‘The money raised on Christmas Day does save lives’: Longford GOAL Mile to return

Tiernan Dolan has been the driving force behind the Longford GOAL Mile Longford since its inception in 1995.

For him, it has been thirty uninterrupted years. Describing his involvement with GOAL ‘as a great privilege’, Tiernan’s association and work with GOAL has led him overseas to places like Afghanistan, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Kenya, he even got to meet former President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina at Aras an Uachtarain.

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The first Longford GOAL Mile thirty years ago saw a number of Tiernan’s students from St Mel’s College, who acknowledged social injustice and wanted to do something to help people, take to the start line.

The students inspired him, and he has continued organising the GOAL Mile annually ever since. Although long since retired from the corridors of St Mel’s, the event has meant a lot to Tiernan.

Indeed, 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 the county town.

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, in 1995, 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,” Tiernan Dolan said of the origins.

He explained, “It starts promptly at 12 noon on Christmas Day from Connolly Barracks and it's around the town. It’s down Bridge Street, Dublin Street, Ballymahon Street and back. It’s one circuit of the town. It’s exactly one mile. Many of the same people do it year after year. It’s part of Christmas in Longford now. Very much so!”

Participants do not need to sign up to take part but show up at Connolly Barracks. Donations are not mandatory but most welcome, from a couple of euros if people do want to give something.

Tiernan says that taking part is the main thing, as the event is not about financial pressure but community support.

Since its inception in Longford, Tiernan estimated that €200,000 has been raised. “Year on year, what is raised fluctuates, so there is never a goal that is hoped to be achieved.”

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As an important part of Christmas day in Longford, Tiernan had an answer for why the GOAL Mile is a special event. With it for a good cause, and to bring togetherness to the Longford community, the GOAL Mile offers more than just a run around the town. He pointed out how it brings the Christmas spirit into Longford.

“That, for a lot of people, they think about themselves at Christmas. This is a chance to think about somebody else. For they would have nothing. It’s hard to put into English what having nothing means. It’s helping to give people a life indeed. The money does save lives. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”