ORGANISERS of the Great Limerick Run are holding their breath that the marathon, scheduled for Sunday, May 2, will develop into a major annual event that will attract huge national and international participation.
City councillors have enthusiastically welcomed a presentation given by organiser, John Cleary in City Hall, and welcomed the strategic decision to hold the event on the Sunday of the Bank Holiday Weekend. Mr Cleary said it was felt that choosing a Sunday would commercially benefit the city.
“Hopefully, people will start coming into the city on Friday or Saturday and after the Run, which will see for the first time ever, a 10 kilometre, a half marathon and a full marathon held in the same location on the same day. A major fireworks display will be held that evening, giving people an additional reason to stay in the city and linger on into the Bank Holiday Monday”.
On Saturday, April, 30, the city will host an Expo to showcase business companies in the area, and on Sunday the Great Limerick Run, which is expected to attract up to 7,000 participants, will commence from the People’s Park, through Georgian Limerick, on through the city’s main streets and out to the University of Limerick and back into the city again.
“There will be lots of interaction between the streets and the people – there will be music on route, and I’m encouraging groups to participate,” informed Mr Cleary, adding that in co-operation with Shannon Development, they are organising television coverage of the event.
“The marathon will showcase lots of other Limerick attractions – and we’re also encouraging wheelchair-bound people to participate in either the 10 kilometre or half marathon routes”.
Cllr Michael Hourigan, chair of the council’s Cultural and Sporting Committee, suggested that the city’s hotels be requested to provide a special weekend offer, not just for the weekend on which the marathon and Riverfest will be held, but for the entire month of May, which will also see the Special Olympics being held in Limerick, as well as a number of other cultural and sporting events.
Calling on the people of Limerick to fully support the event, Cllr Tom Shortt told the meeting that his brother, the actor and comedian, Pat Shortt, will be “throwing his full weight behind it as well,” and Cllr Cormac Hurley commented it would be good to see a strong wheelchair representation also participating over the weekend.
Limerick could witness scenes like these should the Great Limerick Run develop into a major annual attraction
