from Phoenix for the week long event. The group will include an official delegation led by Michael Johnson, the Deputy Mayor of Phoenix. He will be joined by City Council elected representatives and executives, business leaders and Phoenix Sister City personnel.
According to Cllr. Mary Howard of the Ennis Phoenix Twinning Board, “We have organised a week long series of events in order to mark the 25th anniversary of our relationship with Phoenix. One of the highlights of the week will be the Cliffs of
Moher 5 Miler. We feel this is a very positive way of honouring the memory of baby Nicholas and the generosity of his parents”.
The funds raised by the run will go towards the Nicholas Room First Aid Centre at the Cliffs and to the Neonatal Unit in nearby St. Munchin’s Regional Maternity Hospital
Preparations are underway to cater for 1,000 participants in the 5 Miler and almost fifty runners from Phoenix plan to take part. Those intending to run or walk the route can register on www.runireland.com
The Stokes family has warmly welcomed the Irish 5 Miler, “We are so excited about the event. It is such a fitting way to celebrate the significance of Nicholas’ short life. We are deeply moved to see how his story and the amazing response of those who came to our assistance continue to inspire compassion and a desire to help those critically in need of medical assistance. This event is about community. We hope everyone will come out on March 16th, 2013 and help support the quality first aid services provided through Nicholas’ Room First Aid Centre at the Cliffs of Moher and the compassionate care provided in the neonatal unit of St. Munchin’s Hospital.”
Phoenix Week in Ennis is being organised to coincide with the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in County Clare. The Saint Mary’s Catholic High School Band from Phoenix has accepted an invitation to play in the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in
Ennis. During their visit, the band will visit Ennis schools, perform in the Cathedral and at the starting point of the Cliffs of Moher 5 Miler.
The Mayor of Ennis, Cllr. Peter Considine, has welcomed news of the proposed run, “It is very heartening to see the ongoing support of the people of Phoenix for the Stokes Family. It is very important that their loss and their generosity are marked here in County Clare during Phoenix Week. What better way than to have an event at the Cliffs which will raise much needed funds for the Nicholas Room First Aid Centre and St. Munchin’s Neonatal Unit.”
T J Waters, Chairperson of the Ennis Phoenix Twinning Board is keen to stress that the run could not take place without the support of the staff at the Cliffs of Moher, “They are completely behind this 5 Miler and will do everything necessary to make the event special for all the participants.”
The Cliffs of Moher 5Miler route includes breathtaking views of the majestic Cliffs of Moher on Ireland’s beautiful western seaboard. The route also takes runners down country lanes and past Irish farmland on the very edge of Europe. It will offer runners and walkers a fantastic opportunity to savour this ancient and precious landscape.
