Community shows big heart to honour tragic Sarah

Date Published: 26-May-2010

The shocking death of a hugely popular young student and photographer has united her local community to the extent that over 100 of her friends will run this year’s Women’s Mini Marathon in her honour next week – a day after the first anniversary of her sudden passing.

Sarah Malone from Ballinderry, Kilconnell was just 26 years old when she was found dead on the morning of June 6 2009; she was mixing her hobby as a photographer and studying at Limerick IT on her path to fulfilling her dream of becoming a teacher.

In her honour over 100 of her friends are coming together to commemorate their sadly missed friends next week – and to raise runs for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young).

While the women pound the streets of Dublin, back at home, the men of Kilconnell will pay tribute to Sarah in an organised “Alternative Mini Marathon,” where they will be walking from Cappataggle to Kilconnell dressed as women on the same Bank Holiday Monday.

Another fundraiser organised on Monday week is the “Motor Bike Fun Run.” Participants will depart from Kilconnell at 4pm sharp. The bike run route runs through Ahascragh, Ballygar, Athleague, Roscommon, Knockcrockery, Athlone, Ballinasloe , Cappataggle and returning to Kilconnell.

The daughter of Deirdre and Jim Malone, and sister of Jamie, Amy, Joe, Emmett and Siobhan, Sarah was a graduate of GMIT, from which she held an Honours Degree in Fine Art.

Read Sarah’s full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.