Limerick’s first Butterfly Run for Féileacán takes place on Saturday, October 12

Limerick Butterfly Run for Féileacáin takes place on Saturday, October 12. Aoife Fitzgerald (Aoibheann’s Mammy), Hattie Kearney (Finn’s Mammy), Aisling Heffernan (Bonnie’s Mammy), Louise Canty (Noah’s Mammy), Karen Heffernan (Fiadh’s Mammy), Leanne O’ Donnell (Pádraig’s Mammy), Natasha Kelly (Peter’s Mammy)

The first Limerick Butterfly Run is set to take place on Saturday, October 12th in aid of Féileacáin

A group of brave and compassionate mothers in Limerick have come together to turn their grief into something beautiful – a beacon of hope and support for others who have experienced the unimaginable pain of pregnancy and infant loss.

These women, united by shared sorrow, have organised Limerick’s first Butterfly Run, a 5k family fun run in aid of Féileacáin, a charity dedicated to supporting families during the most difficult time of their life.

The Butterfly Run is set to take place on Saturday, October 12th, in Mungret Park. The event promises to be more than just a run; it is a day of remembrance, healing, and community. Whether participants choose to walk, run, or roll, everyone is welcome to join, either in person or virtually, to honour the memory of the babies who left this world far too soon.

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Aoife Fitzgerald, one of the event’s organisers and a bereaved mother of baby Aoibheann shares the deep personal significance of the Butterfly Run. “We hope the day will provide comfort to all who attend. People often ask ‘what can I do?’ and an event like this hopes to act as an outlet for that, allowing people to stand in solidarity and show they are thinking about the babies lost. For families who have directly suffered the pain of losing a child, whether recently or long ago, it’s a chance to honor and celebrate their baby in a positive way and feel the love of the community around them.”

Féileacáin, meaning “butterfly” in Irish, symbolises the delicate yet profound impact these little lives have had. The Butterfly Run, true to its name, aims to paint Mungret Park purple—a colour often associated with remembrance and spirituality. Each ticket purchased includes a special T-shirt, with space for the baby’s name to be written, allowing participants to carry their memory throughout the day.

Aoife emphasizes the significance of these T-shirts, saying, “Every person that signs up on the day will receive a purple Féileacáin T-shirt with a space to write your baby’s name or the baby you’re remembering. Writing and seeing the baby’s name on each T-shirt shows you are not alone and how loved each and every one of those babies are. And the sea of purple that the T-shirts create, we hope, will act as a warm hug for everyone involved.”

The Butterfly Run is more than just a race; it is a day to reflect and connect. Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs from the 9th to the 15th of October, will be honored during the event. Each family will be given a candle and invited to join the Global Wave of Light on October 15th at 7 PM, during which buildings across the country will also be lit up in solidarity.

In addition to the run, there will be a variety of entertainment and activities to ensure the day is filled with joy as well as reflection. The organisers have poured their hearts into creating an event that is not only meaningful but also uplifting, offering a space for families to come together, support one another, and celebrate the lives of their beloved children.

The event’s success depends not only on the participation of the community but also on the generosity of local businesses and individuals. The organisers are actively seeking donations of services or sponsorships to help make the day as special as possible. Whether through providing goods, services, or volunteering on the day, there are many ways to get involved and show support.

Aoife expresses deep gratitude for the support already received, noting, “The support we have already received from the wider community has been overwhelming. We would like to extend our thanks to all who have reached out and already offered goods, services, and donations—we could not run an event like this without your help. Every cent raised goes back to Féileacáin, who help to provide a path to anyone experiencing this heartbreaking loss and support for the months and years thereafter.”

She also highlights the crucial role of Féileacáin’s services, which extend even to those who experienced loss many years ago. “Support such as the memory boxes and cuddle cots allowed us to capture moments and memories we could never have had without Féileacáin—they offer the most precious thing in the world: more time. The services they provide also extend to the long-ago bereaved, who may not have been able to avail of the supports that are there today.”

For those interested in contributing, there are easy ways to do so—two QR codes provided on the event’s poster allow for quick access to ticket purchases and donations. For those who wish to volunteer, registration can be done via i-Vol, or by reaching out directly through social media @the_butterfly_run.

The Butterfly Run is not just an event; it’s a day of collective remembrance and a celebration of the lives that were, however briefly, a precious part of this world. It’s an opportunity for the community to come together, to honor, to heal, and to ensure that these babies are never forgotten.