Colin Farrell, a leading man in blockbusters and independent films since the 2000s, ran the Dublin marathon with his long-time friend Emma Fogarty.
Farrell finished the Irish Life Dublin Marathon to raise awareness and money for Debra Ireland, who is Ireland’s longest-living person with a rare and painful skin disorder called epidermolysis bullosa (EB).
For those unversed, EB, also known as “butterfly skin,” causes painful skin blisters from even slight friction, and severe cases have a life expectancy of early infancy to about 35 years.
The Gentlemen star ran over four hours and joined his friend Fogarty for the last 4 km (2.5 miles), pushing her wheelchair to the finish line.
In a video, Farrell hugs Fogarty at the end and jokingly asks, “Shall we go again?”
Before the race, Farrell and Fogarty raised over $432,000 (400,000 euros) and set a new goal of $1 million euros to celebrate Fogarty’s 40th birthday.
Afterwards, the Penguin star opened up to Irish Times, saying, “That run was nothing compared to the pain she is forced to endure every single day, even though she doesn’t show it.”
“It was an honour to see her waiting for me with 4km to go, each of those representing a decade of her life, and to do the final stretch together. I’ll never forget it,” Farrell added.
The Oscar-nominated actor dished out his plan to run in this year’s Dublin Marathon when he appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers last month.
Articulating his thought, he quipped, “She, literally, 80% of her body is an open wound. She’s a legend. She shouldn’t have lived to the age she is now, she’s 40 years of age. I’m gonna push her the last 4k. She’s magic, this one. I’ve known her for 16 years, so she’s my excuse to slow down for the last 2-and-a-half miles.”
It is pertinent to mention that Farrell has been doing charity work for a long time, and earlier this year, he started the Colin Farrell Foundation, inspired by his son, who has Angelman Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.
The foundation, launched in August, provides resources, support, and programs to help families of adults with intellectual disabilities.
