Inishowen runner to tackle Dublin Marathon for brain tumour research

Shane McGonagle, an Inishowen native living near Buncrana, will run the Irish Life Dublin Marathon on 25 October 2026 to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research in memory of his late father.

McGonagle, one of three sons of the late Hugh McGonagle, works in the Radiology Department of Letterkenny University Hospital. Hugh, who died aged 56 from a brain tumour in August 2019, was well‑known in Buncrana and the wider Inishowen area for his community work and charitable fundraising, including raising over €20,000 for Beaumont Hospital in 2009.

Choosing Brain Tumour Research as the beneficiary, Shane said every step of the 26.2‑mile race will honour his father’s “kind, caring, loving” nature and aim to support families facing similar loss. He has been training with half‑marathons and running challenges, though he admits he is “petrified and excited” as a first‑time marathoner.

The marathon will start in Dublin on Sunday, 25 October, and donations can be made to support the charity through Shane’s fundraising page.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: Stephen Leonardi / Pexels.