Dublin Clubs Roundup, 22 - 25 October 2026

DUBLINERS HIT THE ROADS FOR 45TH MARATHON

Virtually every Dublin club was represented in the Irish Life 45th Dublin Marathon held on a cold and breezy morning on Sunday October 25. The race incorporated Irish, Leinster and Dublin Championships and winning the Dublin title when finishing second of the Irish was 31-year-old Killian Mooney of Dundrum South Dublin. Mooney, who is better known as an Irish mountain running international, was clearly untroubled by the difficult conditions,  and in his marathon debut he finished in 2 hrs 15 mins 44 secs. Earlier this year, he had run 63 mins 59 secs for the half marathon, so the future looks bright. With less than four miles to go, Kane Collins (Donore Harriers) was running alongside the eventual women’s winner Zenebu Fikdau Jebesa, before pressing on and finishing  in a time of 2:24.01, with Jebesa not far behind. 

Finishing third Dubliner was 38-year-old Eddie O’Connor (Brothers Pearse AC, M35) a relative newcomer to athletics, who competes regularly on the track as well a road. In his marathon debut, O’Connor clocked a time of 2:25.38.  Not too far behind in 2:25.59 was Wayne Waldron (Donore Harriers), who was fourth Dubliner and first M40. Fifteen years ago in 2011,  Gary O’Hanlon (Clonliffe Harriers) ran a time of 2:26.30 in the Dublin Marathon.  He would later win the national title in the Dublin 2017 race. On Monday, O’Hanlon, and now aged 52, not only finished fifth Dublin club athlete,  but  was also only slightly over a minute slower than  his 2011 time, clocking 2:27:33. It was his tenth Dublin outing. In  the 2019 race, at the age of 45, O’Hanlon  had run his best time of 2:16.29. 

On a good day for DSD AC, Meghan Ryan finished third  of the Irish entry in the women’s race and first Dubliner in 2 hrs 40 mins 47 secs. A year earlier, she had finished fourth Irishwoman. Second Dubliner and first W40 was Fiona Stack  (Raheny Shamrock AC) in 2:44.35, while third in 2:45.27 was RubyWall, like Ryan a member of DSD AC. With Jessica Quinn, also DSD finishing fourth, a team victory looks assured although that has yet to be confirmed.  With three finishers in the Dublin top ten, Brothers Pearse look like taking the men’s team title. 

 In the age groups, Amanda Murphy (Cherry Orchard AC) was first W45, Triona Quill (Crusaders AC) first W55 and Elizabeth Rouine (Raheny Shamrock AC)  first W65. Lucan Harriers had two wins — Anne Whelan W60 and the ageless Eileen O’Brien W75. In the men’s age groups, Brian Kelly (Raheny Shamrock AC) was first M55 and James Cottle (Crusaders AC) first M70, while for Rathfarnham WSAF, Colm Murray was first M60 and Tom Cuddy first M65. Finally, in  visually impaired category,  Andrew Flynn (Blackrock AC) was the winner in 3:02.39.  

CROSS-COUNTRY 

Gavin Callery (Dundrum South Dublin AC) was the winner of the men’s novice race at the Leinster Novice Cross-Country Championships held in Gowran, Co Kilkenny,  on Saturday (October 24). Callery, who finished in 20 mins 17 secs, was pushed all the way by Jack Donegan (Tullamore Harriers) who finished just three seconds adrift. Also in the top six were Ayoub Essarghini (Donore Harriers) fifth and Tim Conway (Crusaders AC) sixth. Finishing third team was Raheny Shamrock AC led home by Tony McNally in ninth place.  With six finishers in the top fifteen, Dublin took the county title.

In the women’s race was Bonnie May McFeat (Dublin City Harriers) finished second and led DCH to team victory. Dublin was the winning county. Winning the  combined men’s U20 race was Conrad Latham (Raheny Shamrock AC). With Conor McGuirk 4th, Charles Gunawardhana 10th and Mark O’Callaghan 11th, Raheny Shamrock was the winning U20 team and Dublin the top county.

At the annual CCSSCA Schools Cross-Country held in the Phoenix Park on Thursday (October 22) , Pobailscoil Neasáin finished a fighting second overall behind Moyne CS from Co Longford. Among those picking up valuable points for the school were Joel Thomas  winner of the third year boys’ race  and his sister, third of the first year girls. Senior boys winner was Hugo Lopez from HFSC Rathcoole, who finished third school overall. Other Dublin schools competing included Pobailscoil Isolde, Palmerstown;  Portmarnock CS, St Mark’s Tallaght, Blakestown CS in Coolmine and  Malahide CS.