An Armagh man is preparing to undertake a 50km ultramarathon through the streets of New York next month – all in aid of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT).
James Greene, a 24-year-old trainee solicitor at EDG in Belfast, previously held a J1 visa in New York – just as Kevin Bell had done before tragedy cut his young life short in 2013.
James has always felt a close affinity with the KBRT, having experienced New York as Kevin did, so when the opportunity to raise funds for the Trust came up, the former St Patrick’s Grammar student jumped at the chance.
On March 15 – St Patrick’s weekend – James will run a 50km solo ultramarathon through the main boroughs of New York, beginning in Woodside in Queens, where James lived for a period, before ending at the Kevin Bell Memorial Bench in Woodlawn in the Bronx, where Kevin had worked and played football.
James explained how his employers had nominated the KBRT as their chosen charity, which prompted the run.
“I spent some time away, living in New York, on a J1 visa like Kevin did,” said James.
“I’ve been up around Woodlawn, where Kevin lived, and have friends who live in New York. I was always aware of the Kevin Bell Trust; I’ve seen the bench, I have been outside the bar, so it is definitely a charity I feel a link to.”
Despite not putting on a pair of running shoes in earnest for the best part of two years, James is coming out of the blocks with a personal goal as big as the Big Apple itself.
“Firstly, I thought maybe I’ll do a half marathon, but I hadn’t run in, I don’t know, maybe two years, and really I was struggling doing 5km,” he explained.
“I said maybe I’ll do a half marathon, so I started to make my own route. And then I decided, ‘you know what, I’ll try another route,’ and when I added to it, it eventually worked out at just over 50km, or 32 miles, ironically, which is a mile for every county that the Kevin Bell Trust has had a positive impact on – every county in Ireland!”
James is travelling out with three friends who will help on parts of the run, but James is the sole runner from start to finish. He will be taking in all the sights you’d associate with New York, but will also include a run past Gaelic Park in the Bronx, where Kevin was due to play a game on the day he tragically lost his life.
“It’s a route that made itself really,” said James. “And since then, I’ve just been training to do it.”
For James, the comfort of knowing the Trust is there to help the Irish diaspora around the world is enough – even if it is a charity you hope never to need.
“I have so many friends who live away; a lot of people my age, especially, are living in all corners of the world – from Australia, the US, Canada, the Middle East, Europe, and even at university in England, Wales, and Scotland.
“This is a charity that you don’t want to ever have to rely on, but there’s a nice sort of comfort knowing that they’re there to help a family.
“Thankfully the Trust’s work hasn’t crossed my doorstep but I still wanted to do something. Given that so many are away and the invaluable work that the Trust has done for families in their darkest hours, that’s why I wanted to do something.”
In November 2024, the Trust repatriated their 2,000th body and continue to help people on a daily basis, 365 days a year.
James has set an initial goal of £1,000. You can support his efforts on JustGiving here. If anybody wishes to make cash donations, James’ mother’s office – ‘Sharon Keeley Solicitors’ – are accepting cash donations on behalf of the charity at 5 College Street, Armagh.
