Poetry in Motion

4/5/2026

L-R: Sarah Lyons, Jade Murphy, Kathryn Gibbons

So many of our members were racing this weekend, it was hard to keep track, so to speak. Events from the first of this year’s Dublin graded meets to the various half and full marathons available, kept us enthralled.

We start with events on the track on Saturday afternoon. In Clonmel, at the first of this year’s Irish Milers Club meets, Alex Ainsworth recorded a 2 second PB in the men’s 3000m, placing 12th in a super time of 8:55.95.

Then, in the Morton Stadium for the Dublin graded meet, we had both men and women competing in the various events on offer. The women competed in heats of the 100m and the 3000m. In heat 2 of the first round of the D grade 100m, Juliette O’Connor placed 3rd in 14.12. Karen Hughes won the 3rd heat in 13.19 (the fastest of all the heats) and then in grade C, heat 1, young Ada Skrobol placed 3rd in 13.36, with Juliette McCloskey placing 6th in 13.61 in the 2nd heat. We had no competitors in the 2nd round.

Three of our members ran in two of the 3000m races on offer. In grade D with 9 in the field, Jade Murphy placed 2nd in a PB time of 11:35.24, whilst in the B grade event, also with a field of 9, Kathryn Gibbons placed 3rd with a PB time of 10:42.39, followed by Sarah Lyons, also with a PB time of 10:49.28, in 5th place.

We had lots of results in the men’s series of 100m, 800m and 3000m. In grade A round 1 and 1st heat of the 100m Saad Ashraf placed 3rd in 11.59. Then, Valentinos Goularas placed 7th in heat 2 in 11.45. Meanwhile, the B grade race, 1st heat of the first round, was won by Luc Culliton in 11.34. Similarly, Charlie Bastow won the 2nd heat in 11.14. In the 2nd round, Charlie took 1st place in 11.19, ahead of Luc who placed 2nd in 11.37. Eoin Carroll placed 3rd in the C grade race 3rd heat in 12.21, and then placed 8th in round 2 in 12.41. Jack Byrne placed 2nd in 2:00.78 in the 800m men’s grade B race, whilst the D grade race 1st heat was won by Senan McDonnell in 2:14.95 and Karl Fitzmaurice placed 5th in heat 2 in 2:17.15. Michael Wycherley was our sole entrant in the men’s B grade 3000m, placing 6th in 9:46.00 and Cillian Traynor also placed 6th in the D grade in a time of 11:01.17.

Finally, in the field, Ada went on to compete in the high jump, and even as a juvenile was able to win gold in the women's senior competition, which doubled as the Dublin High Jump Championships. Ada leapt 1.45m with her third attempt at that height, the only female athlete to make the height after her competition dropped out after 1.4m. Meanwhile, Harry Moylan placed 2nd with the last of his 6 throws in the shot put. The distance thrown was 12.49m.

It was an early start of 8:30 on Sunday morning for athletes in the second running of the Dublin City Half marathon taking place entirely on the northside of Dublin. Conditions were almost perfect for the event with little wind this year (and what wind there was was the opposite from last year) and the promised rain held off too.

The race enjoyed a huge turnout of over 12,000 participants, including more than 80 Crusaders. Please see all the results below for the relevant detail. Just to record a few here, we start with the contingent being led over the line by Ciarain Kelly in a great time of 75:57 for 47th place just ahead of Rory O’Kennedy who, having been the front Cru runner for most of the race got into difficulties with about 50m to go but still managed to get over the line in 49th spot with a great time 76:01. We had two more runners in the first 100 places, with Ashley Hayes recording a PB time of 76:57 for 65th place, followed by Jens Seggewiss (85th in 78:02).

Molly Hyland, with a super time of 81:31 for 174th place overall and 14th female finisher, was the next to cross the line with some strong results from runners in the club behind her. PB times were recorded by Steven Michel (200th in 82:22), Donal O’Malley (296th in 84:13), Bryan Dalton (304th in 83:02), Gerry Cooper (308th in 84:30) and Conor Macguinness (326th in 84:06). We had at least 25 runners who broke 90 minutes on what may be considered quite a fast course as it descends from Raheny to Clontarf and along the Tolka towards the Five Lamps and the eventual finish in Guild Street. Other PBs among them were recorded by Simon Kenny (490th in 87:19), Isabella Gyori (548th and 47th in 87:39), Jamie Symmons (550th in 87:20) and Michael Judge (591st in 87:50). It was also good to see Daniel Lowe finally getting back to racing after injury. We had at least 17 more club mates who managed to finish inside 1:40, and several had PBs. Charlie Coonan placed 971st in 92:04), followed by Jill O’Flynn, another runner with a PB (1135th and 113th in 93:45), Ryan Murphy (1157th in 94:28) and Noel Carr (1329th in 95:27) who helped pace Jill for much of the race. Finishing inside the top 100 female runners were Ciara Regan (794th and 67th in 90:56) and Mags Foley (905th and 78th in 91:37). It was good to see Marie Hyland back in action after a long absence and meeting her goal of breaking 1:40 (1992nd and 257th in 98:35) just ahead of Dee Ni Chearbhaill (2042nd and 268th in 98:56).

Next across the line came Orla O’Flynn (2216th overall, 306th female finisher and 2nd placed F55 in 1:40:45) and the next female finisher was Ellen Walsh with a PB time of 1:45:01 (2931st and 484th). Another PB was recorded by Imogen Guinness (3449th and 621st in 1:48:34), and then by Orla O’Neill (3901st and 774th in 1:45:59), Noel Higgins (4736th in his first half marathon in 1:52:02), Juliane Frydenlund (5630th and 1473rd in a PB time of 1:55:10), Aitor Arribas Velasco (6061st in 1:53:00) and Marie-Claire Daly in her first half marathon (11113th and 4617th in 02:26:21). Finally, Máirín Shine won the F70 category, placing 9993rd and 3869th in 2:20:19. Spare a thought for Emma Rowe who was unable to finish after pulling out around the 17k mark. Members may be interested to hear that Liz and Michelle Maher, two sisters from GCH who regularly train with us, placed, respectively, 258th and 22nd in a PB time of 83:58 and 700th and 56th in 90:00.

Down in Limerick there was the traditional running of 3 events: the full and half marathons and the oddly-distanced 6-miler. We had at least one runner in the marathon with its field of 995. Triona Quill won the F55 age category in a time of 3:27:15 placing 354th overall. Then, in the half marathon, with a field of nearly 2,700, we had at least 6 club mates participate. Aisling Harrington placed 401st and 61st in 96:19 and she was followed by Mary Donnelly (442nd and 72nd in 96:03), Kev Moore (526th in 94:45), Stephen Murphy (599th in 95:58), Greg Marnotte (1238th in 1:47:35) and Caoimhe O’Halloran (1788th and 431st in 1:49:55). We had two runners in the 6-miler. In a field of more than 7,600 Eugene McDonough placed 33rd in a time of 38:39, followed by Luke Haran (119th in 43:52). Members may be interested to hear that recent Crusader (now with Cork City AC) Orla Drumm placed 12th overall and 2nd in the women’s race in 35:42.

Two of our members contested the Belfast City marathon on Sunday morning. In a field of 5211 finishers, Yvonne Macauley placed 326th and 19th in 3:06:07, followed by Lisa Branigan who placed 1459th and 180th in 3:42:26.

Further afield, one of our Australian exiles, Marty James, ran 3:30:27 in the Adelaide marathon on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, earlier in the weekend, two of our Spanish exiles, Cristian Vilchez Ceballos and Esther Requena Ferri, took part in the Velez-Malaga half marathon where Cristian recorded a time of 79:33, followed by Esther (88:28). Cristian ran in another race a couple of days later. In a 4.6k street race in Malaga, he recorded a time of 15:26. Liam Nagle headed to Prague for the marathon there which he completed in 3:13:11. Andrea Rondina, now based in the US, ran in a 1-mile race in Danville, California, where he placed 9th in the street event in a PB time of 4.24. Another of our exiles ran over the weekend. Valentin Akdim, who now resides in Bordeaux, placed 16th in the 48k Trail du Mourtis in the Pyrenees, recording a time of 6:29:00.

In our mountains, we should have two races on which to report. The first took place on Wednesday evening around Tibradden in the Dublin mountains. On a new route and in a field of 187, over a distance of 9.65k with a climb of 335m, Donatas Jocius placed 3rd in 44:03, followed by Daniel Toal (40th in 53:06 in the first of two races he entered this week, the second being the Dublin half) and Gavan Doherty (79th in 60:22). The second race took place in Co Wicklow on Saturday morning. It was the Dargle Four Peak 15k with a climb of 800m. The race took in the summits of Djouce, War Hill, Tonduff and Maulin. Jason Kehoe took part , alongside 36 other competitors, placing 33rd in 3:12:40.

Perhaps because of both the Bank Holiday weekend and runners saving themselves for the long-distance efforts on Sunday, there was lower attendance over all in parkruns on Saturday morning.

Still, we saw some excellent results. James Sherry joined a field of 98 in Monaghan Town, where he led all the runners home in 19:22. Meanwhile, Rob Cross was doing the same in Donabate with its field 251 Rob ran 17:21 and he was followed by Fiona Bane (36th and 5th in 23:59). Our largest contingent, as usual, was in Poolbeg with its field of 255.

Orla Walsh was a first finisher there, placing 11th overall in a time of 21:03. Orla was preceded by John McDowell (3rd in 20:04) and Adrian Groarke (4th in 20:08) and then followed by Daniel Littlewood (14th in 21:14), Ashley Hayes pacing the 22 minutes runners (22nd in 21:59), Ross Neill (30th in 22:54), Ed Joyce (39th in 23:22) and James Cottle (47th in 23:48).

Further back came Josie Ward (71st and 15th in 25:09), Sharon Woods (96th and 22nd in 26:38), Alby Allan (102nd in 27:04), Paul Campbell (103rd in 27:06), Franky Keane (108th in 27:25), Tanja Narancic (115th and 33rd in 27:59), Louise O’Riordan (117th and 34th in 28:06), Bo Chicoine (119th in 28:12), Fanny Trébouet (126th and 38th in 28:33), Maureen McGinley (158th and 60th in 29:53), Kevin Kenny pacing the 30 minute runners (160th in 29:58), Cynthia Perucca (194th and 82nd in 32:51) and Don Anderton, tailwalking.

Once again, Jamie Renehan podiumed in Fairview with its field of 192, where he placed 2nd in 18:57, followed by Kieran Martin (5th in 20:03), Paul F. Kelly (30th in 24:48) and Michael O’Shea (58th in 26:59). Then, in Marlay Park, Killian Barry placed 22nd in 20:39 in a field of 532, followed by Kathryn Tomkins (37th and 3rd in 21:53). Karl Walsh took 11th spot in the 163-strong field in Naas in a time of 20:26, whilst, Áine Kenny placed 25th and 11th in 30:20 in the field of 51 in Mountbellew Forest.

We had 4 participants in the field of 325 in Shanganagh. Fiona Shine placed 164th and 44th in 28:30, followed by Orlaith de Burca (242nd and 85th in 32:30) and Lisa and Máirín Shine parkwalking. Meanwhile, in Navan, Mairead Cashman joined 119 other runners, where she placed 68th and 22nd in 31:44, whilst, in Bushy Park, with its field of 237, Kev Moore ran 23:18 for 24th spot, followed by Mary Donnelly (71st and 14th in 25:48). Áine Crotty ran alongside 140 participants on Midleton Greenway where she placed 118th and 41st in 36;17, whilst, in St. Anne’s Kabir Sala placed 217th in 28:29. The field there measure 491.

Finally, Iseult Ni Chuinneagain headed to Holyrood in Edinburgh, where, in a field of 722, she placed 393rd and 115th in 29:29, whilst in Coomera, Australia, our exile there, Kris Ryan, placed 28th and 8th in field of 112 and a time of 26:27.

Dublin City Half marathon (12236)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Sean Tobin 1 01:03:11
16 Sorcha Nic Dhomhnaill 1 01:11:24
Crusaders AC runners
47 Ciarain Kelly 01:15:57
49 Rory O’Kennedy 01:16:01
65 Ashley Hayes 01:16:57 (PB)
85 Jens Segewiss 01:18:02
174 Molly Hyland 01:21:31 (14)
189 Daragh O’Reilly 01:21:57
200 Steven Michel 01:22:15 (PB)
201 Shane Egan 01:22:15
206 Gerard White 01:22:27
209 Kieran Martin 01:22:45
245 TJ Bourke 01:23:37
296 Donal O’Malley 01:24:13 (PB)
304 Bryan Dalton 01:23:02 (PB)
307 Daniel Toal 01:24:00
308 Gerry Cooper 01:24:30 (PB)
326 Conor Macguinness 01:24:06 (PB)
349 Alby Allan 01:25:14
490 Simon Kenny 01:27:19 (PB)
521 Robert Cervi 01:27:47
548 Isabella Gyori 01:27:39 (PB) (47)
550 Jamie Symmons 01:27:20 (PB)
591 Michael Judge 01:27:50 (PB)
646 Simon Everard 01:29:35
654 Daniel Lowe 01:25:15
723 Martin McCoy 01:29:41
794 Ciara Regan 01:30:56 (67)
850 Sean Egan 01:31:57
859 Grattan O’Brien 01:32:03
905 Margaret Foley 01:31:37 (78)
928 Tomás Bradley 01:32:09
971 Charlie Coonan 01:32:04
973 Ronan Smith 01:32:26
1135 Jill O’Flynn 01:33:45 (PB) (113)
1157 Ryan Murphy 01:34:28 (PB)
1248 Phelim Murray 01:35:08
1329 Noel Carr 01:35:27 (PB)
1574 Daniel O’Mahony 01:36:40
1766 Louise Dobbyn 01:37:57 (211)
1796 Paul Campbell 01:37:32
1992 Marie Hyland 01:38:35 (257)
2042 Deirdre Ni Chearbhaill 01:38:56 (268)
2216 Orla O’Flynn 01:40:45 (306)
2335 Conor Foley 01:39:58
2761 Ryan Preston 01:42:30
2870 Gian Piero Allerta 01:43:32
2931 Ellen Walsh 01:45:01 (PB) (484)
2946 Áine Crotty 01:43:41 (488)
2947 Caroline Fleming 01:42:23 (489)
2956 Sarah Lyons 01:44:03 (490)
2974 Stephen Ryan 01:43:42
3000 Emily Glen 01:44:11 (501)
3200 Franky Keane 01:44:19
3211 Niall Duffy 01:48:22
3280 Emer Kenny 01:47:05 (568)
3449 Imogen Guinness 01:48:34 (PB) (621)
3867 Sharon Woods 01:45:20 (759)
3878 Aoife McCarthy 01:47:33 (765)
3901 Orla O’Neill 01:45:59 (PB) (774)
3910 April Dunne 01:46:05 (778)
4027 Javier Garcia Lopez 01:45:35
4209 John Kennedy 01:47:14
4324 Mark Browne 01:49:19
4569 Fiona Shine 01:49:35 (1020)
4662 Chris Bannon 01:52:32
4736 Noel Higgins 01:52:02 (PB)
5332 Divya Sardana 01:56:00 (1351)
5630 Juliane Frydenlund 01:55:10 (PB) (1473)
6061 Aitor Arribas Velasco 01:53:00 (PB)
6342 Joe Dunne 01:59:59 (PACER)
6498 Alan Martin 01:58:35
6525 Derek Boland 01:54:26
6684 Kabir Sala 01:56:20
6881 Laura O’Malley 01:57:07 (2077)
7105 Kevin Kenny 02:00:37
7306 Andres Mino 02:01:25
7362 Clare Bradley 01:58:58 (2312)
7560 Michael Geers 02:04:19
8143 Bo Chicoine 02:06:25
8354 Lorraine McMahon 02:06:06 (2828)
8869 Darina Scully 02:09:34 (3136)
9212 Michelle English 02:12:04 (3352)
9987 Lisa Shine 02:15:35 (3802)
9993 Máirín Shine 02:20:19 (3869)
11113 Marie-Claire Daly 02:26:21 (PB) (4617)
Full results here: https://www.tdleventservices.co.uk/en/results-embed.php?event=4199
Limerick Half marathon (2688)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Chris Jeuken 1 01:07:21
32 Alex Murphy 1 01:19:55
Crusaders AC runners
401 Aisling Harrington 01:36:19 (61)
442 Mary Donnelly 01:36:03 (72)
526 Kev Moore 01:34:45
599 Stephen Murphy 01:35:58
1238 Grégoire Marnotte 01:47:35
1788 Caoimhe O’Halloran 01:49:55 (431)
Full results here: https://www.tdleventservices.co.uk/en/results-embed.php?event=4200#0_7E1A78
Limerick Marathon (995)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Jake O’Regan 1 02:19:37
20 Dee Grady 1 02:43:05
Crusaders AC runner
354 Triona Quill 03:27:15 (26)
Full results here: https://www.tdleventservices.co.uk/en/results-embed.php?event=4200#0_3C72C7
Limerick 6-miler (7603)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 John Durcan 1 00:30:51
8 Jessica Coyne 1 00:33:50
Crusaders AC runners
33 Eugene McDonough 00:38:39
119 Luke Haran 00:43:52
Full results here: https://www.tdleventservices.co.uk/en/results-embed.php?event=4200#0_70C5BF
Belfast City marathon (5211)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Abay Alemu 1 02:16:24
24 Aziza Alaoui Selsouli 1 0:2:38:01
Crusaders AC runners
326 Yvonne Macauley 03:06:07 (19)
1459 Lisa Branigan 03:42:26 (180)
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/phoenix-energy-belfast-city-marathon-2026/
IMRA Tibradden 9.65k (187)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Edward O’Connor 1 00:42:52
36 Niamh Murphy 1 00:52:06
Crusaders AC runners
3 Donatas Jocius 00:44:03
40 Daniel Toal 00:53:06
79 Gavan Doherty 01:00:22
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2841/category/O/
IMRA Dargle Four Peak 15k (37)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ruairi Long 1 01:31:40
14 Orla McEvoy 1 02:09:44
Crusaders AC runner
33 Jason Kehoe 03:12:40
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2939/category/O/

Bushy Parkrun (237)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Marc Griffin 1 00:18:36
23 Léonore Therry 1 00:23:10
Crusaders AC runners
24 Kev Moore 00:23:18
71 Mary Donnelly 00:25:48 (14)
St. Anne’s Parkrun (491)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Kenneth Nolan 1 00:17:39
12 Zoe Quinn 1 00:19:28
Crusaders AC runner
217 Kabir Sala 00:28:29
Monaghan Town Parkrun (98)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 James Sherry 1 00:19:22
4 Sinead Doherty 1 00:22:28
Crusaders AC runner
1 James Sherry 00:19:22
Shanganagh Parkrun (325)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Naomi Wall 1 00:18:29
2 Chris Gallagher 1 00:18:58
Crusaders AC runners
164 Fiona Shine 00:28:30 (44)
242 Orlaith de Burca 00:32:30 (85)
315 Lisa Shine 00:45:33 (131)
316 Máirín Shine 00:46:33 (132)
Fairview Parkrun (192)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 David Healey 1 00:17:43
39 Alisha Stephenson 1 00:25:27
Crusaders AC runners
2 Jamie Renehan 00:18:57
5 Kieran Martin 00:20:03
30 Paul F. Kelly 00:24:48
58 Michael O’Shea 00:26:59
Poolbeg Parkrun (255)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Peter Kern 1 00:18:37
11 Orla Walsh 1 00:21:03
Crusaders AC runners
3 John McDowell 00:20:04
4 Adrian Groarke 00:20:08
11 Orla Walsh 00:21:03 (1)
14 Daniel Littlewood 00:21:14
30 Ross Neill 00:22:54
39 Ed Joyce 00:23:22
47 James Cottle 00:23:48
71 Josie Ward 00:25:09 (15)
96 Sharon Woods 00:26:38 (22)
102 Alby Allan 00:27:04
103 Paul Campbell 00:27:06
108 Franky Keane 00:27:25
115 Tanja Narancic 00:27:59 (33)
117 Louise O’Riordan 00:28:06 (34)
119 Bo Chicoine 00:28:12
126 Fanny Trébouet 00:28:33 (38)
158 Maureen McGinley 00:29:53 (60)
160 Kevin Kenny 00:29:58
194 Cynthia Perucca 00:32:51 (82)
255 Don Anderton 00:58:11
Donabate Parkrun (251)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Rob Cross 1 00:17:21
14 Geraldine McHale 1 00:21:10
Crusaders AC runners
1 Rob Cross 00:17:21
36 Fiona Bane 00:23:59 (5)
Naas Parkrun (163)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Keith Brady 1 00:18:30
19 Ruth O’Loughlin 1 00:21:04
Crusaders AC runner
11 Karl Walsh 00:20:26
Midleton Greenway Parkrun (141)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Michael Byrne 1 00:18:34
8 Fiona Hallahan 1 00:20:28
Crusaders AC runner
118 Áine Crotty 00:36:17 (41)
Marlay Parkrun (532)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
2 Ross Cosgrave 1 00:18:26
13 Amelia Rodgers 1 00:19:44
Crusaders AC runners
22 Killian Barry 00:20:39
37 Kathryn Sweeney 00:21:53 (3)
Navan Parkrun (120)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 James Sherlock 1 00:18:30
17 Aoife Begley 1 00:23:09
Crusaders AC runner
68 Mairead Cashman 00:31:44 (22)
Mountbellew Forest Parkrun (51)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 David Popplewell 1 00:22:00
5 Emer Dudley 1 00:24:48
Crusaders AC runner
25 Áine Kenny 00:30:20 (11)