Sunday Mass Participation in Raheny

26/1/2026

L-R: Emer Kenny, Noel Carr, David O'Donnell, Mary Donnelly and GianPiero Allerta

The gun went off at three o’clock on Sunday afternoon in Raheny for the start of one of the largest 5-mile races in Dublin and the first of the year. It has always been popular and this year was no different with over 4000 turning up for the Raheny Shamrock-organised event. Last year, the club was forced to go back to a course that many of us had been used to before recent times (as long ago as 2015). In 2025 Storm Éowyn had posed a risk of falling trees in St. Anne’s Park and, therefore, the race was taken down to the estuary and up Watermill Road for the last mile or so, avoiding the out-and-back in the park, where everyone had been given a chance to see how far behind or ahead were their adversaries. This year, the organisers kept the revived route and it went extremely well. Given the possibility of storms at this time of year, it is likely to be maintained into the future. Despite such fears, Sunday’s race was conducted in perfect conditions (unlike the day before), with little to no wind and, for some of the later runners, a rather refreshing spell of soft rain.

The Raheny 5 mile is popular in this neck of the woods because it is the first big race of the year and a means for everyone to see where they’re at going into the Spring. It has a goody bag that, although a shadow of its former self, is still decent. Moreover, there is always a chance to win an iron or a toaster, a real hangover from the past! It also attracts an excellent quality field of some depth, among them at least 60 Crusaders, which, although substantial, is actually lower than previous years, possibly because the race, in common with the current trend, sold out so early.

Given the hill on Watermill Road, it is perhaps surprising that there were quite a few PBs recorded.

Our contingent was led home by Brian O’Kelly who placed 13th and 2nd M40 with a super PB time of 24:46. Alex Ainsworth, also with a significant PB improvement (of nearly 3 minutes), followed, in 28th place with a time of 25:36. Alex was followed by Conor Kilkenny (63rd in 27:03), Rory O’Kennedy in his first 5-miler (70th in 27:13), Fearghal O’Hare, in possibly his last race for the club (79th in 27:10), Patrick Conlon (96th in 27:53), Thomas Vogée (102nd in 27:58) and Michael Wycherley (105th and 2nd M50 in 28:03) who was followed by Stephen Hurley (132nd in 28:15). Brian, Michael and Stephen placed 3rd out of 49 teams contesting the O/40 team competition, whilst Alex, Conor and Rory placed 5th out of 74 in the senior division.

Next to cross the line was Mikel Crisostomo, who was delighted with his PB (179th in 29:00) as he prepares for the upcoming Barcelona marathon, and he was followed by Rob Cross (195th in 29:21), Paul Reidy (208th in 29:14), Jan Manschot (212th in 29:27), Garret Dunne (257th in 30:05), Daragh O’Reilly (265th in 29:43) and Peter O’Toole (268th in 30:15), meaning that we had at least 13 runners breaking 30 minutes and several more not so far behind.

New member Daniel Toal was next (278th in 30:18) and he was followed by Felipe De Sousa (320th in 30:44) and Emily Sheils (328th overall and 20th female finisher in 30:46), our first female athlete across the line. Emily was followed by James Sherry (337th in 30:54), ladies’ club captain Sarah Lyons (415th and 34th in a super PB improved time of 31:30), Oisin Browne (434th in 31:55), Conor MacGuinness (451st in 31:38), Ollie McGrath (468th in 31:56), Kieran Martin in a training run (500th in 32:05), Cormac Fenton (511th in a PB time of 32:10), Simon Kenny (516th in 31:52) and Aisling Harrington (520th and 50th in 32:23). Emily, Sarah and Aisling formed our women’s senior team and they placed 6th out of 56 in the senior team competition.

Killian Lynskey came home in 598th spot (33:23) and he was followed by David O’Donnell with a PB time of 34:30 (738th), Kabir Sala (757th in 33:49), fresh from a day trip, including a hilly parkrun, to Edinburgh the day before, Emily Quinlan (768th and 95th in a PB time of 34:18), Noel Carr (834th in a PB time of 35:02), men’s club captain Phelim Murray (929th in 35:58), Luz Estevan (939th and 132nd in 35:25), Emily Glen (981st and 143rd in 36:17), Louise O’Riordan (1005th and 148th in 36:29), who, having missed her Dart, ran all the way (14k) to the race beforehand, Stephen Ryan (1026th in 36:29), Patrick Needham (1027th in 36:08), Tilde Martinsen (1044th and 158th in 35:53), Mary Donnelly (1047th and 159th in 35:36), Aoife McCarthy (1200th and 202nd in 37:57), GianPiero Allerta (1205th in 38:08) and Emer Kenny (1433rd and 259th in 39:37). Mary, Aoife and Emer formed our female O/40 team and they placed 8th out of 40 such teams. It is great that all our teams placed inside the top 10 in each of the club competitions, with one on the podium.

Laura O’Malley was our next runner home (1550th and 288th in 40:08) and Laura was followed by Clare Bradley (1578th and 298th in a PB time of 39:49), Paula Nolan (1642nd and 316th in 38:32), Chris Bannon (1715th in 39:24), Darina Scully (1735th and 343rd in 41:44), April Dunne (1746th and 347th in 39:11), Alan Martin (1771st in 41:16), Triona Quill on a long run (1855th and 385th in 39:49), Robbie Moore (2017th in 43:48), Mauro Verrocchio (2179th in a PB time of 42:39), Emma O’Mahony (2480th and 692nd in 43:54), Ailish Hassett (2523rd and 724th in 47:29), Carina Davidson (2574th and 754th in 45:53), Lisa Shine (2773rd and 861st in 48:49), Máirín Shine (3057th, 1053rd and 2nd F70 in 51:13), Michelle English (3190th and 1123rd in 48:37), Marie-Claire Daly (3413rd and 1268th in 53:48) and Cynthia Perucca (3515th and 1342nd in 53:44).

Further afield last week, Jack Cahalane competed in the Hong Kong 50k Ultra marathon, a hilly race, which he completed in 7:13:44. Then, on Sunday morning, Tristan Freeman ran in a UTMB-qualifying trail race along the north Cornish coastline. He completed the 42k distance in 4h23m.

There was a race in the Wicklow Mountains on Sunday morning, the Sugarloaf Winter 8.6k, involving both Sugarloaf and Sugarlump mountains (a 417m climb in the race). Donatas Jocius placed 3rd overall in the 179-strong field in a time of 43:39. In the Leinster winter league event Becky Quinn was next (18th overall and 3rd female finisher in 48:29) and she was followed by Clare Sullivan (61st and 10th in 56:33). A good start to the season for those based in Dublin.

Many of our parkrunners on Saturday morning were holding themselves back in their respective parkruns in preparation for Sunday’s Raheny 5-miler. Nevertheless, we did see some podium results.

Dee Lawlor and at least six other Crusaders ran in Shanganagh alongside 252 other participants, with Dee finishing at the front of the field in 18:00. He was followed by David Carter (13th in 19:42) and then by John Lohan (36th in 23:00), Tara Murphy (92nd and 17th in 26:25) and Harp Bhambra, returning to competitive running after a long lay off (198th and 68th in 32:30). The contingent was completed by Máirín Shine (230th and 85th in 36:13), just ahead of daughter Lisa (231st and 86th in 36:15).

Áine Kenny was another first finisher, placing 4th overall in the 50-strong field in Mountbellew Forest, in a time of 22:07. Also on the podium was Kate Murray, who ran in Longford, placing 14th and 3rd in 24:13 in a field of 67 runners. Down in Limerick, Eugene McDonough, a rare parkrunner, placed 3rd in a field of 204, with a time of 19:03.

Olwyn Dunne, en route to Tokyo, stopped off in Slough, where in the Upton Court parkrun with its field of 202, she placed 49th and 5th in 25:30, whilst, over in Munich, one of our continental exiles, Léa Braud, ran in the Westpark parkrun where, in a field of 176, she placed 36th and 5th in 22:23. Another of our exiles, Jeanie Watson, ran once again in Finsbury Park in London, where she placed 98th and 7th in a field of 914 in a time of 22:32, whilst Toby Benham, another UK exile, ran in Braunstone in Leicester again, where he placed 6th in 19:30 in a field of 311.

Aoife McCarthy joined 573 other runners in Marlay Park, where she placed 67th and 7th in 23:04, whilst Laura O’Malley took 51st and 8th spots in 25:35 in a field of 188. Meanwhile, Maria Pertl ran alongside 58 other participants in Tolka Valley, where she placed 30th and 5th in 31:35. Lorraine McMahon ran once again on the Midleton Greenway, where she placed 51st and 11th in 29:13 in a field of 85.

We had at least 3 runners in Bushy Park with its field of 243, with Kev Moore placing 5th in 20:52, followed by Enda Currid (12th in 22:09) and Mary Donnelly placing 50th and 8th in 24:49. Meanwhile, Darina Scully paced the 28 minutes runners in Malahide, where she placed 160th and 32nd in 27:13 in a field of 301, whilst, in St. Anne’s Raheny, Paul F. Kelly ran 27:38 for 141st place in a field 376.

Kabir Sala headed to Edinburgh for the day (starting really early) and managed to arrive in time for the Holyrood parkrun, where, in a field of 567 runners and heading up to Arthur's Seat and back, he placed 58th in 22:12.

Carina Davidson joined a field of 186 in Cabinteely, where she placed 86th and 22nd in 30:12, whilst Martina White ran alongside 135 other participants in Porterstown, placing 105th and 47th in 34:36. Meanwhile, Michael O’Shea took on Fairview, where, in a field of 195, he placed 14th in 22:46.

Finally, in Poolbeg, with a changed course, taking out the hill because of an enormous lake that had formed on the path leading up to it, we saw a field of 289 in the event, among them at least 21 Crusaders. They were led home by Adrian Groarke (13th in 20:31), followed by Stephen Hurley (18th in 21:03), Kenan Furlong (23rd in 21:32), just ahead of Diarmuid Finan (24th in 21:42) and then by David Timoney (40th in 22:38), Rory O’Kennedy (72nd in 25:05), Charles Cartledge (likely 79th in 25:28), Phelim Murray (85th in 25:58) alongside Ciara Regan (86th and 11th in the same time), Russell Murphy (89th in 26:03), James Bradshaw (106th in 26:50), Tanja Narancic (108th and 19th in 26:55), Louise O’Riordan (110th and 20th in 26:56), Franky Keane (120th in 27:17), Sarah Lyons (121st and 25th in 27:18), Juliane Frydenlund (128th and 29th in 27:45), Aisling O’Riordan (163rd and 49th in 28:59), Ellen Walsh (180th and 58th in 29:58), Neil Brown (188th in 30:31), Siobhan Russell (201st and 72nd in 31:09) and Marie-Claire Daly (219th and 81st in 33:00). Runners had to walk some distance to get to the start line on the path leading up to the hill that was then out of play. Deliberately, the revised route also measured slightly longer than the usual course, in order to avoid any possible impact on course records for the event.

AXA Raheny 5 miler (4008)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Jonas Stafford 1 00:23:08
47 Michelle Finn 1 00:26:35
Crusaders AC runners
13 Brian O’Kelly 00:24:46 (PB)
28 Alex Ainsworth 00:25:36 (PB)
63 Conor Kilkenny 00:27:03
70 Rory O’Kennedy 00:27:13 (PB)
79 Fearghal O’Hare 00:27:10
96 Patrick Conlon 00:27:53
102 Thomas Vogée 00:27:58
105 Michael Wycherley 00:28:03
132 Stephen Hurley 00:28:15
179 Mikel Crisostomo 00:29:00 (PB)
208 Paul Reidy 00:29:14
212 Jan Manschot 00:29:27
257 Garret Dunne 00:30:05
265 Daragh O’Reilly 00:29:43
268 Peter O’Toole 00:30:15
278 Daniel Toal 00:30:18
320 Felipe De Sousa 00:30:44
328 Emily Sheils 00:30:46 (20)
337 James Sherry 00:30:54
415 Sarah Lyons 00:31:30 (PB) (34)
434 Oisin Browne 00:31:55
451 Conor MacGuinness 00:31:38
468 Ollie McGrath 00:31:56
500 Kieran Martin 00:32:05
511 Cormac Fenton 00:32:10 (PB)
516 Simon Kenny 00:31:52
520 Aisling Harrington 00:32:23 (50)
598 Killian Lynskey 00:33:23
738 David O’Donnell 00:34:30 (PB)
757 Kabir Sala 00:33:49
768 Emily Quinlan 00:34:18 (PB) (95)
834 Noel Carr 00:35:02 (PB)
929 Phelim Murray 00:35;58
939 Luz Estevan 00:35:25 (132)
981 Emily Glen 00:36:17 (143)
1005 Louise O’Riordan 00:36:29 (148)
1026 Stephen Ryan 00:36:29
1027 Patrick Needham 00:36:08
1044 Tilde Martinsen 00:35:53 (158)
1047 Mary Donnelly 00:35:36 (159)
1200 Aoife McCarthy 00:37:57 (202)
1205 Gian Piero Allerta 00:38:08
1433 Emer Kenny 00:39:37 (259)
1550 Laura O’Malley 00:40:08 (288)
1578 Clare Bradley 00:39:49 (PB) (298)
1642 Paula Nolan 00:38:32 (316)
1715 Chris Bannon 00:39:24
1735 Darina Scully 00:41:44 (343)
1746 April Dunne 00:39:11 (347)
1771 Alan Martin 00:41:16
1855 Triona Quill 00:39:49 (385)
2017 Robbie Moore 00:43:48
2179 Mauro Verrocchio 00:42:39 (PB)
2480 Emma O’Mahony 00:43:54 (692)
2523 Ailish Hassett 00:47:29 (724)
2574 Carina Davidson 00:45:53 (754)
2773 Lisa Shine 00:48:49 (861)
3087 Máirín Shine 00:51:13 (1053)
3190 Michelle English 00:48:37 (1123)
3413 Marie-Claire Daly 00:53:48 (1268)
3515 Cynthia Perucca 00:53:44 (1342)
Full results here: https://www.myrunresults.com/events/axa_raheny_5_mile/6026/club-team-results?runnerClass=5%20mile&type=Team4&category=M&categoryType=Category
IMRA Sugarloaf Winter 8.6k (179)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Jude Wejchert 1 00:40:40
12 Isabel O’Reilly 1 00:47:33
Crusaders AC runners
3 Donatas Jocius 00:43:39
18 Becky Quinn 00:48:29 (3)
61 Clare Sullivan 00:56:33 (10)
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2764/category/O/
Limerick Parkrun (204)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
2 Gearoid Kirwan 1 00:19:01
8 Shona Keane 1 00:19:33
Crusaders AC runner
3 Eugene McDonough 00:19:03
Poolbeg Parkrun (289)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Andrew Vettraino 1 00:18:04
43 Sophie Tonge 1 00:22:41
Crusaders AC runners
13 Adrian Groarke 00:20:31
18 Stephen Hurley 00:21:03
23 Kenan Furlong 00:21:32
24 Diarmuid Finan 00:21:42
40 David Timoney 00:22:38
72 Rory O’Kennedy 00:25:05
79 Charles Cartledge 00:25:28
85 Phelim Murray 00:25:58
86 Ciara Regan 00:25:58 (11)
89 Russell Murphy 00:26:03
106 James Bradshaw 00:26:50
108 Tanja Narancic 00:26:55 (19)
110 Louise O’Riordan 00:26:56 (20)
120 Franky Keane 00:27:17
121 Sarah Lyons 00:27:18 (25)
128 Juliane Frydenlund 00:27:45 (29)
163 Aisling O’Riordan 00:28:59 (49)
180 Ellen Walsh 00:28:58 (58)
188 Neil Brown 00:30:31
201 Siobhan Russell 00:31:09 (72)
219 Marie-Claire Daly 00:33:00 (81)
Mountbellew Forest Parkrun (50)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Evan O’Rourke 1 00:17:13
4 Áine Kenny 1 00:22:07
Crusaders AC runner
4 Áine Kenny 00:22:07 (1)
Bushy Parkrun (243)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Sean Luz 1 00:19:40
8 Aisling Lowe 1 00:21:29
Crusaders AC runners
5 Kev Moore 00:20:52
12 Enda Currid 00:22:09
50 Mary Donnelly 00:24:49 (8)
St. Anne’s Parkrun (376)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Anthony Sharkey 1 00:17:23
9 Ailish Malone 1 00:19:44
Crusaders AC runner
141 Paul F. Kelly 00:27:38
Porterstown Parkrun (136)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
2 Michael O’Hara 1 00:18:29
18 Eve O’Hea 1 00:24:12
Crusaders AC runner
105 Martina White 00:34:36 (47)
Malahide Parkrun (301)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Tom Kirker 1 00:17:05
2 Isla Duncan 1 00:18:28
Crusaders AC runner
160 Darina Scully 00:27:53 (32)
Poppintree Parkrun (188)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Andrew Gaffney 1 00:18:13
2 Sharon Somers 1 00:19:10
Crusaders AC runner
51 Laura O’Malley 00:25:35 (8)
Shanganagh Parkrun (259)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Derek Lawlor 1 00:18:00
2 Noreen Brouder 1 00:18:25
Crusaders AC runners
1 Derek Lawlor 00:18:00
13 David Carter 00:19:42
36 John Lohan 00:23:00
92 Tara Murphy 00:26:25 (17)
198 Harpreet Bhambra 00:32:30 (68)
230 Máirín Shine 00:36:13 (85)
231 Lisa Shine 00:36:15 (86)
Marlay Parkrun (574)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Eamon Spillane 1 00:18:36
22 Amy Moran 1 00:21:00
Crusaders AC runner
67 Aoife McCarthy 00:23:04 (7)
Cabinteely Parkrun (186)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 James Rooney 1 00:19:25
12 Yvette Burton 1 00:23:23
Crusaders AC runner
86 Carina Davidson 00:30:12 (22)
Tolka Valley Parkrun (59)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 James Tierney 1 00:20:50
11 Tara Kelly 1 00:25:35
Crusaders AC runner
30 Maria Pertl 00:31:35 (5)
FairviewParkrun (195)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ruairi O’Donohoe 1 00:19:09
18 Eleanor Brown 1 00:23:01
Crusaders AC runner
14 Michael O’Shea 00:22:46
Midelton Greenway Parkrun (85)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Niall Lawler 1 00:18:09
13 Anna Doris 1 00:22:24
Crusaders AC runner
51 Lorraine McMahon 00:29:13 (11)
Longford Parkrun (67)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Liam Walsh 1 00:19:51
9 Eleanor Byrne 1 00:23:23
Crusaders AC runner
14 Kate Murray 00:24:13 (3)

Ailish Hassett

Alan Martin

Alex Ainsworth

Brian O'Kelly

Chris Bannon

Conor Kilkenny

Conor MacGuinness

Cormac Fenton and Simon Kenny

Back row L-R: Kabir Sala, Alan Martin, Emily Glen, Louise O'Riordan, Phelim Murray, Kieran Martin, David O'Donnell, Patrick Needham. Front row: Emma O'Mahony, Laura O'Malley, Liuz Estevan, Sarah Lyons, Aoife McCarthy