Dublin Clubs Roundup, 17 - 22 March 2026

ROONEY TAKES SECOND WIN OF WEEK 

In his second win in five days, Colm Rooney (Clonliffe Harriers) led home over 1,500 finishers at the Dunboyne 10km on Sunday (Match 22). Rooney pushed the pace from the start and finished in 29 mins 34 second - almost held a minute clear of the chasers led by Dublin-based Eoghan McElhinney (Bantry AC) who finished in 30:01. Donore Harriers, led by Adam Nason in ninth place, finished second team and Clonliffe Harriers third. Packing well to finish best of the women’s teams was Dundrum South Dublin, with all four counters finishing within just over a minute of each other. Crusaders AC was second . Category winners included Pauline Robertson (Brothers Pearse AC) W55, Sharon McGrane (Civil Service Harriers) W60, Liz Arkins (Lucan Harriers) W65, Declan Power (Clonliffe Harriers) M55, and Tony O’Halloran (DSD AC) M65. More photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720332579646

ST PATRICK’S DAY RACES - CLONLIFFE ON THE DOUBLE IN TALLAGHT! 

Colm Rooney (Clonliffe Harriers) was the winners of the Tallaght 5km held in very windy conditions on Tuesday (March 17). Clonliffe took the first three places in the race, with Rooney, whose time was15 mins 7 secs, followed home by Ben Guiden in 15:15 and Mahad Mohamed Egaal in 15:17. Maebh Brannigan (Galway City Harriers) was first woman in 16:48, with Lisa Madden (Sportsworld AC) second in 17:13 and Helena Butterly (Clonliffe Harriers) third in 17:21. The race incorporated the Dublin Novice Championship with Malcolm Kiplagat (Clonliffe Harriers) and Sarah Lyons (Crusaders AC) the winners. Under 18 winners were Harry Cahill (Donore Harriers) and Ayana O’Callaghan (Clonliffe Harriers). With four in the top eight, Clonliffe’s A team were clear winners of the men’s title, beating their own second team. Third of the 37 teams entered was Brothers Pearse AC. Clonliffe also won the novice team title from its second team, with host club Tallaght AC, led by Stephen Worth, finishing third. In the women’s team competition, Sportsworld beat Clonliffe by just three points with Crusaders AC third. Winning the novice team prize was Clonliffe with Crusaders second and Dublin City Harriers third. 

In Harmonstown, Dublin, Anthony O’Brien (Raheny Shamrock AC) won the Up & Out Paddy’s Day 10km held at McAuley Park in 32 mins 19 secs. Natalia Lungu (Clonliffe Harriers) was first woman in 43:40. Winners at the inaugural Balbriggan St Patrick’s Day Race were Ronan Dunphy (Skerries AC) and Éadaoin Moore (Balbriggan & District A.C.). 

Elsewhere, at the Streets of Portlaoise 5km, the opening round of this year’s Peugeot Races Series, defending mixed team champions, Dundrum South Dublin AC, finished second behind a dominant Leevale squad. First home for DSD was marathon man Paul O’Donnell in fifth place. Also for DSD AC, Ruben Bartelink was first M50 and Loughlin Hannon second of the junior men.

In Co Westmeath, a Raheny Shamrock AC double at the Mullingar Half Marathon saw Michael Brady leading home over 2,000 finishers in 70 mins 31 secs and Fiona Stack first woman and first W40 in 89:46. Raheny Shamrock finished second of the men’s teams behind Mullingar Harriers. 

INDOORS 

 At the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Toruń, Poland (March 20-22), Irish record holder Bori Akinola (UCD AC) finished third in his 60m heat with a time of 6.59 secs, which qualified him for the semi-finals where he finished sixth in 6.60 and did not progress to the final. Star performer for the Irish team was multi-eventer Kate O’Connor from Dundalk who added another medal to her collection when finishing third in the women’s pentathlon with a new Irish record total of 4839 points.

In the USA, Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC) ran a personal best 20.74 secs for 200m at the Tom Tellez outdoor track meet in Houston,Texas on Thursday (March 19) finishing second in his race. The time puts 20-year-old Aigboboh top of the current Irish listings. 

CROSS-COUNTRY 

A number of Dublin club athletes represented their schools at the annual SIAB School Cross-Country, held in Bangor, Wales on Saturday (March 21). Elizabeth Reamsbottom (Santa Sabina) and Aoife Murphy (Loreto Foxrock) were part of the Irish team that finished second in the girls’ inter 4000m. The boy’s inter team also finished second in a tough 6000m race with Templeogue College pair Adam Noone 7th and Samuel Redmond 15th part of the squad. Running for the junior girls team which finished third were Ailbhe Finucane (Loreto Stephen’s Green) ninth, and Robyn Kennedy (Holy Child, Killiney) 14th. Both mixed 4 x 1500m teams finished second, with Ruby Farrelly (Our Lady’s Templeogue) and Conor Abbott (Coláiste Phadraig, Lucan) part of the inter team.

ULTRA RUNNING

Leading home the Republic of Ireland team at the Anglo-Celtic Plate 100km, held at the University of Limerick, on Saturday (March 21) was Rob Kelly (Raheny Shamrock AC) who finished fifth in 7 hrs 8 mins 53 secs. Just one place behind was Matthew Collins (Portmarnock AC) in 7:15.06. In the open race, Sean Meehan (Cherry Orchard AC) finished fourth in 7:21.45. England won the Home Countries team title. The race incorporated the Irish 100km Championships. 

Also taking place was a 50km race where Dean Comerford (Cherry Orchard AC) was fifth overall in 4:05.34.