Ellen Cassidy tragically passed away at the finish line in June
Ellen Cassidy – Rest in Peace
Ellen Cassidy was just 24 when she collapsed and died at the Cork City Marathon in June 2025. Six months on, 20 people will take part in a fundraising fitness run – with proceeds going to Ellen’s loving family.
Ellen, who lived in Cork, was running the half-marathon when she became seriously ill and collapsed close to the finish line on Patrick Street. She was immediately treated by paramedics at the scene before being rushed to Cork University Hospital, where she was sadly pronounced dead.
Friends remember Ellen, from the Old Mallow Road, as a keen sportswoman and swimmer who represented Ireland at both the European Youth Olympics and the European Junior Championships. Now friends and family will run in her name on Saturday, January 10 as the Alpha Gym in Grange holds Ireland’s biggest HYROX sim – something Ellen herself had hoped to take part in.
Joanna McCarthy, owner at Alpha, explained to CorkBeo that the event is a simulation of a full HYROX fitness event: a series of eight 1km runs punctuated with fitness stations including rowing and lunging. The event, held at the Marina Market on previous occasions, will be taking place from 11am on January 10 at SuperValu Páirc Uà Chaoimh for the first time ever, with 1,400 participants in total. Joanna was more than happy to bring in Ellen’s friend Katie Cassidy, organiser of the fundraiser, to run in Ellen’s memory with around 20 friends.
Ellen Cassidy(Image: DSC)
Katie wrote: “We will be competing in the Alpha Sim in Pairc Ui Chaoimh to honour Ellen and celebrate a life that meant so much to all of us. With the incredible support and kindness of Alpha Gym, we have been able organised this event as a way for us to come together, remember Ellen and do something she truly loved.”
Just two days before Ellen’s death, she and Katie had booked tickets to compete in a sim in September. Katie said: “It was something she had always wanted to compete in and complete, and she was so excited to take it on. Knowing that makes this event even more meaningful, as we now compete in her memory and carry her spirit with us.”
Katie added that “all donations will go directly to the Cassidy family, who will choose how best to use the funds in a way that truly honours Ellen. Every contribution, big or small, is deeply appreciated. Thank you for your kindness, support and generosity during this incredibly difficult time.”
She also paid tribute to the 24-year-old sports fanatic as “the brightest light in our lives. She brought laughter, warmth and positivity wherever she went, and she is missed more deeply than words can ever express. This fundraiser is our way of honouring her, remembering her, and continuing the strength and love she gave so freely to everyone she met. Any donation, no matter the size, would truly mean the world to us. Your support helps us celebrate Ellen’s life and keep her spirit alive in the way she would have loved most , through sport, togetherness and heart.”
You can donate to the GoFundMe for Ellen’s family here.