Wind and Rain don't dampen spirits in the National Half marathon in Tullamore

31/8/2025

Sarah-Grace Breen

On a wet and windy Saturday morning, we had runners in two half marathons. The first was the National and Leinster half marathon championships hosted this year by Tullamore Harriers AC in Co. Offaly and the second was the Greenway Half that took place on the converted Waterford to Dungarvan railway line.

The Tullamore race was described as scenic and gently undulating, starting and finishing at the Harriers’ track, having passed through Mucklagh, Killurin and Cloonagh. Such a description is usually a euphemism for a hilly and challenging race. However, at least two of the 7 runners who turned out for the club on the day recorded PBs, so it proved to be an excellent course. Our first runner home among the nearly 1200 finishers was Brendan Murphy who placed 24th in 74:05. Brendan was followed by Joe McDermott who recorded a PB time of 77:04 for 48th place. Joe was followed by Ciarain Kelly, not too far back in 55th spot with a time of 77:40, with Sarah-Grace Breen the next runner across the line. Sarah-Grace distinguished herself, placing 97th overall and 4th female finisher in the national championships, 2nd in the Leinster Championships, with a PB improved time of over a minute in 81:42. Congrats to her on winning her first medal with the club.
Sarah-Grace was followed by Triona Quill (462nd and 79th) in 1:40:39, just missing out on a Leinster medal, with Sharon Woods next (553rd and 110th in 1:44:35), and the contingent was completed by Kevin Kenny (907th in 2:00:03).

Down in Waterford, we had two runners competing. David O’Donnell likely recorded a PB with his time of 99:41 for 193rd overall in a field of 663 finishers. David was followed by Robbie Moore, whose training had been interrupted by injury and who ran in the midweek BHAA race, placing 460th in 1:59:35.

The midweek BHAA XC event was the Bristol Myers Squibb Ireland 5k race. Conducted in dry conditions on the purpose-built loop involving a serious early descent onto otherwise moderately undulating terrain on the Sports Campus in Abbotstown, the race involved a field of 120. Karl Walsh led our contingent home in 10th place with a time of 19:54, and he was followed by Karl Fitzmaurice (15th in 20:19), Sean Murphy (30th in 22:08) and Robbie Moore (71st in 25:20).

Further afield, one of our exiles in Australia, Maurice Kelter, continues to amaze us with his racing performances down under. On Sunday morning, Maurice participated in the new marathon major to add to the list of 6 others, the Sydney marathon. In a field of nearly 33,000 finishers, he placed 99th in a PB time of 2:36:33, having been inspired by a training run earlier in the week where he found himself running alongside Eliud Kipchoge. In Spain on Saturday evening, two of or Spanish exiles, Esther Requena Ferri and Cristian Vilchez Ceballos took part in the Volta Popular a la Font de la Figuera, an 8k street race in the Spanish interior, south of Valencia. Esther placed 2nd in the women’s race in 34:28, whilst Cristian ran 30:47 for the distance.

The World Masters Mountain Championships took place this weekend in Meduno in the Italian Dolomites and we had two members of the club competing in the various races on offer, one running for Ireland and the other for Lithuania. Clare Sullivan ran in the first of two races for Ireland, the uphill with a distance of 4.65k, completing it in 48:37 for 196th place overall and 33rd female finisher in a field of 506. Along with another Irish runner, Clare’s team in the F40 category placed 3rd. Meanwhile, Donatas Jocius, representing Lithuania, placed 151st in the uphill event on Friday, in a time of 45:53.

Then, on Saturday morning, Donatas took part in the long-distance race (31.5k), where, in a field of 340, he placed 40th in 3:36:48. Finally, Clare took part in the "Classic", a race of 14.5km, placing 194th out of 605 and 23rd female finisher, 5th F40 individual and 3rd F40 team again in a time of 86:59.

There was a lower turnout than usual in parkruns this weekend. Nevertheless, we recorded a couple of first finishes. Brian Regan ran in Malahide, with its field of 305, leading everyone across the finish line in 16:51. Then, in Poolbeg, one of our London-based exiles, Kate O’Malley, made a return in style, placing 4th and 1st in the field of 187 in a time of 18:54. The only club members to precede her were Michael Wycherley (2nd in 17:45) and Kenan Furlong (3rd in 17:47). Further back came Adrian Groarke (8th in 19:50), Tim O’Donnell (11th in 20:34), Ross Neill (19th in 21:55), just ahead of Conor Kilkenny (20th in 21:59), Zlatko Kulic (22nd in 22:07), alongside Kabir Sala (23rd in 22:08) and ahead of Pat Quill (25th in 22:22).

Further back came John Lohan (34th in 22:49) and he was followed by Franky Keane (40th in 23:21) and GianPiero Allerta (53rd in 24:42). It was good to see Sophia Morgan running, placing 83rd and 20th in 26:36) and Sophia was followed by Ellen Walsh (99th and 28th in 27:48), Tara Murphy (110th and 33rd in 28:26), Maureen McGinley (141st and 50th in 30:24) and Cynthia Perucca (145th and 54th in 30:41).

Lorraine McMahon headed once again to the Midleton Greenway where, in a field of 81, she placed 47th and 15th in 29:19, whilst, also in Co. Cork, Máirín Shine ran in the 28-strong field in Pobalscoil na Tríonóide in Youghal, where she placed 18th and 7th in 30:02. In Marlay Park, Ronan Moynihan placed 40th in 21:42, followed by Carina Davidson (385th and 134th in 32:40) in a field of 507, whilst Olwyn Dunne was our lone competitor in the field of 155 in Cabinteely, where she placed 43rd and 11th in 26:50. We had two runners in Shanganagh. David Carter placed 15th in 20:35, followed by Jill Nason (194th and 55th in 32:39). The field there measured 251. Meawhile, Mairead Cashman joined 194 other participants in Dodder Valley Park, where she placed 66th and 16th in 30:23. Paul F. Kelly ran in St. Anne’s where, in a field of 404, he placed 180th in 27:45, whilst Aoife McCarthy headed to Ediburgh, where, in a large field of 727, she placed 164th and 26th in 23:22. Finally, two of our UK exiles were in action across the water. Thom Martini placed 20th in 222:22 in the 398-strong field in Osterley in Surrey, whilst Aidan Hudner placed 61st in 24:16 in the field of 387 in Pollok in Glasgow.

Tullamore Half Marathon (National & Leinster Championships (1189)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Jake O’Regan 1 01:07:25
29 Annmarie McGlynn 1 01:15:10
Crusaders AC runners
24 Brendan Murphy 01:14:05
48 Joe McDermott 0117:04 (PB)
55 Ciarain Kelly 01:17:40
97 Sarah-Grace Breen 01:21:42 (PB) (4)
462 Triona Quill 01:40:39 (79)
553 Sharon Woods 01:44:35 (110)
907 Kevin Kenny 02:00:03
Full results here: https://www.myrunresults.com/events/bnm_tullamore_harriers_half_2025/5447/results
Greenway Half marathon (663)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Pat Hennessy 1 01:10:33
24 Marie Howard 1 01:21:51
Crusaders AC runners
193 David O’Donnell 01:39:41 (PB)
460 Robbie Moore 01:59:35
Full results here: https://www.myrunresults.com/events/greenway_half_marathon_2025/5896/results
BHAA BMS Ireland XC 5k (120)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Sean Doran 1 00:16:30
13 Caoimhe Kilroy 1 00:20:10
Crusaders AC runners
10 Karl Walsh 00:19:54
15 Karl Fitzmaurice 00:20:19
30 Sean Murphy 00:22:08
71 Robbie Moore 00:25:20
Full results here: https://members.bhaa.ie/results/race/534
Marlay Parkrun (507)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Mark Mellor 1 00:17:40
44 Fiona Kavanagh 1 00:21;53
Crusaders AC runners
40 Ronan Moynihan 00:21:42
385 Carina Davidson 00:32:40 (134)
Dodder Valley Parkrun (195)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Tom Reville 1 00:19:05
18 Ruth Mellett 1 00:24:06
Crusaders AC runner
66 Mairead Cashman 00:30:23 (16)
Shanganagh Parkrun (251)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ben Paviour 1 00:17:18
18 Emily Kane 1 00:20:41
Crusaders AC Runners
15 David Carter 00:20:35
194 Jill Nason 00:32:39 (55)
Poolbeg Parkrun (187)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Denis Buckley 1 00:17:39
4 Kate O’Malley 1 00:18:54
Crusaders AC runners
2 Michael Wycherley 00:17:45
3 Kenan Furlong 00:17:47
4 Kate O’Malley 00:18:54 (1)
8 Adrian Groarke 00:19:50
11 Tim O’Donnell 00:20:34
19 Ross Neill 00:21:55
20 Conor Kilkenny 00:21:59
22 Zlatko Kulic 00:22:07
23 Kabir Sala 00:22:08
25 Pat Quill 00:22:22
34 John Lohan 00:22:49
40 Franky Keane 00:23:21
53 GianPiero Allerta 00:24:42
83 Sophia Morgan 00:26:36 (20)
99 Ellen Walsh 00:27:48 (28)
110 Tara Murphy 00:28:26 (33)
141 Maureen McGinley 00:30:24 (50)
145 Cynthia Perucca 00:30:41 (54)
Pobalscoil na Tríonóide Parkrun (28)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Padraic McDonagh 1 00:19:26
8 Saoirse Corrigan 1 00:25:13
Crusaders AC runner
18 Máirín Shine 00:30:02 (7)
Cabinteely Parkrun (155)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Richie Cooper 1 00:18:51
16 Fiona Hayden 1 00:23:43
Crusaders AC runner
43 Olwyn Dunne 00:26:50 (11)
Malahide Parkrun (305)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Brian Regan 1 00:16:51
8 Annette Kealy 1 00:19:06
Crusaders AC runner
1 Brian Regan 00:16:51
St. Anne’s Parkrun (404)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Alex Mulvihill 1 00:16:47
14 Bernadette Bruen 1 00:19:52
Crusaders AC runner
180 Paul F. Kelly 00:27:45
Midleton Greenway Parkrun (81)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Noel Early 1 00:19:21
9 Grace Leuenberger 1 00:20:37
Crusaders AC runner
47 Lorraine McMahon 00:29:19 (15)