Cousins take to road for charities

Cousins take to road for charities

15 May 2013

THREE County Down cousins all put on their running shoes and competed in the recent Belfast Marathon to raise funds for three different charities.

Emer Flanagan (25), from Ballynahinch, ran a leg for Autism NI while her sister Kiera did the full marathon to raise funds for the Marie Curie Hospice in Belfast.

Kiera and Emer lost their father, Bernard, to cancer on June 29 last year and before he passed away Kiera promised him she would run the marathon to raise money for the charity. She was the 32nd female contestant to cross the finish line and 509th full marathon runner, completing the 26.2 mile run in three hours and 46 minutes.

Kiera has now raised £6,000 for the hospice.

They were joined by their cousin James Mullan (26), from Saintfield, who ran a leg of the marathon in 55 minutes to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. James wiil be travelling to Ethiopia with the charity in July to help in an ongoing building project.