Kerrie Browne Memorial Run – A Poignant Day in Brosna

Local men, John Sheehan (left) with William Curtin and Dave Curtin at the start of the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Paudie and Scott Ryan from Brosna pictured at the start of the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Local participants from left: Patrick Moriarty, Adam Barry and Séamus O’Connor at the start of the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Donie Shine, Duhallow (left) pictured with Martin Ferris, TD and Liam Ó Buachalla, Duhallow AC at the start of the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

At the start of the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning were from left: Ciara Harrington, Buttavent, Co. Cork; Chloe Hogan, Limerick and sisters: Julia and Elaine Kennedy, Newcastle West. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Marking their participation in the Kerrie Browne Memorial 5K Run / Walk in Brosna on Sunday morning were: Ellen Cronin, Brosna (left) and Cathleen Reidy, Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Ready to Go: Part of the large line up of participants on Sunday morning for the 5K memorial run / walk in honour of the late Kerrie Browne who died tragically in a road traffic accident last October. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Ross Gallagher, Scartaglin (left) with Declan Sheehan, Causeway and Donie O’Sullivan, Auglish waiting for the start of the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Joanne Murphy, Newcastlewest (left) and Bernadette Lyons, Cappagh pictured at the start of the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Together We Are One: The parish of Brosna and its neighbours stood together on Sunday morning for a 5K memorial run / walk in honour of the late Kerrie Browne who died tragically in a road traffic accident last October. Among the hundreds at the start were: Kayla Roche, Knocknagoshel; Millie Dore, Templeglantine; Darragh McGoldrick, Dylan Downey and Tom McGoldrick, Brosna. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Members of the highly praised catering crew at the Brosna GAA Club after the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning. Included are from left: Olive Cunningham-O’Shea, Kileedy, Co. Limerick with locals: Lenora and Margaret Kelly and Mary Theresa Barry. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Scartaglin native, Julia Curtin, Brosna (left) with her daughter and granddaughter, Denise and Cáit Carroll and Yvonne and Aisling Lyons, Rockchapel at the start of the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Gary O’Keeffe, Duagh (left) pictured with: Patricia McAuliffe, Nora Ann and Nell Hartnett, Castleisland; Ann Marie O’Keeffe, Duagh and Neilie McAuliffe, Cordal. Baby Timmy Hartnett was sleeping soundly in his push-chair as the photograph was taken at the Kerrie Browne Memorial 5K in Brosna on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Noreen Harrington, Kenmare (left) with Clare Brennan and Noreen McEnery, Brosna and Michelle Dore, Templeglantine at the start of the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The O’Mahony family from Scartaglin: Conor, Trish, Órla and Finbarr at the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in Brosna on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

In Brosna GAA Clubhouse after the Kerrie Browne 5K memorial run / walk in the village on Sunday morning were from left: Mairéad Moriarty, Érin and Laura O’Sullivan, Tiernan McGoldrick and Mary Kiely ©Photograph: John Reidy

I thought when Brosna won the All Ireland Junior Final I wouldn’t ever again feel that depth of love for my extraordinary parish. I was wrong.

By Mairéad Moriarty

Walking into Pairc na Feile, Brosna GAA grounds on a gloomy 5th January, I was overwhelmed by the sight of close to a thousand people all gathered for one purpose.

To remember the beautiful Kerrie Browne.

Celebration of Kerrie’s Life

Kerrie, a pediatric nurse returning from a night shift at University Hospital Kerry lost her life in a road traffic accident on 1st October 2019 outside Castleisland on the Abbeyfeale road.

Facing their first Christmas without Kerrie, her partner Eamonn Kiely and her sister Andrea decided to organise a memorial run to celebrate Kerrie’s life while helping to raise funds for the Pediatric Wards of both University Hospital Kerry and the Whittington Hospital in London.

They planned the run to take place on 5th January, the eve of Kerrie’s 27th Birthday.

Traffic Tailbacks

So, here we all were, tailbacks of traffic heading into the village, queues of people with their children and dogs, GAA clubs from three counties all lined up to register for the run and walk.

Eamonn’s Brosna team-mates were on hand acting as stewards for crowd control.

Liz and Noel Lane under the auspices of Duhallow Running Club helped structure the entire event from registration to time recording.

Soup, Medals and Water

A wonderful local team of women co-ordinated foods and refreshments. Kind sponsors donated soup, medals, water. The list goes on and on.

What struck me most was seeing people taking on a 5k walk who wouldn’t normally feel they were able for such a challenge.

They may not have been dressed in top branded sports gear but they forged on to be part of an event that was more than just a charity run.

Love and Regard

It was a chance for a parish and group of individuals to stand as one to demonstrate their love and regard for one of their own – a lovely young woman called Kerrie.

Four local girls who had been on the Wren on St Stephen’s Day, donated their hard-earned money to the event. Gestures like this said it all. Brosna, well done!

Hope for New Beginnings

At the beginning of a new year, an event like this is timely.

It reminds us of the passing of the years, a hope for new beginnings, of how each one of us is given a fresh start each day to make the world in which we live a brighter and better place.

Kerrie is still part of this continuum.

In a Meaningful Way

Her presence was very much felt during her memorial run and the funds raised will add, in a meaningful way, to the efforts of her pediatric colleagues.

Thank you, Kerrie for bringing us all together to be part of your extraordinary day in Brosna.  Happy Birthday!