McCullagh children to continue Oliver’s Boxing Day legacy

OLIVER McCullagh’s children, Olivia, Pierce and Conor will continue to build upon their father’s legacy by ensuring the annual Boxing Day race in the foothills of the Sperrins continues as normal.

Oliver sadly passed away in February, just two months after the 36th running of the increasingly popular five mile run around the hilly country roads of Greencastle, and his three children are determined to ensure his legacy lives on through the beloved event.

‘Mr Greencastle’, as he was known, grew the now famous five mile run to become one of Ireland’s most popular festive races, with competitors flocking to the town from near and far to burn off the Christmas excesses.

Oliver’s children, who grew up immersed in the planning of the event, are determined to continue that fine work.

“My father left a good legacy behind,” observed daughter, Olivia. “He left his orders, and everyone knows what they have to do each year. That’s the way he had it organised.

“It’s all I’ve known; my two brothers and I. Growing up as children, we’ve been there; that was our Christmas.

“Boxing Day was for the race, but I suppose Daddy saw something more to Christmas than just Christmas Day. It’s not always a happy time for everybody, and he saw Boxing Day as the chance to get everyone out, clear the heads with a bit of exercise, meet up with a few, and enjoy tea and refreshments afterwards.

“We’ll be happier when it’s all done with the pressure to keep it up to his standards, but hopefully we’ll be fit to pull it off. We’ll continue to do that for him the best we can.”

Following Oliver’s passing in February, there was never any thought given to not running the Greencastle 5. Mr McCullagh never let anything stand in his way to ensure the race went ahead, overcoming pandemics and severely cold conditions – and Olivia and her brothers are no different.

“This is the 37th year of it, and Daddy never stopped it for nothing,” she added. “Remember the bad weather in 2010? He kept it going then. The only place in the country there was a black road was on a hillside in Greencastle because he got the gritters out and they went around the roads – for the 5!

“When he went to those lengths, we’ve no excuses.”

As well as trying to match their father’s determination and drive, the McCullagh siblings are also keen to maintain Oliver’s focus on the runners and his proactivity in ensuring the run remains a community event -just two of the reasons that made the event so successful from the start.

“Daddy’s main thing was looking after all the runners, not just the first three men or the first three women, and he had prizes for every category up to the 70s.

“One year, he even had prizes for the over-80s for Pat O’Loughlin from Castlederg, who was there,” Olivia explained.

“That was his thing… He tried to keep everyone happy, and that’s the way he was.

“And Daddy involved the whole community; he made sure everyone knew their job and got everyone involved. People would have said ‘it’s your race’, but he would have said ‘it’s not my race, it’s Greencastle’s. It’s the community’s race – not mine’.”

The 2022 Greencastle 5 will start with the walk at 10.30am on Monday, December 26, followed by the run from 12noon. There will be tea and refreshments afterwards – and all the mulled wine competitors can drink, which is something Oliver introduced over 30 years ago.

There will also be T-shirts for the first 800 entries, and you can do so via ‘www.greencastle5.com’ for a cost of £12.