Dublin Clubs Roundup, 29th May - 1st June 2025
ROADS
Grace Richardson (Kilkenny) became the second member of her family to win the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon in Dublin on Sunday, when her time of 34 mins 17 secs saw her finish eight seconds ahead of Claire Fagan (Mullingar Harriers) second in 34:25 and Jessica Criag (North Down AC) third in 34:55. Grace’s older sister Aoibhe, race winner in 2019, finished fourth in 35:03. First Dublin club athlete was Ciara Brady (Raheny ShamrockAC) who finished eighth in 37:48, followed by Megan Brunt (Blackrock AC) tenth in 38:19. First master overall, as well as first over 55 for a third year, and third Dublin club athlete, was the evergreen Annette Kealy (Raheny Shamrock AC) winner of the race in 2008 after many years of trying - and already a ‘master’ even then. This year, she finished eighteenth overall in 38:49, about the same time as a year earlier. Fourth Dublin athlete and first for organising club Dundrum South Dublin AC was Lisa Gaughran, who finished 15th in 38:50. Other age category winners (by chip timing) from Dublin clubs were Aoife Quigley (Crusaders AC) W40 and Grainne Grennan (Blackrock AC) W65. Placers included Olivia Sexton (Portmarnock AC) third W40, Katherine Duff (Blackrock AC) and Ciara Peelo (Clonliffe Harriers) second and third W45, Eileen Rowland (Sportsworld) second W60, Mary Lynch (Raheny Shamrock) and Hazel Foster (Waterstown Warriors) ,second and third W70, and June Comiskey (Raheny Shamrock) and Carol Lynch (Sportsworld) second and third W75. A total of 23,704 completed the race, according to the timekeepers TDL. More pictures from the WMM at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/
At the Cork Marathon, Half Marathon and 10km, also on Sunday, Cillian O’Leary (Raheny Shamrock) finished sixth and first M45 with a time of 73.04 in the half marathon. Ten years ago exactly, in 2015, O’Leary, who comes from the city, won the Cork Marathon.
Leading home 410 finishers at the Balbriggan Summerfest 5km, Co Dublin on Thursday (May 29) was Ronan Dunphy (Skerries AC) in 16 mins 40 secs. Stephen Sharpe (Raheny Shamrock) was second in 17.43 and Mark Kelly (Clonliffe Harriers) sixth and first U16 in 18:26. First woman was Katie Halpin (Clonliffe Harriers) in 20:39 closely followed by Emma Przymusinska (Lusk AC) in 20:40
It was business (sorry!) as usual for Sean Doran (Clonliffe Harriers) when he won the Irish Life Canada Life Dunboyne BHAA 5-Mile in a time of 25 mins 16 secs on a wet Tuesday evening (May 27). Colm Turner (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) was second in 25:54. A total of 220 completed the race, among them the ever-consistent June Comiskey (Raheny Shamrock AC) first W75 and Terry Mee (Donore Harriers) first M80. Next BHAA fixture is the Trail 5km in the Phoenix Park on Tuesday June 10 (7.30pm)
Jonas Stafford (UCD AC) proved the class of the field at the Star of the Sea Michelle McKiernan 5km, in Stamullen, Navan, winning with well over a minute to spare in 14 mins 53 secs. Finishing fifth and first woman in 17:11 was Faye Dervan (DCH AC)
TRACK AND FIELD
At the All Ireland Schools Track and Field Championships held in Tullamore on Friday and Saturday (May 30-31) Emily Bolton ( Institute of Education/Clonliffe Harriers) won the senior girls’ 3000m also finishing second in the 1500m. Jacob Ciomek (HFCS Rathcoole/Lucan Harriers) won the inter boys’ 1500m steeplechase by a clear margin in 4:29.20. Charlie O’Neill (Belvedere/Donore Harriers) won the inter boys’ 1500m title in 4:03.12. In the senior boy’s race, Lorcan Benjacar (Ard Scoil Rís/Clonliffe Harriers) was the winner in 3:58.12 with Ryan O’Neill (Terenure College/Rathfarnham WSAF) second in 3:59.63. In the sprints, Cillian Doherty (Belvedere/Crusaders AC) won the senior boys’ 100m, Ellie Oldrey (The High School Dublin//Rathfarnham WSAF) the junior girls’ 200m and Louis Blinco (Castleknock CC/Metro St Brigid’s) the inter boys’ 400m. Julian Browne (Blackrock College/Blackrock AC) won the junior boys 80m hurdles, with Des O’Neill (St Fintan’s Sutton/Raheny Shamrock) taking the senior boys’ 400m hurdles title.
Conn McCluskey (St Benildus/DSD) won the junior boys’ high jump and his clubmate Lauren Healy (Loreto Foxrock) the inter girls’ title. For Belvedere, Theo Quinn won the senior boys’ high jump and Ethan Thompson (Fingallians AC) the inter boys hammer. Dublin winners in the 4x100m relays were Blackrock (junior boys), Dominican College Griffith Avenue (senior girls) and Oatlands (senior boys). Overall, Belvedere took both senior and inter boys’ titles and Blackrock the junior boys’ title.
TRACK - OVERSEAS
Cillian Kirwan (Raheny Shamrock AC) finished ninth overall in the men’s 800m with a time of 1:47.13 at the PUMA NITRO Lange Laufnacht, in Karlsruhe, Germany on Saturday (May 31). On Friday, at the Irene Szewińska Memorial meet in Bydgoszcz, Poland, Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers) clocked 3:34.67 for third place in the 1500m.I n the women’s 1500m, Jodie McCann (DCH) finished eighth in 4:09.78.
A day earlier, at the Kaaternes Dag meet in Denmark, Irish record holder Niamh Fogarty (Raheny Shamrock AC) finished third in the women’s discus with a 56.33m effort.
ULTRA RUNNING
Congrats to Ger Prendergast and Ballymun AC, who organised the first ever ‘urban’ Backyard Ultra at Trinity Comprehensive last weekend. The club’s own Gavin Tracey finished third after completing 15 hours and 100.5km of running. The purpose of a ‘backyard ultra’ is to complete a set distance of 6.7km in an hour which, if achieved, in 24 hours would add up to 100 miles.
