Maghaberry prisoners on the run in Belfast Marathon to raise funds for Cancer Charity

Chloe Walkingshaw, Governor in charge of Activities at Maghaberry Prison, sets prisoners off on a training session ahead of the Belfast Marathon in which 20 prisoners will compete over an official course inside Maghaberry Prison. Pictured alongside her is Cormac McMullan, Community Fundraising and Engagement Lead with the Cancer Fund for Children

In a powerful show of solidarity and rehabilitation, twenty prisoners at Northern Ireland’s high-security Maghaberry Prison will run the full 26.2-mile Belfast Marathon this Sunday (5 May), all within the confines of the prison walls.

An official marathon course has been measured out inside the prison by Belfast Marathon administrators, allowing inmates to participate simultaneously with thousands of runners taking to the streets of the capital.

The twenty inmates, whose ages range from 22 to 71, will form four relay teams for the demanding challenge. They will be joined by two teams of Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) staff – including Deputy Governor Claire Graham – and a team from the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust based at the facility.

This internal marathon effort is not merely a physical feat. The participants are running to raise vital funds for Cancer Fund for Children, a Northern Ireland-based charity supporting young people and families affected by cancer.

Maghaberry Prison will run the Belfast Marathon on Sunday (5 May). Inside Northern Ireland’s maximum security facility, Belfast Marathon administrators have measured an official course for the prisoners to complete the 26.2miles, at the same time as thousands take to the streets of the capital.

Maghaberry Prison Governor Tracy Megrath emphasised the significance of the initiative:

“This will actually be the third Belfast Marathon held in Maghaberry Prison. We started this in 2023 and it’s been an annual event for the staff and prisoners ever since.”

The marathon marks the culmination of months of preparation.

“The prisoners have been on a structured programme since January this year – as well as the fitness aspect they’ve been learning about good nutrition and diet,” said Governor Megrath.

Fundraising efforts are already well underway.

“Several hundred pounds has already been raised through donations from staff and fellow prisoners, and we expect the final total to top £1,000,” she added.

Beyond fundraising, the event forms part of a broader strategy within NIPS to encourage rehabilitation and community reintegration.

“The Prison Service challenge and support all those who are sent to us by the courts, and through various rehabilitation projects and purposeful activity we promote a sense of achievement and prepare them for the return to their community,” Governor Megrath explained.

Cancer Fund for Children praised the initiative and the support from within the prison.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Northern Ireland Prison Service at Maghaberry Prison for taking on this challenge to support families affected by cancer,” said Cormac McMullan, the charity’s Community Fundraising and Engagement lead.

He continued:

“Every week in Northern Ireland, three more children and young people are diagnosed with cancer, and many others are living with the impact of a parent’s diagnosis. The funds raised will help us provide vital support in hospital, in the community, and at our therapeutic centre, Daisy Lodge—ensuring young people don’t have to face cancer alone.”

This unique prison marathon highlights how sport, rehabilitation, and charitable action can intersect, even behind the walls of a high-security facility.

As thousands run across Belfast’s streets, a smaller, quieter – but equally significant – marathon will unfold within Maghaberry’s perimeter, offering a powerful symbol of personal progress and collective goodwill.