The story behind the 3 Legged Charity Race

It’s a simple recipe- take a time-honoured race and some classic Copenhagen pubs. Mix with some Velcro leg ties and plenty of fun-loving revellers. Then sprinkle with some heart-warming appeal and a bit of craic, and you have the makings of the perfect way to celebrate the Irish national holiday.

Sponsored by Guinness, the 3 Legged Charity Race is Copenhagen’s longest running St. Patrick’s Day event. Started back in 2001 with just 18 teams, since then many more have accepted the challenge to become our 3 legged legends.

This wacky race, together with Shamrock Love, has donated 802.500 DKK (€107,385) to various charities and put the city on the lists of best places in the world to celebrate the day.

Ran by a committed group of volunteers from the city’s Danish-Irish community, the race kickstarts the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and brings everyone together for a fun-filled afternoon.

Check out this video from 2019 when the Embassy of Ireland in Denmark interviewed organiser Siobhán Kelleher-Petersen about how the 3 Legged Charity Race started.