GOAL Mile: A Longford Christmas tradition

It's as much a part of Christmas in Longford as holly and Jingle Bells, and the 2023 Longford GOAL mile will continue a tradition that stretches back decades.
Longford has the proud record of being the second oldest GOAL Mile. This Christmas day, at 12 noon and starting from Connolly Barracks runners will take on the simple one mile route around the streets of Longford.

The event has established itself as a much loved Longford tradition: “It's hard to imagine Longford without its now traditional GOAL Mile, but Longford was a different place almost three decades ago.
“On that Christmas day, apart from attending church services, there was nothing or no one stirring. Christmas day was a family day spent at home and that was it,” organiser Tiernan Dolan said of the origins.

Organising a fundraiser on the quietest day of the year sounded like a very bad idea. Initially the Longford event was slow to take off. With the backing of Commandant Ciaran Dalton, then the officer commanding at Connolly Barracks, a handful of idealistic students from St Mel's college laid the foundation in 1995.

“I had earlier experienced the horrors of war, in South Sudan in 1993 and the unspeakable genocide of Rwanda in 1994,” Tiernan recalled, “I saw first hand the amazing humanitarian work of GOAL in both places, so my commitment to raising funds and awareness was total.”
The people of Longford and visitors who had returned home for Christmas started to support the event in ever increasing numbers. Christmas time now inspires people to take part in many different charity runs and swims, with a wide choice of events throughout the county, but the Longford event has built up a loyal cohort of runners.

“Some GOAL Miles stand out for different reasons,” Tiernan said of the event, “Possibly the largest turnout was in memory of a wonderful character and former student Enda Muldowney. Enda was a loyal supporter even as a young student,who sadly died in the prime of his life.
“Ina Mc Cormack was another valued GOAL supporter who sadly passed one Christmas day. They and others no longer with us are always fondly remembered,” he said.

In the 29 years since the first gathering there have been days of wind, rain and snow, but irrespective of weather, the tradition lives on: “Many have been participating since those early days of the 1990s.
Last year we welcomed members of the Ukrainian community and this year they'll be taking part again,” Tiernan tells.

The annual event is so popular because of the community support and the enthusiastic runners who gather every Christmas morning for the pre-turkey exertion.

Participants are encouraged to take things at their own pace: “Certainly it's now a much loved Longford tradition and for many, Christmas just wouldn't be the same without it.
“You can walk and talk, or run but irrespective you'll have fun. It starts from 12 noon, on Christmas day, at Connolly Barracks and we are looking forward to seeing all who come along.
All proceeds go to support GOAL's valuable work where the need sadly continues to grow.”