GOAL Mile get your Christmas off to a charitable start

People around the county are preparing to pound the pavement for the annual GOAL Mile Run, which is taking place at local running clubs and parks on Christmas morning and St Stephen’s Day.

Tallaght Athletic Club recently launched the Tallaght GOAL mile with club member and Ireland’s fastest runner, Israel Olatunde.

The Tallaght run will take place at the Tallaght AC running track on the Greenhills Road from 9.30am to 12 noon on Christmas morning.

John Cullen from Tallaght AC told The Echo: “Every cent raised will go to help GOAL in their fight against poverty in the third world.

“At the moment, GOAL has 3,000 people working in 14 countries including Ethiopia, Uganda, Syria, Sudan, and Sierra Leone.

“Over €120,000 has been donated over the 19 years of the event by the people of Tallaght and surrounding areas.

“There is no need to register, just turn up anytime between 9.30am and 12 noon, run or walk a mile on the track and donate whatever you wish to GOAL in the buckets at the finish line

“This is very much a fun event, so do come along and support some of the poorest people on the planet.”

Lucan Harriers Athletic Club will be playing host to a GOAL Mile Run at their running track on Christmas morning from 10am to 12 noon.

A GOAL Mile Run is also being held in Eamonn Ceannt Park in Crumlin from 10.30am to 12 noon, while there will also be one at the Cherryfield pitch opposite Ballyboden St Enda’s in Knocklyon from 10am to 11.30am.

On St Stephen’s Day, there will be GOAL Mile Runs at 12 noon at the car park in Corkagh Park, at Terenure College from 11am to 1pm, and Brickfields Park in Drimnagh from 12 midday to 2pm.