Most event previews begin with finish times, course records and the chance of a personal best. The National Solidarity Run begins somewhere else entirely.
On Sunday October 11th, up to 1,200 people are expected at Sport Ireland Campus in Abbotstown for an afternoon built around friendship, inclusion and the simple act of moving together. Participants can run, jog or walk the national cross country course, with nobody required to race and no stopwatch deciding the value of the day.
This is the third National Solidarity Run organised by Sanctuary Runners and the flagship Irish event of the Global Solidarity Run. While the main gathering takes place in Dublin, people in more than 100 countries are expected to wear blue and take part in physical activity in support of those who have been forcibly displaced or are living in extreme poverty.
Entries remain open, and there is even a free registration option. For anyone looking for an event with a little more meaning than another number beside their name on a results page, this one deserves attention.
A Run With A Different Finish Line
The National Solidarity Run is a 5K, but it is not a conventional race. There is no chip timing, no finishing order, no prizes and no medal. That is not an omission. It is the entire point.
The organisers want people talking, laughing and moving together rather than staring at their watches. The 5K consists of two laps of the Sport Ireland National Cross Country Track, while those who prefer a shorter outing can complete one 2.5K lap.
The course uses a mixture of grass and trail paths. Rain could bring mud and puddles into the equation, which is hardly breaking news for an Irish cross country event in October. Normal running shoes are suitable and spikes are optional.
Directional arrows and marshals will guide participants around the route, although the course will not carry distance markers. GPS watches may also produce slightly different readings because of the nature of the ground. This is one afternoon when nobody needs to launch an inquiry if the watch reads 4.93 kilometres.
What Sanctuary Runners Is Building
Sanctuary Runners began in Cork in 2018 with a simple belief that running and walking together can help people form real friendships. Its first year brought 200 people from 40 nationalities to the Cork City Marathon, including participants living in Direct Provision centres.
The movement now has more than 40 groups across Ireland and a growing presence overseas. Its weekly runs and walks bring longer term residents together with migrants, refugees and people seeking international protection. The blue Sanctuary Runners shirt has become a familiar sight at parkruns, road races and marathons across the country.
The organisation does not use sport as a vague symbol of integration. It creates regular places where people meet, talk and get to know one another. That matters. Isolation cannot be solved by a slogan, but sharing a run, a walk or a cup of coffee can be a genuine starting point.
Its values are solidarity, friendship and respect, and the National Solidarity Run puts all three into practice on one course.
Dublin At The Centre Of A Global Day
The event at Sport Ireland Campus forms part of a much larger international effort. Hundreds of gatherings are planned for the third annual Global Solidarity Run, with the 2026 initiative beginning and finishing in Kenya while connecting communities around the world.
Last year, Irish diplomatic missions, clubs, organisations and individuals in almost 100 countries took part, including 66 Irish embassies and consulates. This year, Sanctuary Runners is aiming to go further with support from partners including Irish Aid, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ireland Funds, the European Commission Representation in Ireland, Sport Ireland and Athletics Ireland.
The Dublin event is also aligned with Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Representatives from EU member states are expected to attend, while President of Ireland Catherine Connolly, who is a patron of Sanctuary Runners, is due to give the welcome address and open the event.
Sanctuary Runners CEO Anna Pringle has described the occasion as an opportunity to celebrate shared humanity and the good that can be achieved when people come together. On a day built around community, that message carries considerably more weight than a finishing time.
Who Can Take Part?
The event is open to runners, joggers and walkers of every ability. A person does not need to be a member of Sanctuary Runners, belong to an athletics club or have completed a 5K before.
Walkers are encouraged to begin towards the back of the group, and the one lap option means participants can stop after 2.5K. Children are welcome, but registration is for adults only and every child must remain with a parent or guardian. Children under 12 must stay within arm's reach throughout the event.
The organisers advise that the course is not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies because it crosses grass and trail sections that may become muddy. Dogs are not permitted on the course or in the event area.
Supporters are very welcome, with several points available around the route for encouragement. There will also be music, entertainment and refreshments, so the afternoon is designed to feel like a community gathering rather than a quick arrival, run and dash home.
What To Expect On The Day
Arrival, parking and bag drop will begin from 11.30am, with the event starting at 12.30pm. Blue shirts will be available for collection from noon. Participants are advised to arrive early enough to hear the welcome address and settle in before the run begins.
A bag drop will be available but closes promptly at 12.30pm, and valuables should not be left inside. Blue Sanctuary Runners shirts can be collected on the day. Anyone who already owns one is encouraged to wear it and help form what the organisers hope will be a blue wave around the course.
Water will be available at the finish, along with complimentary catering and refreshments. Toilets, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities will be located near the start and finish area. The full event is scheduled to conclude at 3.30pm.
Getting To Sport Ireland Campus
Members of local Sanctuary Runners groups should check with their group about transport, as buses are being arranged from several locations.
For those travelling from Dublin city centre, the organisers recommend public transport. Dublin Bus routes 38 and 38A serve Snugborough Road, while the N4 also stops there. A shuttle bus will operate from the entrance of Sport Ireland Campus to the event area.
Bike racks are available around the campus. Parking is limited, so drivers are encouraged to share lifts and follow the directions from signs and marshals on arrival.
Entries Remain Open
Public registration is still available online. Entrants can use the access code solidarity for a free place, or choose the €10 general admission option. The paid fee contributes towards event shirts and running costs.
Online registration is scheduled to remain available until noon on Sunday October 11th, subject to places remaining. With public tickets limited, leaving it until the final morning would be asking for bother.
Race Essentials
Event: National Solidarity Run 2026
Date: Sunday October 11th
Location: Sport Ireland Campus, Abbotstown, Dublin 15
Start Time: 12.30pm
Arrival: From 11.30am
Distance: 5K over two laps, with a 2.5K one lap option
Surface: Grass and trail paths on the national cross country course
Timing: Untimed
Entry: Free with access code solidarity, or €10 general admission
Entry Status: Open, with online registration scheduled to close at noon on event day
Included: Blue Sanctuary Runners shirt, refreshments and entertainment
Registration: National Solidarity Run entry page
