In pictures: A day of memories as Finn Valley AC hosts annual Remembrance Run

Click on the arrows to go through the photos by Joe Boland (North West Newspix)

Over 600 people took part in the annual Remembrance Run in the Twin Towns on Sunday.

The race, hosted by Finn Valley AC, brings messages and memories from participants and spectators.

From early morning, people reached into their hearts and feelings to scrawl the names of their various deceased friends and family on the Remembrance Wall.

This year’s event resulted in a donation go ingto the Christian McCullagh Fund, with proceeds to the Irish Kidney Renal Support Centre. 

Christian, a young man of just 17 and from Raphoe, passed away in September.

Members of the McCullagh family and close friends, including world title challenger Jason Quigley, were among those to toe the line on a crisp November Sunday.

“Christian McCullagh, 2008-2025,” a touching message on the wall read, “Luv Mum, Dad, Rocha and Riley. Miss you every second of every day xx.”

Around these parts, they’ll never forget Shane Bonner, the 20-year-old athlete with the world at his feet when he was tragically killed in a road traffic incident in 2011. Family and friends wore t-shirts bearing his name.

In July, Damien O’Brien, a native of Killygordon, was killed when he was hit by a car in California. A large crowd of his extended family and friends, some wearing tops of the Wild Geese GAA club in California, also took part in Sunday’s race.

They came, too, from afar. Members of the OMG AC in County Fermanagh wore t-shirts in memory of Oisin McGrath, competing as part of “10 Runs for Oisin” in the name of the 13-year-old boy who died in 2015.

The Crawford sisters from Coolatee took part in memory of their father, Hugh, and the memory of Sharon Gallagher from Ballinaman, Crossroads, who passed away in 1991, lives on in this race.

Another message on the wall read: “Please remember all those women who have died through violence in Ireland” while another said: “50,000 + in Palestine.”

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There was a competitive element to the morning also with Philip McHugh from Letterkenny AC winning the 10k in 32:33, ahead of his club mate John Foley, who clocked 34:09 and Milford AC’s Paddy Ryan finished in 34:22.

Maria McGee won the women’s 10k in 35:11 ahead of Finn Valley AC pair Leoni Cooke (38:15) and Maggie O’Hara (38:26).

Finn Valley AC’s David Campbell won the 5k in 19:21 ahead of Tir Chonaill AC’s Noel Lorinyenko (20:47) and Michael Penrose (20:51) while the women’s 5k was won by Jodie Coyle (SML Coaching) in 21:41 ahead of Lindsey Toner (22:04) and Ailish Lynch (24:08).