28 Years On: The Keating Family’s Legacy Lives On With The Next Generation Stepping Up for a New National Fundraiser

Keating family unite in memory of their grandmother and call on Ireland to come together and move this June — with every step helping to save lives

April 28, 2026: The Marie Keating Foundation, founded by singer Ronan Keating and his siblings following the loss of their mother Marie 28 years ago, today launched its flagship national fundraising challenge, 100km in 30 Days, at an event in the Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge.

Ronan Keating’s children, Jack, Missy and Ali, came together to honour their grandmother, who died from breast cancer in 1998, as they helped officially launch the challenge. 100km in 30 Days invites people across Ireland to walk, run, wheel or move 100 kilometres throughout June, just over 3km a day, in support of vital lifesaving cancer services nationwide.

In addition to the Keating family, broadcaster and writer Maia Dunphy has also come on board as ambassador having lost her own mother to pancreatic cancer in 2022. Erin McGreehan, TD for Louth, also showed her support for the campaign and the Foundation’s work by attending on the day.

Radio presenter Jack Keating added:
“It’s an honour to be here today and to support something that means so much to our family. Our Nanny’s legacy is incredibly important to us, and it’s very special to see how the Foundation set up in her name now supports thousands of people in communities across Ireland every year. Cancer affects so many families, and we know how much it can impact people’s lives. Seeing the Foundation continue to be there for people at every step of their cancer journey – offering support, information and comfort when it’s needed most – really shows the difference her legacy continues to make.”

Speaking at the launch, ambassador Maia Dunphy said:
“Cancer has touched my life in the most profound way. Losing my mum was incredibly hard, and it’s why challenges like this matter so much. ‘100km in 30 Days’ is something anyone can take part in – it’s simple, achievable, and fun to do and it brings people together in a really powerful way. Every step taken is in support of families going through the hardest moments of their lives, and I’m incredibly proud to support it.”

The Marie Keating Foundation provides free, nationwide awareness and support services for people affected by cancer, including nurse-led community outreach through mobile information units, survivorship programmes and financial assistance for those undergoing treatment. With less than five percent of its income coming from statutory funding, initiatives like 100km in 30 Days are critical to sustaining these services.

Speaking at the launch, Liz Yeates, CEO of the Marie Keating Foundation, said:
“We know that cancer will affect one in two people in Ireland in their lifetime. That’s a reality that touches every family, every community, every workplace.

The return of ‘100km in 30 Days’ is incredibly important for us – not just as a fundraiser, but as a national movement that brings people together in support of those navigating a cancer diagnosis.

Every kilometre completed this June will help us continue to provide free, life-saving services to those who need them most. We are asking people across Ireland to take part in whatever way they can – because together, every step makes a very real difference.”

100km in 30 Days was founded by Louth couple Niall Carroll and Cara McAdam in 2020, after Cara was diagnosed with breast cancer. An avid runner, Cara continued to run throughout her treatment, inspiring the creation of the challenge.

For 2026, 100km in 30 Days returns with a new focus, now supporting all common cancer types and reflecting the Marie Keating Foundation’s work with individuals and families across every stage of a cancer journey.

Niall Carroll, co-founder of 100km in 30 Days, said:
“It’s incredibly special to see ‘100km in 30 Days’ enter this next chapter with the Marie Keating Foundation. What started as a simple idea to get people moving and support those affected by cancer has grown into something much bigger than I ever imagined.

I’m genuinely proud of what’s been built and, more importantly, the community behind it. Handing over the baton to the Marie Keating Foundation means the 100K in 30 Days will continue to grow and inspire even more people across Ireland to get involved and make a real difference.”

Participants can take part individually or as part of a team, whether with family, friends, colleagues, or local clubs. The challenge is designed to be inclusive and flexible, making it accessible to people of all ages and abilities.

The Foundation is aiming to mobilise thousands of participants nationwide this June, creating visible momentum across towns, clubs, workplaces, and schools, as communities come together to support one another.

As part of its renewed three-year partnership with the Foundation, the Dalata Hotel Group is a lead sponsor of the challenge and continues to play a key role in supporting awareness and fundraising initiatives, with its network of hotels and employee-led “Difference Makers” helping to drive impact in communities nationwide.

Shane Mulchrone, Group Social Impact Manager, Dalata Hotel Group, said:

“We are incredibly proud to continue our partnership with the Marie Keating Foundation and to support ‘100km in 30 Days’. Through the passion and commitment of our teams across Ireland, we’ve seen first-hand the difference these initiatives make in local communities.

This challenge is a powerful example of how small, everyday actions can come together to create meaningful change, and we’re delighted to play our part in helping it grow even further over the next three years.”

The challenge is also sponsored by Arthur Cox LLP, Overhaul and William Fry LLP.