Oonagh Cattigan is organising the inaugural NI Running Show at the Eikon Exhibition Centre, Lisburn on February 7-8, 2026
TWENTY years ago, I stepped into an exhibition hall for the first time. I’ll be honest — I didn’t even really know what the word exhibition meant.
I was working for a small organiser based in South London and had just been tasked with running their Irish events in Dublin. Years later, my old boss, now a dear friend, says she gave me the job because of my passion and enthusiasm, a strength I’m proud to say still sits at the heart of everything I do.
Fast forward 10 years… I’d worked my way up the ranks with a global exhibition organiser based in Central London. Life was full-on, exciting, and successful — but when children came along it was time to move on. I left behind my career and my event director’s hat and returned home to Northern Ireland, this time with a husband and a precious baby girl in tow.
Although I literally cried tears of joy returning to my beloved Glenariffe, I found it incredibly hard to leave behind the career I loved. Anyone who’s worked in live events will understand — it’s a powerful industry. It grips you and never really lets go.
So, there I was. Back in Glenariffe. A husband working long hours. A baby who needed me 24/7. Parents who were unwell. A brain that wouldn’t switch off — and jeans that were definitely too tight! It was then I joined the amazing Glens Runners and their Couch to 5K programme.
At first, my only aim was to get out of the house, meet like-minded people, and keep postnatal depression at bay. In those early days, running became my saviour. It was the most important job of my day because I knew that if I ran 5K, 10K, or even 10 miles, I was a better mum, a better wife, a better daughter, and a better friend.
After a brief career break, I returned to exhibitions on a remote freelance basis. I have been lucky enough to work on events of all shapes and sizes — in venues across the UK like the NEC Birmingham, London ExCeL, and the London Business Design Centre — and even as far afield as Basel in Switzerland and the Javits Center in New York.
And then came the lightbulb moment — funny enough, while I was out on a run! I was explaining to someone what I did for a living when the seed of an idea started to grow:
Why don’t we have a Running Show in Northern Ireland?
That was the question I kept coming back to. England has the National Running Show — so why can’t we have our own here?
So, I reached out to my incredible running friends and connections. I spoke with Athletics NI and Parkrun NI, and I was genuinely overwhelmed by what I heard.
Athletics NI currently has over 9,000 members and is affiliated with 90 local running clubs. Parkrun NI has over 50,000 regular participants, with more than 6,000 people taking part every single week. That level of engagement speaks volumes — running is alive and thriving in Northern Ireland.
Finally, I reached out to a potential partners and brands — and the response was unanimous: ‘Do it’.
And here we are today.
So, what is the NI Running Show?
In simple terms: It’s the Ideal Home Show — for runners.
It’s a space where runners of every level can come together, learn, connect, and be inspired.
SEE BELOW
