A young Laois teacher is set to be remembered as a group of his college friends are preparing to embark on a fundraising half-marathon in his memory.
In November 2024, the village of Emo was left numb by the passing of Ned Ryan.
A talented sportsperson, Ned was just 23 when he passed away from brain cancer.
Among his many talents, Ned was also a primary school teacher and had studied in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick.
Donegal native Vicky Duncan, a former college classmate of Ned, explained the impact that he had on all of the people that he met.
She said: “Ned was an incredible person – funny, kind and full of life. We all met Ned when we began our teacher training together at Mary Immaculate College in 2019 and we had the privilege of becoming close friends with Ned over the years.
“His loss has left a deep void in all of our lives, and we will always cherish the memories we made together.”
So Vicky, and ten of Ned’s friends from college, Anna Gavigan (Donegal), Aoibhe Joyce (Cork), Aoife Doody (Kerry), Ciara Buckner (Cork), Daniel Delaney (Waterford), Evan Cooke (Cork), Eoin Power (Waterford), Max Huggard (Kerry), Mícheál O’Sullivan (Waterford), Paraic Shanahan (Kerry), have come together to honour him.
Vicky explained: “In honour of Ned’s life and the strength he showed throughout his illness, we have decided to run a half marathon in memory of him.
“Aoibhe will run the Brooklyn Half Marathon on the 27th of April and the other 10 of us will run the Cork City Half Marathon on the 1st of June.
“None of us are experienced runners, and for all of us, this will be our first ever half marathon.
“The training has been incredibly challenging so far, but we are determined to make it over the finish line.
“We are running for Ned, for his wonderful family and girlfriend, Anne, and for all the other patients who, like Ned, are receiving care at Beaumont Hospital.”
Beaumont Hospital played a crucial role in Ned’s care during his illness, providing him with exceptional treatment and support.
Vicky said: “They are dedicated to offering the best possible care to those battling serious illnesses, and we want to help ensure that they can continue to do so.
“Our goal is to raise funds to support Beaumont Hospital and it’s efforts in providing vital care to all of it’s patients.
“Every donation, big or small, will make a difference. The funds raised will go directly to Beaumont Hospital to help fund critical services and support for patients like Ned.
“We are deeply grateful for any support you can offer, whether it’s a donation or anything. Every bit of help counts, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Since the fundraiser went live, almost €15,000 in donations has been received.
Vicky said: “We are overwhelmed with the amount of donations and we never imagined we would be able to raise over €10,000 in just a couple of days.
“We are truly blown away by the generosity and kindness of each and every one of you.
“The amount of people willing to donate is such a testament to Ned’s character and shows how many lives he touched.”
If you wish to contribute to the fundraiser, you can do so below:
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