Organisers of the 26th Dublin marathon yesterday estimated that more than €10 million had been raised for charity by thousands of participants from more than 60 countries. Despite the poor weather, the city itself is also thought to have benefited from some €15 million in increased revenue.
This year's event saw the first Irish heart transplant recipient complete the course in just over 4¼ hours, and the establishment of what is believed to be a new world record for the most family members to complete the same marathon.
Twelve members of the Irwin family from Donegal, who ran in memory of their late father, Francie, set the new record when the final family member, Geraldine Monaghan, crossed the line just over 7½ hours after the event began.
The men's event was won by Ukrainian Dmytro Osadchy in a time of two hours, 13 minutes and 14 seconds - the second-fastest time for the course, and only six seconds behind last year's record time. Osadchy and the winner of the women's race, Zinaida Semenova of Russia - who ran a time of two hours, 32 minutes and 52 seconds - received €15,000 each in cash prizes.
Speaking after crossing the finishing line, Ernesto Antonio, who received a heart transplant in the Mater hospital six years ago, said he found the race a "bit tough in places".
Antonio, who has an Irish mother and Portuguese father, added that as a transplant recipient, one major consideration was to "avoid dehydration at all costs.
"Around the 22- and 23-mile mark in particular was tough," he said. "But without my organ donor and their family making a selfless act, I wouldn't be alive today. This is for them."
Also among the more than 10,000 people participating in yesterday's event was Eoin Byrne, who was hoping to raise €20,000 for the oncology unit of Beaumont Hospital. Byrne, along with four others, was running to keep a promise he had made to his late wife, Debbie, who died from cancer six weeks ago.
Speaking at the finishing line, he said he was anxious to raise as much money as possible for the "angels" in Beaumont Hospital's oncology unit.
"From 20 miles on in particular it was tough," he said. " Something drove us on ... but it was tough."
For the fourth consecutive year, the fastest Irishman in the event was Gary Crossan, who finished 13th overall with a time of two hours, 23 minutes and 18 seconds. Pauline Curley, running her debut marathon, finished first of the Irish women, coming in seventh overall with a time of two hours, 42 minutes and 16 seconds.
First-timers, old-timers and record breakers: Health Supplement