Everyone’s a Warrior

24/8/2026

Paul E. Kelly, Michelle English, Gill Earley and Bex Fleming

There were a few races taking place this week on the roads that enjoyed Crusaders participation. The first two road races took place on Thursday evening with the latest BHAA event, this time on the roads around the Rosemount Business Park in Blanchardstown over a distance of about 4.9k, along with the fast Celbridge AC 5k in Co. Kildare. Conditions were benign and excellent for racing that evening.

As we have come to expect nowadays with the BHAA, the field was relatively modest at 79 and there were four Crusaders who took part on a course that was largely flat. The contingent was led home by Joe Walsh in 5th place and winner of the M50 age category in a time of 17:21. Joe was followed by Eoghan Corrigan, returning from injury (32nd in 21:46), Sharon Woods (39th overall, 5th female finisher and 1st F55 in 22:12) and Mairead Cashman (73rd, 20th and 2nd F60).

Celbridge was the other place to be on Thursday evening, where we had 5 Crusaders participating. In a decent and quality field of 654, Doireann Hughes was our first runner across the line, placing 67th overall and 9th female finisher in 18:26. Doireann was followed by two Kildare-based athletes, Gill Earley (166th and 35th in 20:08) and Rebecca Fleming (203rd and 41st in 20:57), and then by Michelle English (476th and 159th in 27:11) and Paul E. Kelly (575th in 31:22).

On Saturday afternoon, four of our clubmates took part in the annually-held Warriors Run, a hilly race behind and along the coast of Co. Sligo. The distance covered is an odd 14.27km, but it has a history and has been staged annually for the last 40 years. It is also highly popular and this year enjoyed a field of 1364 finishers.

Brian Regan led our small contingent home in 12th place in a time of 62:58 and he was followed by Sligo natives Shane Egan (17th in 64:49), Paddy Gaynor (19th in 65:21) and Ellen Walsh (512th and 71st in 95:10).

On Sunday morning, Sebastian Hansen was our sole runner in the highly international (and elite) field in the Antrim Coast Half marathon, an out-and-back race on the road along the coast there. In a field of 4405 finishers, Sebastian, who is preparing for a tilt at the Berlin marathon, recorded a super PB time of 71:51 to place 67th.

Finally, further afield, two of our exiles in Spain, Esther Requena Ferri and Cristian Vilchez Ceballos, ran in a couple of street races in the south of the country. On Wednesday evening they took part in the 5.7k Carrera urbana Beas de Granada where Cristian placed 8th overall and 3rd M35 in 20:53 and Esther ran 24:24 to win the women's race. Then, on Friday evening they ran in the 7k Carrera Urbana Alhendrin, where Cristian ran 25:18 for 10th place overall and 3rd M35, whilst Esther ran 28:27 for 3rd place in the women's race.

On Wednesday evening, IMRA organised the Mountain Meitheal Fundraiser, an 8k race with a climb of 400m that took place between Lough Tay and Ballinastoe. Donatas Jocius was the lone Crusader in the field of 79, placing 22nd in 69 minutes.

There were Crusaders spread across quite a few parkruns on Saturday morning, several running tempo pace as part of their substantial long runs or before embarking on them later in the weekend, training for Autumn half and full marathons.

Peter O’Toole led the field across the line in the Broadway Linear parkrun, in a time of 18:57 alongside 39 other participants, whilst, in Vandeleur, Dee Lawlor did the same. In a field of 115, Dee recorded a time of 18:11. Aoife McCarthy found the podium in the 48-strong field in Deerpark Forest parkrun in Virginia, where she placed 11th and 2nd in 25:17.

Meanwhile, in Poolbeg, Stephen Hurley placed 3rd in 18:03. In ta field of 247, Kev Moore came home in 10th place (19:26), followed by Zlatko Kulic (24th in 21:14), Louise Dobbyn (31st and 3rd in 22:11) alongside Luke Haran (32nd in 22:12), ahead of Ronan Walsh (35th in 22:19), Mary Donnelly (37th and 6th in 22:27), Claire Reidy (62nd and 14th in 24:25), Ciara Regan and Olwyn Dunne (respectively 84th and 85th and 25th and 26th in a time of 25:55), Marie-Theresa Murphy (110th and 37th in 27:13), Jessica Norris (114th and 39th in 27:29), Tanja Narancic (132nd and 49th in 28:21), Franky Keane (135th in 28:23), Siobhan Russell (151st and 54th in 29:45), Maureen McGinley (167th and 63rd in 31:15) and Cynthia Perucca (201st and 83rd in 33:34).

We had 5 runners in Shanganagh with a field 327 strong. Tim Bowen placed 4th in 18:35 and he was followed further back by Fiona Shine (116th and 23rd in 26:09), Órlaith de Burca (167th and 40th in 28:01), Máirín Shine (245th and 89th in 32:13) and Lisa Shine (252nd and 93rd in 32:39).

Joe Walsh as our first runner home in Brickfields with its field of 102, where he placed 4th in 18:38, and he was followed by Mairead Cashman (72nd and 29th in 33:02). Michael O’Shea also placed 4th in Poppintree. In a field of 174, he ran 19:17 and was followed by Kabir Sala (16th in 22:01), Paul F. Kelly (32nd in 24:30) and Laura O’Malley (51st and 10th in 25:57). On Midleton Greenway, Niall O’Connell took 7th spot in a field of 157 and in a time of 20:01, being followed by Áine Crotty (118th and 46th in 33:41), whilst, in Bushy Park with its field of 197, Luke Corcoran placed 12th in 21:15.

Jamie Renehan and Brian O’Kelly joined 182 other runners in Fairview, where Jamie placed 4th in 20:13, followed by Brian (15th in 22:02), whilst, in St. Anne’s, Raheny, Emer Kenny placed 99th and 13th in 24:34, ahead of Louise O’Riordan (151st and 27th in 26:04). The field there measured 503.

Darina Scully paced the 28 minutes runners in Malahide, placing 158th and 42nd in a field of 333 with a time of 27:58, whilst, in Con Smit, Barry O’Neill joined 69 other runners, placing 17th in 25:03. Meanwhile, Aisling O’Riordan ran 28:50 for 108th and 25th spots in the 289-strong field in Tralee, whilst, in Marlay Park, Kevin Kenny recorded a time of 29:25 to place 326th in a field of 603. Brendan Glynn ran once again in Donabate, where, alongside 188 other participants, he placed 18th in 23:24, whilst, in the prison confines (Mountjoy) of the Progression run, Martina White took 38th and 17th spots in 28:11 in a field of 55.

Finally, Enda Currid joined a field of 276 in Corkagh Park, where he placed 11th in 22:09, whilst, further afield, Kris Ryan, one of our Australian exiles, ran once again in Paradise Point, placing 91st and 25th in 28:50 in a field of 289.

BHAA Keypoint 5k road race (76)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Paul Nagle 1 00:16:26
15 Elaine De Courcy 1 00:19:50
Crusaders AC runners
5 Joe Walsh 00:17:21
32 Eoghan Corrigan 00:21:46
39 Sharon Woods 00:22:12 (5)
326 Mairead Cashman 00:29:22 (125)
Full results here: https://members.bhaa.ie/results/race/555
Celbridge AC 5k (654)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Dylan Wright 1 00:15:16
17 Kelly Breen 1 00:16:31
Crusaders AC runners
67 Doireann Hughes 00:18:26 (9)
166 Gillian Earley 00:20:0 (35)
203 Rebecca Fleming 00:20:57 (41)
476 Michelle English 00:27:11 (159)
575 Paul E. Kelly 00:31:22
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/celbridge-a-c-5km-road-race-2026/
The Warriors Run 14.3k (1364)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Gavin Callery 1 00:56:14
13 Sarah McCormack 1 01:03:16
Crusaders AC runners
12 Brian Regan 01:02:58
17 Shane Egan 01:04:49
19 Patrick Gaynor 01:05:21
512 Ellen Walsh 01:35:10 (71)
Full results here: https://my.raceresult.com/415923/#1_876FAE
Antrim Coast Half Marathon (4405)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Isaia Lasoi 1 00:58:26
31 Girmawit Gebrazihair 1 01:06:11
Crusaders AC runner
67 Sebastian Hansen 01:11:51 (PB)
Full results here: https://myrunresults.com/events/antrim_coast_half_marathon_2026/6218/results?class=half%20marathon&page=27&perPage=100
IMRA Mountain Meitheal Fundraiser 8k (79)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Conor O’Meara 1 01:00:51
20 Hazel Thompson 1 01:08:30
Crusaders AC runner
22 Donatas Jocius 01:09:00
Full results here: https://imra.ie/events/results?id=2921
Deerpark Forest, Virginia Parkrun (48)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Jonathan Horan 1 00:18:51
7 Audrey McDermott 1 00:24:26
Crusaders AC runners
11 Aoife McCarthy 00:25:17 (2)
Tralee Parkrun (289)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Daniel Glennon 1 00:18:16
10 Evie O’Sullivan 1 00:20:50
Crusaders AC runner
108 Aisling O’Riordan 00:28:50 (25)
Progression Parkrun (55)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 M. Leixlip 1 00:18:30
6 Emma Finlay 1 00:21:50
Crusaders AC runner
38 Martina White 00:28:11 (17)
Broadmeadow Linear Parkrun (40)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Peter O’Toole 1 00:18:57
11 Ruth Moran 1 00:23:11
Crusaders AC runner
1 Peter O’Toole 00:18:57
Shanganagh Parkrun (327)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Drew Donohoe 1 00:17:56
19 Eileen O’Toole 1 00:20:28
Crusaders AC runners
4 Timothy Bowen 00:18:35
116 Fiona Shine 00:26:09 (23)
167 Órlaith de Burca 00:28:01 (40)
245 Máirín Shine 00:32:13 (89)
252 Lisa Shine 00:32:39 (93)
Poolbeg Parkrun (247)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Denis Buckley 1 00:17:24
27 Rebecca Mann 1 00:21:42
Crusaders AC runners
3 Stephen Hurley 00:18:03
10 Kev Moore 00:19:26
24 Zlatko Kulic 00:21:14
31 Louise Dobbyn 00:22:11 (3)
32 Luke Haran 00:22:12
35 Ronan Walsh 00:22:19
37 Mary Donnelly 00:22:27 (6)
62 Claire Reidy 00:24:25 (14)
84 Ciara Regan 00:25:55 (25)
85 Olwyn Dunne 00:25:55 (26)
110 Marie-Theresa Murphy 00:27:13 (37)
114 Jessica Norris 00:27:29 (39)
132 Tanja Narancic 00:28:21 (49)
135 Franky Keane 00:28:23
151 Siobhan Russell 00:29:45 (54)
167 Maureen McGinley 00:31:15 (63)
201 Cynthia Perucca 00:33:34 (83)
St. Anne’s Parkrun (503)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Gavin Maher 1 00:18:27
3 Zoe Quinn 1 00:18:41
Crusaders AC runners
99 Emer Kenny 00:24:34 (13)
151 Louise O’Riordan 00:26:04 (27)
Con Smith Parkrun (70)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Alicia Boylan 1 00:20:31
2 Eamonn McCabe 1 00:21:01
Crusaders AC runner
17 Barry O’Neill 00:25:03
Vandeleur Parkrun (115)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Derek Lawlor 1 00:18:11
9 Dympna O’Dwyer 1 00:21:37
Crusaders AC runner
1 Derek Lawlor 00:18:11
Marlay Parkrun (603)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Matthew O’Connor 1 00:16:53
9 Aisling O’Connor 1 00:19:57
Crusaders AC runner
326 Kevin Kenny 00:29:25
Brickfields Parkrun (102)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Thomas Goulding 1 00:17:09
8 Iina Elfving 1 00:19:52
Crusaders AC runners
4 Joe Walsh 00:18:38
72 Mairead Cashman 00:33:02 (29)
Donabate Parkrun (189)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Joe Holt 1 00:17:27
7 Maria Ferguson 1 00:21:27
Crusaders AC runner
18 Brendan Glynn 00:23:24
Bushy Parkrun (197)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Rory McLaughlin 1 00:18:27
27 Irene Falvey 1 00:22:55
Crusaders AC runner
12 Luke Corcoran 00:21:15
Fairview Parkrun (184)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Seán Cahill 1 00:18:30
22 Mairead O’Rourke 1 00:22:40
Crusaders AC runners
4 Jamie Renehan 00:20:13
15 Brian O’Kelly 00:22:02
Midleton Greenway Parkrun (157)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Cian Dunning 1 00:18:48
3 Marie Claire Healy 1 00:19:18
Crusaders AC runners
7 Niall O’Connell 00:20:01
118 Áine Crotty 00:33:41 (46)
Malahide Parkrun (333)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Jack Maughan 1 00:16:28
6 Annette Kealy 1 00:18:51
Crusaders AC runner
158 Darina Scully 00:27:58 (42)
Poppintree Parkrun (174)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Said Abdiwaahab 1 00:16:43
15 Peigi Allen 1 00:21:59
Crusaders AC runners
4 Michael O’Shea 00:19:17
16 Kabir Sala 00:22:01
32 Paul F. Kelly 00:24:30
51 Laura O’Malley 00:25:57 (10)
Corkagh Parkrun (276)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Michael Gonda 1 00:18:21
16 Caroline Sheary 1 00:23:15
Crusaders AC runner
11 Enda Currid 00:22:09