Junior Parkrun celebrates first birthday
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The start of the run on Sunday.Image 2 of 10
Rachel Beirnes, Donnacha Beirnes and Siofra Byrne on Sunday Morning.Image 3 of 10
Grace Farry in action on Sunday morning.Image 4 of 10
Roisin Byrne from Mullingar.Image 5 of 10
Ciaran, Oisin and Cliondha Fitzpatrick from Mullingar.Image 6 of 10
Sena Whelehan, Eoghan Savage, Eoin Fulham, Huw Keaveney, Joe Hickey and Teelan Morahan on Sunday morning.Image 7 of 10
Daniel and Luke Cosgrove, Mullingar, at the greenway.Image 8 of 10
Tiernan Corcoran, Darragh Byrne, Fionn Corcoran and Conal Corcoran took part in the run.Image 9 of 10
Daniel and Killian Ryan with Jack from Russellstown.Image 10 of 10
The team of volunteers before last Sunday morning’s Junior Parkrun in Mullingar.The festive atmosphere at last Sunday morning's Junior Parkrun in Mullingar was even greater than normal as runners and volunteers celebrated the event's first birthday in glorious sunshine.
Over the course of the year, the event has gone from strength to strength. Success has many fathers, as the saying goes, and that is most certainly true when it comes to the Junior Parkrun, event director Martin Murphy
says.
“The Junior Parkrun isn't possible without our band of volunteers, who are very generous with their time on Sunday mornings. We always have lots of help, which is brilliant.
“It wouldn't have been possible at the start without the support of the Westmeath Sports Partnership, who got us the funding to get started. Without them, the event couldn't have happened at all.
“We'd also like to thank Westmeath County Council for their upkeep of the greenway and Waterways Ireland for the maintenance of the canal.”
Martin is part of a core group of organisers, which includes race directors Rachel McKevitt, Annette Bennett and Blanaid Adamson. He says that when it comes to Parkrun events, adult and junior, it is very much about encouraging participation.
“What we operate on and we hope it comes across at the event is that it's not about being first or second home, it's a participation event and it's very important to stress that. The first child home and the last child home are equally important. It is not a race. It is the same as the adult Parkrun.
“Parkrun in my opinion is about the social aspect as much as anything. You meet up with people, have a bit of a chat, encourage people as they pass you or you pass them, that's what it's all about, and the children's Parkrun is the very same. That's the ethos and we hope it comes
across.”
The Junior Parkrun takes place every Sunday morning at the Old Rail Trail, Newbrook Bridge, at 9.30am.