Colin Farrell gets Irish Government’s attention after running marathon for EB charity

Colin Farrell met with Ireland’s Taoiseach Simon Harris after the Hollywood star ran the Dublin Marathon on Sunday in support of Irish charity Debra.

“Great to welcome Colin Farrell to the office today,” Taoiseach Simon Harris said in a post on Instagram on Friday.

“Determined to work to secure ring fenced funding for EB patients and also congratulated him on all his work and advocacy in this really important area.”

Farrell met with the Taoiseach less than a week after he completed the Dublin Marathon in a bid to raise funds for Debra, Ireland’s national charity supporting people living with the incurable disease epidermolysis bullosa (EB). 

The actor ran his hometown marathon in support of his pal Emma Fogarty who, at 40, is the longest-surviving Irish woman with the agonizing skin condition. The two teamed up for the “Run to 40” campaign, which has raised more than €845k as of Friday afternoon.

Farrell wheeled Fogarty for the final 4km of the Dublin Marathon on Sunday.

Afterward, Farrell said: “I have known Emma for many years and she epitomises bravery, she is what courage and pure determination are all about.

“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, who launched his own Foundation for people with intellectual disabilities earlier this year, has long been a supporter of Debra. The Irish charity organization says that for the third year in a row, the Government has failed to prioritize funding for EB care in Budget 2025.

“This year, we asked the Government to ring-fence €600,000 for EB home nursing care and invest a further €95,000 to ensure holistic integrated care in line with the vision of Sláintecare (2021),” Debra said.

“Many people living with EB are struggling to access vital services and supports, with people often having to fight relentlessly to get what they need.

“We are calling on the Government to prioritise additional acute and regional supports to meet the unique needs of people living with or caring for someone with EB.”

Jimmy Fearon, Debra CEO, added: “The Government has failed to prioritise additional acute and regional supports to meet the unique needs of people living with or caring for someone with EB. Funding towards essential supports could have alleviated some of the heavy burden of this lifelong incurable disease. The emotional and physical toll on people with EB and their families is significant, and being overlooked by Budget 2025 is yet another blow to them.”