Take a Run on the Northside

30/3/2025

L-R: Patricia Velasquez, Franky Keane, Louise O'Riordan, Emily Glen, Tanja Narancic, Phelim Murray, Paula Bradshaw

What a super day for the inaugural Dublin City Half Marathon! The well-organised race was conducted entirely on a loop of Dublin’s northside, involving inner city and coastal suburbs and was a great boost for the neighbourhood. As if to emphasise this, those of us standing near the Luke Kelly bridge at around 2.5k were treated to cheery greetings from Kelly Harrington as she jogged around in the minutes leading up to the 8:30 start.

Conditions were chilly at the start in O'Connell Street, but not overly so at 8 degrees and the strong winds of the day before had dissipated somewhat, although runners were to get a bit of a rude awakening as they turned for home after their descent from Raheny onto the Tolka estuary to make their way home to the finish on Guild Street just before the Sam Beckett Bridge. There was also, surprisingly, not a cloud in the sky, which made the going quite warm at times, particularly with the wind behind you. Inevitably there were tired eyes before the race suffering from the lost hour as the clocks moved forward, but this did not show in the results, with many of those running recording PBs on what was quite a helpful course, with only one real drag from the 4th through the 6th kilometre.

We had at least 78 Crusaders, some not having raced in a while and some also taking on their first half marathon in the field of nearly 12,000 finishers. Indeed, the field differed significantly from the DCM in that it did not suffer much of a degradation from the original registrations, perhaps 5%, which is particularly gratifying for the organisers and also indicates how much interest there was in running the race (many swapping bibs no doubt). By all accounts, it was also extremely well-organised from start to finish, although if there is any criticism it would be the narrowness of the fenced in route taking runners along the Clontarf promenade to the Alfie Byrne Road. There were also several chicanes in that section which made it congested, particularly when the pacer bubbles came through from 90 minutes upward.

With so many runners from the club running it is hard to cover everyone in this text, but their results are plain to see. We had a great tussle at the end of the race between Brendan Murphy (53rd in 76:32) and Brian O’Kelly (55th in 76:46) who had run most of the race side by side, only to be overtaken towards the end by Kevin Fitzgibbon who finished as our lead Crusader in 48th place (76:07) having been quite far behind until the final 3-4km. Among those breaking 1:40, of which half our number did (with 20 finishing under 90 minutes) were Michael O’Conor who placed 85th in 78:39,and visually-impaired and international triathlete Donnacha McCarthy and his guide (1st in his VI category in 80:56), just ahead of T.J. Bourke (141st in 80:57). Included in the sub 1:40 finishers were also Paul O’Hara who enjoyed a 3.5 mins PB improvement (83:51 for 265th), Kieran Martin (273rd in 83:58), Kenan Furlong (284th in 83:30), James Sherry (353rd in a PB of 85:32) and Garret Connolly (359th also in a PB time of 85:32). Next, in the same cohort came Yvonne Macauley (363rd overall, 14th female finisher and 3rd F35 in 86:00). She may be likely to be bumped up in terms of female finishing positions as there seemed to be a few male names among the top women finishers. We'll see. Yvonne was followed by Lorenzo Battistin in a PB time of 86:17 for 431st place. Lorenzo was followed by the departing Rory Goldsmith (480th in 87:27) and he was followed by our second female finisher, Carolyn O’Reilly, in a PB time of 89:00 (for 594th and 27th spots) a couple of weeks before heading to Boston for the marathon in the company of others who ran the race too. Gerard Moore was next (653rd in a PB time of 88:56), followed by Ciara Regan who had a storming run through the field (666th and 35th in 89:42). Aoife Quigley was our 4th female runner home in 90:04 (717th and 39th), followed by Kev Moore (with a PB time of 89:30 in 741st place), Oisin Browne (747th in 90:20), Tomás Bradley (791st in a PB time of 88:23), Tom Gleeson (825th in 90:28), Eoghan Corrigan (833rd in yet another PB time of 91:13), David Healy (876th in 91:01) and Peter Beddy in his first half marathon (881st in a PB time of 91:28).

Emma Rowe came next (942nd and 72nd in 92:51), followed by Shane Egan (1156th in 92:42), the ubiquitous Kabir Sala (1211th in a PB time of 93:56), Eoghan Kerins (1270th in 96:18), Mary Donnelly (1334th and 140th in 95:57), Tara Gavin (1432nd and 155th in a PB time of 96:07), James Bradshaw (also with a super PB of 97:38 for 1545th) and Joanne Carey, not to be outdone with a PB of her own (99:00 for 1749th and 203rd places).

Paul Moloney was a late entrant, placing 1901st in 98:24, and he was followed by Lisa Branigan (1925th and 233rd in 98:31) and Cría Dowling (2274th and 290th in 98:57).

Dee Ni Chearbhaill was only just outside 1:40 (2438th and 329th in 1:41:01) and honourable mentions should go to the likes of those recording PBs or running a half marathon for the first time. In the latter category, Susan Clarke ran 1:44:37 for 3410th and 564th place along with Ailish Hassett (4672nd and 1000th in 1:53:00), while in the former category, Mark McGovern, who had experienced a rather traumatic car accident just after training on Thursday, obtained a PB time of 1:47:54 for 3469th place. Also, Eilish Keogh placed 4054th and 782nd in a PB time of 1:49:53, along with Orla O’Neill who ran 1:50:02 for 4093rd and 793rd in the same time. Claire Godfrey (4782nd and 1045th in 1:51:46), John Corish (5022nd in 1:50:10), April Dunne (whose official time and place at press had not been captured but who ran 1:52:05), Joy Flaherty (9510th and 3439th in 2:13:52) and Michael Tung Le (10959th in 2:25:03) all had PB performances. Special mention should also be made of the run by Paula Bradshaw, who, nursing an injury (which had significantly curtailed her outdoor training), had had her doubts about running in the Boston marathon, but after fitting the half in to a run of about 30k, she got round in 1:56:17 (for 6204th and 1640th places), giving her tons of confidence for the adventure to come. Congrats to all who ran! The full results appear below.

On the same day, a couple of Crusaders who had failed to get into the Dublin half, instead opted to ruin the half marathon in Dundalk, with excellent results. In a field of 840, Ciara Lynch placed 94th and 8th in 94:42, whilst Claire Reidy placed 193rd and 21st in 1:43:42.

The day before, we had runners take part in one of the two races on offer in the Clongowes Run in Kilcock Co. Kildare. We had no one in the 5k, but in the 10k we had 3 members who podiumed in the field of 57. Donatas Jocius placed 2nd in 38:10, followed by Alan Sheehy who took 3rd spot in 40:11. Not to be outdone, Rebecca Fleming placed 11th and 3rd in 46:52.

The Maurice Mullins 50k ultra, conducted along the Wicklow Way, took place on Saturday, with its climb of 2140m. Two of our clubmates took part in the field of 241 finishers. Richie Phelan placed 111th in 6:25:23, ahead of Daniel O’Mahony who placed 117th in 6:26:36, just behind.

Numbers seemed to be back up again in the parkruns this weekend, bolstered perhaps by the benign weather we experienced on Saturday morning before the wind got up and also the need for a light shakeout before the half marathon.

As usual, our largest turnout was in Poolbeg with at least 20 of our fellow members, some getting a shakeout before the half marathon. Stephen Hurley led the field of 221 home in 17:25, and he was followed by Adrian Groarke (18th in 20:28), Kabir Sala (24th in 21:40), Josie Ward (41st and on the podium in 2nd place in 22:58), Kenan Furlong (50th in 23:47), Sharon Woods (57th and 6th in 24:09), Fiona Bane (61st and 7th in 24:35), Russell Murphy (65th in 24:47), Tara Murphy (93rd and 20th in 26:45), Patricia Velasquez (106th and 28th in 27:25), Aitor Arribas Velasco (107th in 27:26), Louise O’Riordan (118th and 35th in 27:50), Bo Chicoine (131st in 28:38), Una McCullagh (141st and 50th in 29:05), Ellen Walsh (142nd and 51st in 29:06), Mari Hansen (145th and 53rd in 29:12), Fanny Trébouet (153rd and 60th in 29:39), Rebecca Kelly (154th and 61st in the same time), Kevin Kenny (157th in 29:55) and Niamh Trihy (204th and 92nd in 37:36). Meanwhile, Darina Scully ran once again in River Valley Park, where she placed 20th and 3rd in 24:23, alongside 118 other participants, whilst Ross Neill, in marathon training, headed to Dungannon, where, in a field of 68, he placed 5th in 20:08.

In St. Anne’s, with its field of 554, Mikel Crisostomo returned from the Caribbean to place 7th in 18:23, followed by Peter O’Toole (14th in 19:12). Kev Moore and Mary Donnelly ran in Bushy Park, where Kev placed 38th in 24:05, followed in the field of 223 by Mary (51st and 7th in 25:35). Chris Bannon ran in Father Collins Park where he placed 34th in 25:32 in a field of 137, whilst Oisin Corish took 13th spot in 22:22 in the 90-strong field in Sligo. Mairead Cashman joined 242 other runners in Tramore Valley Cork, where she placed 126th and 31st in 29:15, whilst, in Fairview, Hannah Jones placed 135th and 45th in 31:27 alongside Cría Dowling (136th and 46th in 31:28) in a field of 204.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Cabinteely’s parkrun were Tomás Dunne (74th in 27:48), followed by Olwyn Dunne (76th and 16th in 27:59) alongside Tanja Narancic (77th and 17th in the same time), Lisa Shine (146th and 59th in 35:18) alongside Máirín Shine (147th and 60th in the same time too). The field measured 212.

Meanwhile, we had at least 3 runners in the field of 508 in Marlay Park. Fabien Daviaud placed 22nd in 21:18, followed by Aoife McCarthy (99th and 18th in 24:39) and Carina Davidson (370th and 156th in 32:10). The club had at least 2 runners in Shanganagh with a field of 346. Piarais Neary ran 20:15 for 19th spot, followed by Jill Nason (235th and 82nd in 29:09). Then, in Tolka Valley, Phelim Murray joined 47 other runners, placing 16th in 28:44, followed by Sarah Lyons (19th and 6th in 29:01) and Maria Pertl, running her 200th parkrun (22nd and 9th in 29:38). Brendan Glynn placed 134th in 30:35 in the 224-strong field in Donabate, whilst Colm Foley joined 238 other runners in Griffeen Park, where he placed 39th in 23:38.

Finally, from abroad, one of our exiles in Sydney, Australia, Deirdre Kennedy, in her 100th parkrun, placed 78th overall in 29:40 in Centennial Park, then, closer to home, Toby Benham placed 16th in the 166-strong field in Rugby in a time of 22:17, whilst Thom Martini placed 54th in 23:00 in the field of 457 in Leicester Victoria, and Aidan Hudner placed 92nd in 22:36 in Victoria, Glasgow with a field of 572.

Clongowes 10k (57)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 James Smith 1 00:34:37
4 Emma Leahy 1 00:41:05
Crusaders AC runners
2 Donatas Jocius 00:38:10
3 Alan Sheehy 00:40:11
11 Rebecca Fleming 00:46:52 (3)
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/the-clongowes-run-2025/#2_9D70EA
Dublin City Half Marathon (11837)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Killian Mooney 1 01:05:39
76 Nicola Sheridan 1 01:17:59
Crusaders AC runners
48 Kevin Fitzgibbon 01:16:07
53 Brendan Murphy 01:16:32
55 Brian O’Kelly 01:16:46
62 Rory O’Kennedy 01:17:12 (PB)
85 Michael O’Conor 01:18:39
1 Donnacha McCarthy 01:20:56 (VI)
141 T.J. Bourke 01:20:57
265 Paul O’Hara 01:23:51 (PB)
273 Kieran Martin 01:23:58
284 Kenan Furlong 01:23:30
353 James Sherry 01:25:32 (PB)
359 Garret Connolly 01:25:32 (PB)
363 Yvonne Macauley 01:26:00 (14)
431 Lorenzo Battistin 01:26:17 (PB)
480 Rory Goldsmith 01:27:27
594 Carolyn O’Reilly 01:29:00 (PB) (27)
653 Gerard Moore 01:28:56 (PB)
666 Ciara Regan 01:29:42 (35)
717 Aoife Quigley 01:30:04 (39)
741 Kev Moore 01:29:30 (PB)
747 Oisin Browne 01:30:20
791 Tomás Bradley 01:28:23 (PB)
825 Tom Gleeson 01:30:28
833 Eoghan Corrigan 01:31:13 (PB)
876 David Healy 01:31:01
881 Peter Beddy 01:31:28 (PB)
942 Emma Rowe 01:32:51 (72)
1156 Shane Egan 01:32:42
1211 Kabir Sala 01:33:56 (PB)
1270 Eoghan Kerins 01:36:18
1334 Mary Donnelly 01:35:57 (140)
1432 Tara Gavin 01:36:07 (PB) (155)
1545 James Bradshaw 01:37:38 (PB)
1749 Joanne Carey 01:39:00 (PB) (203)
1901 Paul Moloney 01:38:24
1925 Lisa Branigan 01:38:31 (233)
2274 Cría Dowling 01:38:57 (290)
2438 Deirdre Ni Chearbhaill 01:41:01 (329)
2701 Noel Carr 01:44:05
2775 Paul F. Kelly 01:43:54
2881 Séamas Bulaeir 01:43:55
2958 Triona Quill 01:42:54 (437)
3027 Phelim Murray 01:42:45
3410 Susan Clarke 01:44:37 (PB) (564)
3434 Brian O’Neill 01:46:25
3469 Mark McGovern 01:47:54 (PB)
3473 Carmel Higgins 01:47:38 (582)
3513 Ellen Walsh 01:48:22 (595)
3758 Laura O'Malley 01:48:48 (686)
3760 Emer Kenny 01:46:47 (687)
3809 Aoife McCarthy 01:47:05 (708)
4054 Eilis Keogh 01:49:53 (PB) (782)
4093 Orla O’Neill 01:50:02 (PB) (793)
4148 Phil Sykes 01:47:04
4672 Ailish Hassett 01:53:00 (1000)
4696 Aitor Arribas Velasco 01:51:20
4782 Claire Godfrey 01:51:46 (PB) (1045)
5022 John Corish 01:50:10 (PB)
XXXX April Dunne 01:52:05 (PB) (XXXX)
5197 Emily Glen 01:52:33 (1208)
5413 Edel Doherty 01:54:15 (1288)
5598 Stephen Ryan 01:54:01
5623 Lloyd Hamilton 01:54:44
5654 Patricia Velasquez 01:54:22 (XXXX)
5774 Hannah Jones 01:55:05 (1440)
5780 Amy O’Donoghue 01:56:57 (1443)
6204 Paula Bradshaw 01:56:17 (1640)
6207 Franky Keane 01:56:17
6420 Olwyn Dunne 01:59:51 (1724) (PACER)
7240 Kevin Kenny 02:03:11
7864 Kelly Brown 02:05:36 (2347)
8026 Ryan Hoey 02:06:17
8044 Lisa Shine 02:04:53 (2562)
8578 Paul Campbell 02:09:32 (PACER)
9284 Lorraine McMahon 02:10:51 (3297)
9510 Joy Flaherty 02:13:52 (PB) (3439)
9563 Máirín Shine 02:16:09 (3476)
10959 Michael Tung Le 02:25:03 (PB)
Full results here: https://www.tdleventservices.co.uk/en/results-embed.php?event=4100
Dundalk Half marathon (840)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Robbie Hagen 1 01:10:39
42 Jess Moorehead 1 01:28:55
Crusaders AC runners
94 Ciara Lynch 01:34:42 (8)
193 Claire Reidy 01:43:42 (21)
Full results here: https://myrunresults.com/events/lifestyle_dundalk_half_marathon__10k_2025/5553/results
IMRA Maurice Mullins 50k (241)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Enda Cloake 1 04:21:48
19 Esther Dickson 1 05:13:05
Crusaders AC runners
111 Richard Phelan 06:25:23
117 Daniel O’Mahony 06:26:36
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2691/category/O/
Cabinteely Parkrun (212)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Niall Kelly 1 00:18:05
2 Robyn Kennedy 1 00:19:58
Crusaders AC runners
74 Tomás Dunne 00:27:48
76 Olwyn Dunne 00:27:59 (16)
77 Tanja Narancic 00:27:59 (17)
146 Lisa Shine 00:35:18 (59)
147 Máirín Shine 00:35:18 (60)
Tolka Valley Parkrun (48)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Adam Carroll 1 00:21:48
3 Miriam Kearney 1 00:22:33
Crusaders AC runners
16 Phelim Murray 00:28:44
19 Sarah Lyons 00:29:01 (6)
22 Maria Pertl 00:29:38 (9)
Father Collins Parkrun (137)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Pawel Kaim 1 00:18:43
28 Olivia Reilly 1 00:24:39
Crusaders AC runner
34 Chris Bannon 00:25:32
Fairview Parkrun (204)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Darran Lovely 1 00:20:16
29 Anne-Marie Glynn 1 00:24:29
Crusaders AC runners
1 Darran Lovely 00:20:16
135 Hannah Jones 00:31:27 (45)
136 Cría Dowling 00:31:28 (46)
Poolbeg Parkrun (221)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Stephen Hurley 1 00:17:25
22 Sonja Fuhrmann 1 00:21:23
Crusaders AC runners
1 Stephen Hurley 00:17:25
18 Adrian Groarke 00:20:28
24 Kabir Sala 00:21:40
41 Josie Ward 00:22:58 (2)
57 Sharon Woods 00:24:09 (6)
61 Fiona Bane 00:24:35 (7)
65 Russell Murphy 00:24:47
93 Tara Murphy 00:26:45 (20)
106 Patricia Velasquez 00:27:25 (28)
107 Aitor Arribas Velasco 00:27:26
118 Louise O’Riordan 00:27:50 (35)
131 Bo Chicoine 00:28:38
141 Una McCullagh 00:29:05 (50)
142 Ellen Walsh 00:29:06 (51)
145 Mari Hansen 00:29:12 (53)
153 Fanny Trébouet 00:29:39 (60)
154 Rebecca Kelly 00:29:39 (61)
157 Kevin Kenny 00:29:55
204 Niamh Trihy 00:37:36 (92)
Sligo Parkrun (90)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Thomas Kelly 1 00:17:27
14 Ciara Gilmartin 1 00:22:39
Crusaders AC runner
13 Oisin Corish 00:22:22
Tramore Valley, Cork Parkrun (243)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Conrad Watt 1 00:17:13
9 Siobhan Horgan 1 00:19:42
Crusaders AC runner
126 Mairead Cashman 00:29:15 (31)
St. Anne’s Parkrun (554)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Robert Mackey 1 00:16:53
16 Lyra Frizelle 1 00:19:16
Crusaders AC runners
7 Mikel Crisostomo 00:18:23
14 Peter O’Toole 00:19:12
Bushy Parkrun (223)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Máirtín Ó Goibín 1 00:18:21
9 Michelle Burke 1 00:20:12
Crusaders AC runners
38 Kev Moore 00:24:05
51 Mary Donnelly 00:25:35 (7)
Mungret Parkrun (111)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Daniel McCarthy 1 00:19:09
18 Cliona McCarthy 1 00:24:04
Crusaders AC runner
5 Luke Haran 00:21:56
Shanganagh Parkrun (346)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 James Burke 1 00:17:27
5 Isabella Prina Mello 1 00:18:42
Crusaders AC runners
19 Piarais Neary 00:20:15
235 Jill Nason 00:29:09 (82)
Dungannon Parkrun (68)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Barry Kirkland 1 00:19:30
15 Tracey O’Donnell 1 00:23:28
Crusaders AC runner
5 Ross Neill 00:20:08
Griffeen Parkrun (239)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 James Sherlock 1 00:19:02
3 Niamh Murphy 1 00:19:23
Crusaders AC runner
39 Colm Foley 00:23:38
Donabate Parkrun (224)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Seamus Walsh 1 00:19:06
19 Geraldine McHale 1 00:21:37
Crusaders AC runner
134 Brendan Glynn 00:30:35
River Valley Parkrun (119)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 James Babajide 1 00:20:17
12 Donna McCarthy 1 00:23:08
Crusaders AC runner
20 Darina Scully 00:24:23 (3)