‘We just kept thinking of them two and looking at the names’ – Stephen Bradley completes Marathon before taking helicopter to Derry
Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley, left, and assistant coach Glenn Cronin after competing in the 2025 Irish Life Dublin Marathon
26 October 2025; Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley, centre, celebrates with Brendan Dawson, left, and CEO Irish Life Dublin Marathon Seán O’Riain after competing in the 2025 Irish Life Dublin Marathon. This marks the 44th edition of the race with thousands of participants from international athletes, club runners, wheelchair-assisted participants, charity runners, and first-time marathon participants taking on the 26.2-mile challenge. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Stephen Bradley says it was thoughts of their own children and their battles with cancer which saw him and his assistant at Shamrock Rovers, Glenn Cronin, over the finish line in the Dublin City Marathon today.
Ahead of their team’s game away to Derry City in a title decider, Bradley and Cronin completed the marathon to raise funds for the Oscar’s Kids charity, as the pair collected their medals and then boarded a helicopter to make the 45-minute trip to Derry for the 3pm kick-off.
“Aoife, Glenn’s daughter was affected by cancer and Josh, my son, was affected. When it got tough, we just kept thinking of them two and looking at the names and understanding the reason why we’re doing it,” Bradley said, explaining the names written on his arm.
26 October 2025; Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley, centre, celebrates with Brendan Dawson, left, and CEO Irish Life Dublin Marathon Seán O’Riain after competing in the 2025 Irish Life Dublin Marathon. This marks the 44th edition of the race with thousands of participants from international athletes, club runners, wheelchair-assisted participants, charity runners, and first-time marathon participants taking on the 26.2-mile challenge. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
“We’ve done it in under four [hours], which is the aim. It was incredibly hard. The crowd was incredible, people on the way around were incredible. Look, we’ve done it. We’ve raised a lot of money and that’s what the aim was today.
“We have Oscars Kids, an incredible charity to help families up and down the country in extremely difficult times. This is a small way that we can help them out and it’ll go a long way to helping kids and families up and down the country.
“The support was incredible. Honestly, this day is a special day. The people of Ireland that come out and support you, it’s special, it really is. It helps you get through and thanks to every one of them,” Bradley added.
