‘Clodagh would have been speechless’

Seamus Enright

The family of the late Clodagh Hawe and her three young boys Liam (14), Niall (11) and Ryan (6) say they are 'overwhelmed' by the support shown for their Lighthouse refuge campaign, after an estimated 200 women ran in the Dublin Mini Marathon in the name of the cause last Bank Holiday Monday.

Set up in honour and memory of the former Oristown school teacher and her sons, who were murdered by their father Alan late last year, Jacqueline Connolly told The Anglo-Celt: 'We simply can't thank people enough.'

The brainchild of family friend Fiona Cleary Walsh, Ms Connolly who took part in the Mini Marathon herself says: 'I know that Clodagh would have been speechless. Clodagh was very humble, and to think that this was done in her honour and the boys’ honour, she just would have been so proud, so overwhelmed, like we have been with all the support we have received.'
Thinking of her family as she navigated the 10km route, along with nearly 33,000 other participants, she said: 'I said halfways through it,'Liam please help me, you're the athletic one'. I know they were with me, with all of us. It was very emotional. It’s bittersweet, Clodagh and the boys should still be here, but there was no better way to honour them than yesterday (Monday)'.
The group now hope to build on momentum gathered to date by pushing for the annual Mini-Marathon to form part of their fundraising activities. They also intend to lobby local and national government in their campaign for a family refuge in County Cavan.

For more information visit the Cavan Lighthouse on Facebook.