Charity Run in memory of Laois teacher (23)

FRIENDS of a young Laois teacher who died aged only 23 will do a charity run in his memory, to raise funds for the hospital that gave him exceptional care.

Primary school teacher Ned Ryan from Morette, Emo, who passed away from brain cancer last November, is described by his friends as an incredible person who was ‘funny, kind and full of life’. He was also a popular and talented clubmate at The Rock GAA.

A group of 11 friends, who were Ned’s fellow teacher training students at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, have come together to raise funds for the Beaumont Hospital Foundation.

Although none of the generous group are experienced runners, they have all pledged to do their first half-marathon in memory of a very dear friend who will be forever missed.

Set up by Vicky Duncan on 23 March on behalf of the group, the GoFundMe titled ‘Half Marathon in Honour of Ned Ryan’ has a €20,000 target and raised over €10,000 in its opening days. By 2 April, donations soared to nearly €18,000.

Remembering Ned’s beautiful personality on the GoFundMe page, the group said: ‘Ned was an incredible person - funny, kind and full of life. We all met Ned when we began our teacher training together at Mary Immaculate College in 2019 and we had the privilege of becoming close friends with Ned over the years.

‘His loss has left a deep void in all of our lives and we will always cherish the memories we made together. In honour of Ned's life and the strength he showed throughout his illness, we have decided to run a half-marathon in memory of him.’ 

Friend Aoibhe Joyce will run the Brooklyn Half Marathon on 27 April, while the other 10 will step out for the Cork City Half Marathon on 1 June.

The group said: ‘The training has been incredibly challenging so far, but we are determined to make it over the finish line.

‘We are running for Ned, for his wonderful family and girlfriend, Anne, and for all the other patients who, like Ned, are receiving care at Beaumont Hospital.

‘Beaumont Hospital played a crucial role in Ned's care during his illness, providing him with exceptional treatment and support. They are dedicated to offering the best possible care to those battling serious illnesses, and we want to help ensure that they can continue to do so.

‘Every donation, big or small, will make a difference. The funds raised will go directly to Beaumont Hospital, to help fund critical services and support for patients like Ned.

‘Thank you for helping us honour Ned's memory and for supporting the hospital that provided such great care and support to Ned during his illness.’

The group was overwhelmed as donations poured in and surpassed the half-way mark within days. In an update on 27 March, Vicky said: ‘We are truly blown away by the generosity and kindness of each and every one of you. The amount of people willing to donate is such a testament to Ned's character and shows how many lives he touched.’ 

The other members of the group are Daniel Delaney (Waterford), Anna Gavigan (Donegal), Aoibhe Joyce (Cork), Aoife Doody (Kerry), Ciara Buckner (Cork), Evan Cooke (Cork), Eoin Power (Waterford), Max Huggard (Kerry), Páraic Shanahan (Kerry) and Mícheál O’Sullivan (Waterford).