WATCH: Roscommon wraps its arms around brothers running for a cure
There was massive support for Jordan and Cian Adams when they ran a marathon in Roscommon today, Tuesday. Picture shows runners passing Kilteevan NS. Pic: Breda Durr
The people of Roscommon turned out in force this morning to welcome two brothers whose courage, heartbreak and determination have captured hearts far beyond the county and country boundary. (click on the four videos below to sample the atmosphere and listen to their story)
Cian and Jordan Adams, known as the FTD brothers, arrived in Roscommon on the 17th day of an extraordinary challenge: 33 marathons in 33 days, run through every county in Ireland. The first marathon was completed in London. At the halfway point of their journey, the atmosphere in the county was already lifted by a Connacht victory—and that pride, colour and spirit spilled onto the streets as Roscommon people rallied behind the pair.
The brothers are running not just for endurance, but for hope. Both are carriers of the Early Onset Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) gene, a rare hereditary disease that claimed their mother’s life at just 52 years of age in 2016. For Cian and Jordan, the statistics are stark.
“As carriers we have a 99.9% probability that we will get FTD, more than likely in our forties,” they told the Roscommon Herald.
Their journey began on one of the world’s biggest stages, the London Marathon, where Jordan drew international attention for carrying a 25kg fridge on his back for the entire race—an unmistakable symbol, he said, of the burden FTD places on their lives and their family.
At Loughnaneane Park in Roscommon the brothers were met with warmth, applause and solidarity. Locals lined the streets, flags waved proudly, and runners young and old joined Cian and Jordan for kilometres at a time, determined to share the road and the moment with them. At schools along the route children and staff waved flags and cheered them on. (Video shows children from Cloverhill NS, Roscommon cheering them on) As they approached the finish, Roscommon Castle loomed behind a growing crowd who cheered them home with emotion and pride.
Ireland holds deep meaning for the brothers. Their mother was originally from Leitrim, their grandfather from Ballinamuck in Longford, and they have lost twelve Irish relatives to the same devastating condition. Coming to Ireland, they say, is about honouring those memories while pushing for a future with better outcomes.
Roscommon, still buoyant from recent sporting success, gave them something extra. The brothers spoke movingly about the encouragement they received in the county, drawing particular inspiration from Roscommon siblings George and Isaac Naughton who are battling Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a devastating condition that claimed the life of their brother Archie at the age of just 16.
“We were very inspired by George and Isaac. Join Our Boys is a determined movement and it was amazing to meet them,” they said.
“Paula Naughton is a firehouse spreading their mission. They’ve really given us that extra motivation on this mission to end dementia, like they are doing with Duchenne. It was a privilege to spend time with them.”
So far, Cian and Jordan have raised more than €1.2 million, with 50 per cent of all funds going to Alzheimer’s Ireland—a tangible legacy from every step, every mile and every county.
As they leave Roscommon and head onward to Westmeath, the brothers carry not just their packs, but the encouragement of a county that stood shoulder to shoulder with them. Their journey will finish in Dublin on May 28,th but in Roscommon at least, their visit has already left a lasting mark.
In the end, it wasn’t just two brothers who passed through the county—it was a reminder of what happens when determination meets community, and when Roscommon shows its heart.
