The Greystones Guide | Dublin Marathon A Tig Deal For The Roches

t’s been a tough year for the Roche family, with not only the loss of their matriarch, Paddy, in July, but also the sudden passing in February of her beloved first grandchild, Tighearnán.

On Sunday, the family came together to remember them both, and to pay particular tribute to Tig, three of his cousins keeping a promise to run the Dublin Marathon.

In the process, the trio of Luke, Amy and Adam shook the can and garnered over €10,000 on the day, bringing the total raised in Tighearnán’s memory to €90,000, the money going to two major charities close to his heart.

Here’s the official word the big day…

Three of Greystones emigrant Paul Roche’s nippers — Luke, Adam and Amy Roche — ran the Dublin Marathon on Sunday, October 25th, keeping a promise to their cousin Tighearnán (McLoughlin-Roche) and raising over €10,000 so far for Movember and Breakthrough Cancer Research in his memory.

Tighearnán died from bowel cancer in February, aged just 29, leaving his wife and young daughter, his parents, siblings and a wide circle of family and friends shell-shocked.

He had trained to run last year’s Dublin Marathon for Movember and was in the final stages of preparation when, just days before the race, he was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. He never reached the start line.

Luke, Adam and Amy had promised him they would run the marathon. On Sunday, they fulfilled that promise, supported by a wonderful bunch of family and friends.

Their bond with Tighearnán went far beyond being cousins. He lived with Paul’s family in Tyrone during 2015 and 2016, becoming a big brother figure to the children. The closeness they developed through everyday family life endured long after and his influence will be felt forever.

Luke and Adam ran for Movember, continuing the fundraising Tighearnán had begun. Amy ran alongside them for Breakthrough Cancer Research, also in his memory.

Paul said: “Tighearnán was like another son to me. We had many laughs along the way. He was a chancer, too! He loved his sport and, in his short life, was involved in GAA and rugby clubs north and south in Ireland, as well as in Scotland and England.

“Since his death in February, almost €90,000 has been raised in his memory for Wirral Hospice St John’s and other cancer and mental wellbeing charities. That’s been through individual challenges — the Copenhagen Marathon, Ultra 50s, triathlons and other runs — and the Tig’s Babas Memorial Match in Birkenhead in April, when over 80 players took to the rugby pitch in his honour.

“None of that takes away the pain of losing him. But knowing that his memory has inspired so much support for people living with cancer, and for research into treatments for this bastard of a disease, is a credit to him and his family.

“He left his mark, for sure.”

You can still donate to Luke and Adam’s Movember fundraiser here, and to Amy’s Breakthrough Cancer Research fundraiser here.