On The Road

Voices from the marathon

Kathleen Barry 3hrs 38mins and Liam Barry 3hrs 37mins, Partry, Co Mayo

Liam: We’ve been married for 13 years. This is our second marathon together; we did the Clonakilty marathon last December.

Kathleen: It was really tough today but the support was great . . . from mile 20 to 24 was very tough. I couldn’t have done it only for the support . . . People were recognising the county colours and shouting, “Up Mayo!”

Liam: From mile 22 on, I found it tough, but the support takes your mind off the pain. We were in sight of each other most of the way. Kathleen was ahead for the second half, so I was just keeping tabs on her from behind. I didnt want to let her get too far ahead. Then I overtook her and she was keeping tabs on me. In the end, I crossed the line first but just a few seconds before her.

We’re heading back to Mayo now to the three kids. Ill be doing the driving.

I’m a paramedic and I’m back on nights on Wednesday.

Kathleen: Ive got tomorrow off, I'm a nurse, but Ill be back working in Mayo General at 7.30am on Wednesday.

Ger Copeland, Howth, 3hrs 7mins

Im doing 20 marathons in six months and this is number 16, that’s including 100km ultra marathons as well. This is my 10th Dublin Marathon.

I’m running for Temple Street Childrens Hospital. My little boy Fionn, he’s two; he was born without thyroid glands.

There shouldn’t be any problems but unfortunately he has a weak set of lungs which means he has asthma and is prone to getting bronchiolitis RSV, especially this time of year. That means we could be in Temple Street in an isolation ward for two weeks at a time.

Because of cutbacks, we’ve noticed there is more and more basic equipment on the wards. We got talking the last time I was in and I asked if there was anything I could do. They mentioned marathons. I do triathlons and iron men and I thought, why not, this is something I can do.

Ive got a team of 20 friends running for Temple Street today as well. I think we’ve raised close to €10,000.

It was tough going today . . . But it was fantastic to bring my two boys over the line with me.

Paul Frewen (52) 3hrs 17mins and Rob Frewen (22) 3hrs 22mins, Malahide

Rob: This is our first marathon together, my dad’s been doing them a few years but this is only my second one, I did Barcelona earlier in the year.