Relay for Life starts with lap led by cancer survivors

RELAY for Life South County Dublin will kick off in Corkagh Park this Saturday, June 1, at 1pm with a lap of the park led by cancer survivors.

Music will also be provided by local retired men’s choir RAMS in Rhythm to bring an uplifting start to the 24-hour event.

The Relay for Life is centred on remembering those who’ve lost their lives to cancer and celebrating survivors, all the while raising funds for the Irish Cancer Society.

A highlight of the annual event is the Candle of Hope ceremony, which will take place in the park at 10pm on Saturday.

The ceremony features candle bags which are used to line the track of Corkagh Park to light the way for people walking in the park at night, with loved one’s names being drawn onto the bags.

The event truly is a community effort, as the Clondalkin Men’s Shed has cut and provided 3,200 pieces of wood to be used to hold the candles in place in the vibrant bags.

Clondalkin woman Caroline Corcoran, who founded Relay for Life South County Dublin with Tallaght woman Paula Haverty, told The Echo about the idea behind the overall event.

“We come together to celebrate the survivors, remember the ones we have lost to cancer, and to fight back and hopefully live in a world where no one dies from cancer,” she said.

Relay for Life South County Dublin 2024 will end on Sunday, June 2, at 1pm with a final lap as part of the closing ceremony.

For further information, to register a team or to purchase a candle bag, visit the Relay for Life South County Dublin Facebook page or the Relay for Life website HERE.