Memorial Run Update #1 — Dublin to Spa and the Nürburgring

The Memorial Run is properly underway.

After the launch at Mondello Park, we pointed the BMW towards Dublin Port and started the run across Europe in memory of Kieran, raising money for St Francis Hospice Raheny.

Dublin to France

The first leg was Dublin to Cherbourg, then straight into the long drive through France. There were wrong turns, a forgotten bag and I even managed to smash my glasses closing the boot — exactly the kind of calm, organised road trip you would expect from Be OK Garage.

From Cherbourg we made our way to Rouen for the first stop, with the E46 taking the miles far better than I had any right to expect after the frantic final weeks getting it ready.

Spa-Francorchamps

Day two took us through France and Belgium to Spa-Francorchamps. Getting the car into the paddock and seeing it sitting there after everything it took to get this build finished was a proper moment.

It was not completely drama-free. We had warning lights along the way and even got stopped by police, but the car, the paperwork and the team all kept moving.

On to the Nürburgring

From Spa we crossed into Germany and finally made it to Nürburg. This was one of the big targets for the trip: getting this ridiculous home-built E46 all the way from Ireland to one of the most famous places in the car world.

Even better, we were not doing it alone. Friends and family were there with us in the Be OK Garage shirts, which made the whole thing feel much bigger than just a road trip.

More than €5,000 raised

Somewhere in the middle of all of that, the fundraiser passed €5,000. The original target was €2,500.

That is the part that matters most. The cars, the miles and the chaos give us the story, but every donation is going towards supporting St Francis Hospice Raheny and remembering Kieran.

Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared the fundraiser, followed the trip or helped us get this far.

Drive cars. Make friends. Be OK.