All posts by Peter Nugent

Willie Dunne Shield Report Dec 27 2020

Club News, Results

This event is normally run-in conjunction with the Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield race. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions and protocols a decision, based on risk assessment, was made to delay the ‘time-trial’ by 24 hours.

 

 

 

Very cold air emerging from northwest Canada and Greenland made it a bitterly cold morning for the young athletes. Heavy rain in the previous 20 hours meant that the underfoot conditions were much softer and more challenging than in the previous day’s W-B-B Shield run.

Seventeen starters made it the biggest ever field for the W-D-S – and included all 3 of the previous winners: – Oliver Hopkins (2017), Amber Lynch (2018) and James Dunne (2019).

The 3 fastest athletes on the day took the first 3 positions, even allowing for their time delays. Matei Ursachi, a talented and committed young athlete with a great future in the sport, took just 12.03 to complete the 2-mile circuit starting at the Citadel Pond, going around the Gallops and returning past the Garda, Army & Cricket sports grounds. With a handicap of 4m.15s, his amended time was 16.18. Next came training partners Lorraine O’Connor and Emily Bolton, who both had handicaps of 3m.45s. They ran handicap times of 16.30 and 16.43 and real times of 12.45 and 12.58 respectively to claim 2nd and 3rd places.

Just outside the medals was 2019 winner James Dunne, who did a real time of 15.24, amended to 16.54. Sebastian Ursachi came 5th in 15.08 after a plus 2 minutes to 17.08. The 2018 winner Amber Lynch occupied 6th with times of 15.10 and 17.10. All the results are listed below. Note that there were 2 DNFs.

The LTAD juvenile squad coaches of Graham Hopkins, Niall Lynch and Thomas Delaney were complimented by the Club President Charlie O’Neill, Club Secretary Peter Nugent, Juvenile Secretary Leonie Newman and others on organizing the event in such adversarial circumstances. Niall Lynch later said “Brilliant morning, thanks to Graham for putting it together. The Willie Dunne Shield is firmly on the calendar now”

Club President Charlie O’Neill, who presented the medals and the Shield, said “Delighted to there this morning. Well done to the athletes and special thanks to the organisers, helpers, and coaches. Congratulations to the winner Matei”

Fred Kiernan took the legend that is Willie Dunne (1960 Olympic Games marathoner) to watch the event named in his honour. Due to covid-19 restrictions and the bitterly cold weather the two former club coaches viewed the time-trial from the car. Willie is said to have been very impressed by the winner Matei and has tipped him for big things in athletics. High praise indeed!

 

Athlete Amend H/Cap Actual
1 Matei Ursachi 16.18 4.15 12.03
2 Lorraine O’Connor 16.3 3.45 12.45
3 Emily Bolton 16.43 3.45 12.58
4 James Dunne 16.54 1.3 15.24
5 Sebastian Ursachi 17.08 2 15.08
6 Amber Lynch 17.1 2 15.1
7 Laura Nunan 17.18 2.45 14.33
8 Ruairi Kirby 17.43 2.3 15.13
9 Roisin Kirby 17.47 2.3 15.17
10 Rian Kavanagh 17.54 2 15.54
11 Olivia Furlong 17.58 0 17.58
12 Oliver Hopkins 18.02 4.3 13.32
13 Eleanor Hopkins 18.09 2 16.09
14 Katie Delaney 18.09 1.3 16.39
15 Joe Kinsella 19.03 2.3 16.33

01.Charlie O'Neill presenting the WDS to Matei Ursachi 02. WDS 6 03. WDS 5 04. WDS 3 05. WDS 4 06, WDS 7

 

Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield Report Dec 26 2020

Club News, Results

Some sporting events are sacred! The FA Cup Final in football, the Ryder Cup in golf, Wimbledon in tennis, the Olympic Games, the Tour De France in cycling, the Six Nations in rugby are examples! And you can add the Waterhouse Byrne Baird (W-B-B) Shield in club cross-country running.

 

 

The Shield is the oldest and longest consecutively run club cross-country event in the world, dating back to 1896. The race has been held every year since then, except for 1916 – when it is said that many members of the club were fighting in the trenches in the Great War. The other factor was the proximity of the Magazine Fort to the course, which was then an ammunitions depot and the scene of one of the first casualties in the 1916 Easter Rebellion.

The W-B-B was held during the most part of the Great War, and continued during the Spanish Flu, the Civil War, the 2nd World War, the Tuberculosis Epidemic, 3 outbreaks of Foot and Mouth disease and severe weather conditions in 1962 and 2010. History will show that the 2020 version survived the coronavirus pandemic thanks to the diplomatic intervention of Club President Charlie O’Neill to convince the Office of Public Works (OPW) of the historical importance of the W-B-B Shield and we are very grateful to the OPW for permission to hold the Shield.

Thus the 124th edition of the ‘Shield’ took place as a ‘time-trial’ on the 26th December 2020 under strict protocols agreed between the club and the OPW to restrict the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. On a cold morning with the barometer reading 8° and gusts up to 50km per hour a total of 40 athletes toed the line with great expectations, this making it be best attended WBB since the centenary race in 1996.

As the clock reached 11am the starters duo of Club President Charlie O’Neill and former club president Iain Morrison signalled for Deirdre Brennan and Dana Mackey to set off. A rollcall of athletes, coming from different coaching groups within the club, followed… Indeed, many were still to start when the early race leader Deirdre Brennan had completed the first of her 5 two-mile laps in 17.07. Ava Clarke was next, with Cliodhna Carthy – having made up ground on Dana Mackey and Michelle Dawson – setting her stall as a serious contender in 3rd place.

Deirdre Brennan (35.03) had just completed her 2nd lap as ‘scratch’ runner Eric Keogh heard the starters whistle. Behind her Cliodhna Carthy was making up group and Ava Clarke had slipped one place to 3rd.

Deirdre (53.54) still held pole position after 3 laps, with Cliodhna (54.10) gaining – and Ava Clarke (56.46) maintaining the numbr 3 spot. Behind, most of the field were gaining ground, and as a handicapper’s dream – it was still too early on who to predict would win. There were, of course, predictions! Cliodhna, Audrey (Gahan), Barbara (Cleary), Donal (Iremonger) and James (Bolton).

By the end of lap 4 Cliodhna (71.17) was at the front, with Deirdre now one minute behind in 2nd. The field were closing fast! Donal (72.32) gained to 3rd, with the youngest athlete in the field James Bolton (73.14) hot on his heels. Craig Scott (73.40), Peter Nugent (74.02), David McConn (74.24) followed, with the big hitters Eric Keogh (77.21) in 22nd, Louis O’Loughlin (77.35) in 23rd, with Robert Murphy (78.59) even further back.

The 5th and final lap in the W-B-B is the crescendo! Its where hopes are dashed, and dream are made! James Bolton (85.39- real-time 62.09) increased his tempo and overtook Donal Iremonger (85.59 – 66.59) with about a mile to go, to become the 2nd youngest winner of the Shield at aged 16 years and 53 days. Willie Smith was aged 15 when he won the event in 1958, with Joe Dunne (brother of Willie) aged 16 years and 77 days in the previous year. It was a very fine effort by runner-up Donal, who was 3 and a-half minutes faster (in real time) than in 2019.

Craig Scott claimed 3rd in 86.47 – 66.47 in actual time. Gavin Curtin (87.42 – 61.42), the recent winner of the inaugural Maurice B Ahern Cup for junior and Under 23 athletes, gained from 12th to 4th on the last lap. His lap times of 12.18, 12.24, 12.24, 12.21 and 12.15 made him the most consistent-paced runner on the day. Scratch athlete Eric Keogh ran laps between 10.19 and 10.47, gained 17 places on the last lap to place 5th. His time of 53.00 won him the ‘fastest time’ medal and puts him as one of the fastest to cover the W-B-B course. Club historian Willie Smith claims it’s the fastest time since Donal O’Sullivan ran 52.56 in 1995. Remember that Eric had to contend with 50km gusts!

Louis O’Loughlin (88.54 – 60.24) won the fastest junior athlete medal. His fast last lap of 11.19 saw him gain from 23rd to 8th position. Barbara Cleary’s actual time of 63.07 apparently puts her as the 2nd fastest ever woman for the WBB behind former Irish international Valerie McGovern, who won the Shield in 1985 and 1988. Barbara placed 12th overall with a handicap time of 89.37. Cliodhna Carthy (89.01 – 83.01), who put in such a spirited performance, had to finally settle for 9th place. Ava Clarke (93.03 – 89.03) finally placed 30th overall, beating her father James in a dash to the line.

Among the restricted number of spectators were members of the Baird family. They attended as a mark of respect to the late Davie Baird, who won the W-B-B first the first time in 1920 (100 years ago), and again in 1921 and 1937. As a 3-times winner his name is the middle part of W-B-B.

A special gratitude from all the members/participants to the handicappers and race officials who made it another great occasion. So, a big thanks to Charlie O’Neill, Willie Smith, Iain Morrison, Florence Curley, Craig Scott and others.

A video of the even tis available here. Full results below with time splits available here. The flier for the Shield with full entry list is available here

Name Start Time Shield time Handicap 10mile time
1st James Bolton 11.23.5 1hr 25’39” 11’30” 62’09”
2nd Donal Iremonger 11.19 1hr 25’59” 16’ 66’59”
3rd Craig Scott 11.20 1hr 26’47” 15’ 66’47”
4th Gavin Curtin 11.26 1hr 27’42” 9’ 61’42”
5th Eric Keogh 11.35 1hr 28’00” Scratch 53’00” Fastest Time
6th David McConn 11.18 1hr 28’26” 17’ 70’26”
7th Peter Nugent 11.16 1hr 28’49” 19’ 72’49”
8th Louis O’Loughlin 11.28.5 1hr 28’54” 6’30” 60’24” Fastest Junior
9th Cliodhna Carthy 11.06 1hr 29’01” 29’ 83’01”
10th Emmet O’Briain 11.26 1hr 29’06” 9’ 63’06”
11th Danny O’Sullivan 11.27 1hr 29’15” 8’ 62’15”
12th Barbara Cleary 11.26.5 1hr 29’37” 8’30” 63’07” Fastest Lady
13th Niall Lynch 11.27.5 1hr 29’39” 7’30” 62’09”
14th Alan Keogh 11.22.5 1hr 30’01” 12’30” 67’31”
15th Sean Redmond 11.17 1hr 30’24” 18’ 73’24”
16th Robert Murphy 11.34 1hr 30’26” 1’ 56’26”
17th Andrew Wilson 11.17 1hr 30’28” 18’ 73’28”
18th Neil Hand 11.22 1hr 30’34” 13’ 68’34”
19th Sorcha Loughnane 11.22 1hr 30’36” 13’ 68’36”
20th Audrey Gahan 11.12 1hr 31’00” 23’ 79’00”
21st Claire Mulligan 11.12 1hr 31’05” 23’ 79’05”
22nd Tony Kynes 11.12 1hr 31’15” 23’ 79’15”
23rd Stephen Murphy 11.15 1hr 31’19” 20’ 76’19”
24th Alan Farrell 11.22 1hr 31’21” 13’ 69’21”
25th Peter Gaffney 11.25 1hr 31’22” 10’ 66’22”
26th Deirdre Brennan 11.00 1hr 31’31” 35’ 91’31”
27th Barry Potts 11.12 1hr 32’04” 23’ 80’04”
28th Tom Fagan 11.14 1hr 32’17” 21’ 78’17”
29th Ian Redican 11.13 1hr 32’19” 23’ 79’17”
30th Ava Clarke 11.04 1hr 33’03” 31’ 89’03”
31st James Clarke 11.08 1hr 33’03” 27’ 85’03”
32nd Rossa Hurley 11.28 1hr 33’13” 7’ 65’13”
33rd Stephen Dawson 11.18 1hr 33’49” 17’ 75’49”
34th Dean Fullston 11.13 1hr 35’55” 22’ 83’55”
35th Frank McNally 11.07 1hr 36’39” 28’ 89’39”
36th Oliver O’Hara 11.14.5 1hr 37’10” 20’30” 82’09”
37th Angela Eustace 11.03 1hr 41’42” 32’ 98’42”
38th Dana Mackey 11.00 1hr 44’39” 35’ 104’39”
39th Michelle Dawson 11.01 1hr 46’06” 34’ 105’06”
40th Des Gill 11.12 1hr 57’58” 23’ 105’58”

02. Donal Iremonger 85.59 - 66.59 03. Craig Scott 86.47 - 66.47 04. Gavin Curtin 87.42 - 61.4205. Eric Keogh 88.00 - 53.00 06. David McConn 88.26 - 70.26 07. Peter Nugent 88.49 - 72.49 08. Louis O'Loughlin 88.54 - 60.24 09. Cliodhna Carthy 89.01 - 83.01 10. Emmet O'Briain 89.06 - 63.06 11. Danny O'Sullivan 89.15 - 62.15 12. Barbara Cleary 89.37 - 63.07 13. Niall Lynch 89.39 - 62.09 14. Alan Keogh 90.01 - 67.31 15. Sean Redmond 90.24 - 73.24 16. Robert Murphy 90.26 - 56.24 17. Andrew Wilson 90.28 - 73.28 18. Neil Hand 90.34 - 68.34 19. Sorcha Loughnane 90.36 - 68.36 20. Audrey Gahan 91.00 - 79.00 21. Claire Mulligan 91.05 - 79.05 22. Tony Kynes 91.15 - 79.15 23. Stephen Murphy 91.19 - 76.19 24. Alan Farrell 91.21 - 69.21 25. Peter Gaffney 91.22 - 66.22 26. Deirdre Brennan 91.31 - 91.31 27. Barry Potts 92.04 - 80.04 28. Tom Fagan 92.17 - 78.17 29. Ian Redican 92.17 - 78.17 30. Ava Clarke 93.03 - 85.03 31. James Clarke 93.03 - 85.03 32. Rossa Hurley 93.13 - 65.13 33. Stephen Dawson 93.49 - 75.49 34. Dean Fullston 95.55 - 83.55 35. Frank McNally 96.39 - 89.39 36. Oliver O'Hara 97.10 - 82.40 37. Angela Eustace 101.42 - 98.42 38. Dana Mackey 104.39 - 104.39 39.Michelle Dawson 106.06 - 105.06 40. Des Gill 117.58 - 105.58

 

 

 

 

Club Interview Series 32 – John Travers

Club News, Interview Series

John Travers has been foremost in Irish middle-distance, distance running for the past decade. He came to prominence in 2010 when he won the All-Ireland Schools senior-grade cross-country title representing the Inchicore Vocational School. In the same year he won the national junior XC title and set a championship record of 8.12.79 in the national junior 3.000m.

 

It is difficult to gather a full report on John’s outstanding achievements such has been his versatility of talents between 800m and the half-marathon. John won the Irish 1,500m championship in 2016, 2018 & 2019 and more recently claimed silver in the 5.000m (September 2020). He has also won several national indoor titles.

‘JT’ has represented Ireland at senior grade in major athletics events on 13 occasions, thus: – European Indoors 2013 (Goteborg), USA vs World Penn Relays 2014 (Philadelphia), European Championships 2014 (Zurich), European Indoors 2015 (Prague), European Team Champs 2015 (Iraklion, Greece), Edinburgh International XC Relays 2017, European Indoors 2017 (Belgrade), European Team Champs 2017 (Vaasa, Finland), European XC 2017 (Somorin, Slovakia), European XC 2018 (Tilburg), European Indoors 2019 (Glasgow), Euro Team Champs 2019 (Sandnes, Norway), and European XC 2019 (Lisbon). In 2010 he competed as a junior in the World Championships at Moncton, Canada where he finished 13th in the 5,000m; and in the World XC in Poland, where he was the 8th European. John also competed in the European U23s in Ostrava, Czech Republic in 2011, and the World University Games in South Korea in 2015. He has also represented Ireland at several other international events.

Affable John is popular among his peers and admired for his loyalty to Donore Harriers. He spearheaded the revival of the senior men’s team to contest for national titles in recent years. He was central to the club being 3rd in the national inter-clubs in 2014 and in winning the national road relay in 2015. His scintillating 3-mile leg, a course record 13.55, in the national road relay in 2019 turned a 21-seconds deficit into a 2-seconds lead and was key to the team gaining silver.

He also set course records in the Jingle Bells 5km, St. Patrick’s Festival 5km, Streets of Portlaoise 5km and elsewhere – and became the first Irishman to run a sub-4-minute mile indoors in the country at the AIT International meet in 2018.

STANDARD QUESTIONS

PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? Dublin 1991

WHERE WERE/ARE YOU BEING EDUCATED? I attended Athlone Institute of Technology and studied Sports Management there.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH? I started working full time as an SNA back in 2016 and currently work in Mercy College Sligo

IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE HARRIERS? I joined Donore Harriers late in 2006

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? Without sounding cliché Donore Harriers chose me. I was doing the Gaisce award within school. I actually tried to join Liffey Valley AC as it was the only club my teacher knew of. However, they did not accept junior athletes and sent me up the road to Donore Harriers – thankfully!

WERE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY OTHER CLUB BEFORE JOINING DONORE HARRIERS? No, I had never done athletics before, I was a late comer to the sport

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORT? At the time yes, I did a bit of everything. This included soccer, Gaelic, badminton, basketball, golf

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? I can honestly say I do not have a favourite, not yet anyway. I am lucky I can do a bit of a range of events from 1500 up to half marathon.

WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT ROLE(S) AT THE CLUB? I am an athlete in the club, unfortunately with living in Sligo I cannot really give much to the club apart from racing. Myself and my partner Eimear however set up Innisfree Athletics club last year in Sligo, so I am actively coaching there.

WHO WERE/ARE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? To be honest at the start I couldn’t have even said as I knew nothing about athletics, I hadn’t even heard of Eamonn Coghlan until I met him in Marley park at an underage cross country. It was my first Dublin championship win that day!

SOCIAL QUESTIONS

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? I’m not much of a reader. I like to be active. The only book I have ever read was for my leaving cert. I do not have the patience for it. Sorry, I know I’m a bad example to younger people

WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? Think it was an X Factor concert years ago that we got tickets given to us.

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?

1. Happy Gilmore

2. The Longest yard

3. Undecided ha

FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? I would have to say Belgium. I have been to a number of towns there and it’s such a lovely place

WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AWAY FROM ATHLETICS/SPORT? I really like baking treats, a mixture of healthy and unhealthy

IF DISERT ISLAND DISCS ASKED YOU TO PLAY 3 SONGS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? I would probably just put on a top 40 list on YouTube as I’m terrible with music.

 

ATHLETICS QUESTIONS

WHO IS YOUR COACH? Jerry Kiernan aka the man with the hair on RTE

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? Probably making the final in the European Indoor Championships back a few years ago in the 1500m or the fact that I was the first Irishman to break 4-minute mile indoor on Irish soil, even though it isn’t as fast as others have run outside Ireland

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES/MARKS (PBs)? 800m – 1.50.9; 1,500m – 3.37.27; Mile – 3.55.44; 3km – 7.55.05; 5km – 13.28.96; 10 mile – 47.35; Half Marathon – 1.04.23

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? Probably 20 X 400m with 100m jog recovery

DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU HAVE DONE? I did 5 x 1200m on the track up at altitude a good few years ago. I did it that hard it nearly killed me – haha!

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN? Now during the winter, I will average between 85 miles to 100 miles per week. This involves 4/5 days that I do a double run, 2 session days and a long run day. My typical long run during winter is 1hr 45mins to 2hrs

DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY STORY RELATED TO ATHLETICS/THE CLUB? Yes, I remember in 2010 when the club hosted the All-Ireland Cross Country. I ended up winning my first National cross-country title (junior) that day. Needless-to- say, there was a bit of a celebration in the club. Myself and one of the lads ended up climbing a ladder and taking down the Donore Harriers flag to run a lap of the track like a bunch of eejits. It was great fun!

WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?

In no particular order:

1. Mark Carroll

2. Padraig Harrington

3. Damien Duff

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

YOU WON THE NATIONAL JUNIOR XC TITLE IN 2010. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT DAY? I remember it was actually a class day weather wise. The course was lovely, being very solid and therefore very fast. I knew Shane Quinn would go out hard so I gave him a bit of rope and hoped he would come back, which thankfully he did. I passed him with about ¾ of a lap to go and I never looked back

CROSS-COUNTRY OR ROAD RACING? Definitely road racing over the cross. I do cross as its good for me, but I have always struggled at it.

A short clip of John finishing the 2014 St. Patrick’s Festival 5km – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzCKJ7qHahU

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT TO DATE? As I said before, probably making the final in the European Indoors and being the first sub-4 miler indoor on Irish soil or else the night that I ran the 3.55 mile in Morton games out of nowhere.

Here is a link to RTE’s coverage of John’s final in the Euro Indoors 2015 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b78hddgF7e0&t=328s

And here is John’s historic sub-4 indoor mile at the AIT Arena in March 2018 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aL8LdoYPqQ

YOU HAD A SUPER RUN IN THE MORTON MILE AT SANTRY IN 2014! WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF THAT EVENING? The first thing I remember was it was the nicest night weather wise; I’d say we have ever had. It was so calm and quite mild. The one instruction I had from Jerry (coach) was to be last after the first 400 metres. He said I would still be too fast. Needless-to-say, he was right. I remember with 600m to go I was in no man’s land really at the back of the pack. I was hurting so bad and just said to myself to go for it as I had nothing to lose. I think from 600m out to 200m to go I ran 54 seconds … the last 100 metres was hell. I had no idea I was on for a good time until I took a glimpse at the clock with 200 metres to go. It was a big shock as we thought I would struggle to run 4 minutes as I wasn’t in great form training wise.

Here’s a link to the 2014 Morton Mile (JT is wearing No. 10) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H-LDGjFoxI

YOUR 13.28 RUN AT THE (IFAM) OORDEGEM MEETING IN BELGIUM IN MAY 2019 WAS ANOTHER FANTASTIC RUN. MANY IRISH ATHLETES SET PBs AT THAT MEET, INCLUDING OUR OWN LOUIS O’LOUGHLIN (1.50.02 800m). WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEETS IN IRELAND AND MEETS IN EUROPE? I think one of the main differences is the weather, in Belgium you are almost guaranteed good weather, its rarely windy come the evening time and all of their meets are late in the evening when its calm.

YOU’VE DONE SOME OF THE BIG MEETINGS IN THE USA! WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE? They are just in a different league! I remember I did a 5-week stint doing the indoor season over there a few years back and they turn over races very quickly. One race will finish and then the next will start – it’s unbelievable! For example, the 800s. They had the next race ready to go within 20/30seconds of the other one finishing. The crowds are also class! Penn Relays probably had the best crowd I have witnessed at an athletics meet outside of an Olympics and World Championships. The buzz created was just brilliant.

DO YOU REGRET NOT GOING TO THE U.S.A OR U.K TO FURTHER YOUR ATHLETICS CAREER? No, I definitely do not regret it. It isn’t for everyone. Personally, I think if I went, I wouldn’t be running today as I wasn’t doing the training required to handle the training load in the States. I was too lazy when I was younger, partly because I came to the sport so late and was used to training 2 days for every sport.

YOU DIDN’T DEFEND YOUR NATIONAL 1,500m TITLE IN 2020, INSTEAD YOU OPTED FOR THE 5,000m. WILL YOUR FUTURE FOCUS BE TOWARDS LONGER DISTANCES? AND DO YOU PLAN ON TAKING UP THE MARATHON? My plan is definitely to go longer in the future. In saying that, I have one or two goals left over 1500/mile. So, I’m not finished! I will definitely step up to the marathon in the next 4 or 5 years

YOU RAN A STEEPLECHASE RACE IN 9.40.3 IN 2013! ARE YOU IN ANYWAY TEMPTED TO GIVE THE STEEPLECHASE ANOTHER GO? I have always said to Jerry (Kiernan) that I will be doing one at some stage. I remember that time it was the national league. I had just finished the 800m or 1500m when Eric who was supposed to do steeple had hurt himself. I offered myself up as I knew we needed the points. Schuh! I didn’t tell Jerry until after as it was better to ask forgiveness than seek approval at that time! It was great fun, as I just ran around with Ray Hynes who in Crusaders AC at that time.

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON ‘PERFORMANCE ENHANCING SHOES’ LIKE THE VAPORFLY; SHOULD THEY BE ALLOWED OR SHOULD THEY BE BANNED COMPLETELY? Personally, I think they shouldn’t be allowed, but at the same time technology is moving on in every way and if we don’t go with it we get left behind.

HOW HAS THE ROLE OF FAMILY LIFE AND FATHERHOOD IMPACTED YOUR RUNNING? It has done nothing but good for me. I need structure in my life for athletics to work. I do not think I could be a “full time” athlete, as it just doesn’t work for me. Now I have a very good balance in life. I get up at 6am along with the family so I can help with the breakfast, then I go for a run, head to work, come home, do my evening run and then get kids ready for bed. It’s a great routine!

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE TRIP ASSOCIATED WITH ATHLETICS/THE CLUB? AND WHY? From the club point of view shortly after I joined the club, we took a training trip to Limerick for a weekend and it was such good craic. We also got a good bit of training done. It was one of the things that made me enjoy the thoughts of running more. Favourite trip from athletics point of view was when I went to the World Junior Championships in Canada back in 2010. It was the first time I was out of Europe and was a great experience

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING YOUNG ATHLETES? I think the best thing I can say from my own experiences is there will be a lot of bad days as well as the good days. Some people find it hard to motivate themselves when it doesn’t go well but use this as fuel for the NEXT race. I have that in capitals as a bad race is never your last so look forward when things don’t go right. Also, things don’t just happen overnight. Young athletes always want to run fast in the now. Yes, this is great at the time, but an athletics career goes past your teens. Remember that you still need to be running well in your 20’s and 30’s. The question you need to figure out is do I want to be remembered as just a good junior or do you want to make a mark in the history of Irish athletics and try becoming one of the best senior athletes.

ANY GOOD PRANKS RECENTLY? There are always good pranks from me! My most recent was winding the Home Economic teachers in the school by making mouse noises to scare them…. If I had been closer, I’d say I’d have a black eye right now

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE FOOD? Probably homemade pizza or a good spaghetti.

YOU ARE A KEEN GOLFER! WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT HANDICAP? Technically I do not have one as I have not been a member of a club in a while. But when I was playing last, I had been playing off 10. Mind you, during my off period I shot a 79 in Rosses Point Golf Course which is a tough one. When I finish athletics, my long-term plan is to get down to playing off 2 or lower.

02 JT Euro Indoors 2015 12 Nat Road Relay gold 2015 w Eric Lee & Daragh

 

 

 

Palmerstown Credit Union Community Fund

Club News

Delighted to announce that Donore Harriers is the recipient of a grant from the Palmerstown Credit Union community fund. Our treasurer Philip Hennessey recently met the Credit Union to accept the funding. Many thanks to Palmerstown Credit Union for this grant which will help with the purchase of some much needed athletic equipment for the club as well as a new tent which will provide some welcome shelter for out athletes attending events around the country.

Palmerstown3 Palmerstown2

Club Interview Series 31 – Lee Van Haeften

Club News, Interview Series

Lee Van Haeften has been one of the club’s leading senior distance athletes over the last decade. He was the 2nd scorer on the Donore Harriers team that won team bronze in the 2014 national senior cross-country championships at Dundalk, and in the following spring he ran the opening leg for the club’s senior team that won the national road relay in Raheny. Among his many career highlights is a 2.28.19 marathon in Frankfurt in October 2019.

In this insightful interview Lee tells us about how he first came to Donore Harriers and talks about the transition from junior to senior grades and the importance to have group training squads with shared goals.

Lee, who has honed his expertise as a physiotherapist at the Performance Clinic in Celbridge and with the St. Patrick’s Athletics Football team, has set up a physio clinic on the 1st floor of the Donore Harriers clubhouse. More details on this important service will follow soon

STANDARD QUESTIONS

PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? Dublin, Ireland, 1990 – so, 30 years young!

WHERE WERE YOU EDUCATED? Salesian College in Celbridge and Physiotherapy at Teeside University in Middlesborough. I also studied a degree in Sports Science & Health

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH? I have been back home in Ireland since 2015 working in a physiotherapy clinic in Celbridge. Physiotherapy is such a brilliant diverse profession with many different fields/areas. I have been lucky enough to have worked in a hospital setting, private practise, professional sport, and as a result have developed a real passion for exercise-based treatment for the management of injuries

IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE HARRIERS? Not exactly sure, but around 2005/2006

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? Joan Mc Tiernan (a club member and former Club Treasurer) does a bit of running with my mam so that is where the connection came from. I always remember my first night at the club. I got the bus down from Celbridge not knowing what to expect. I was told to ask for Willie at the front door and he would be able to guide me from there. Little did I know there was two of them!! Willie Smith and the great Willie Dunne! Colin Moore was the first person that I met that night and he brought me out for a run with the group. It was an 8-mile progression run. Fred Kiernan said to me afterwards “You are not bad, are you”. That was enough for me to get the buzz

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? Most athletes will pick an event that they are good at. For me, it is the National Road Relays in Raheny. I love the 1-mile lap coming around the straight each time lined up with people giving encouragement. Obviously winning the senior men`s title with Eric (Keogh), Daragh (Fitzgibbon), and John (Travers) gave me some great memories. I am sure the lads will agree. We are glad to have the memories from that day, as there have not been many from that night!

WHO WERE/ARE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? People who have inspired and influenced me the most are probably people that I have seen first-hand graft and work hard for success. Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers and 2012 Olympic marathon runner) opened my eyes when I started doing a bit of running with him 5 or 6 years ago. Mark’s running career and achievements speak for themselves. I saw at first-hand the mindset it takes to be an Olympian. No gimmicks! no fancy training! no bullshit! Just pure honest hard work. He coaches me and Eric (Keogh) nowadays and sometimes we think he is mad with the aims and targets, but it is the mindset of demanding more from yourself and pushing the boundaries.

I must also mention Matty Hynes (Gateshead Harriers), a 2:16 marathoner from the UK, who took me under his wing when I lived over in the UK. In those 2 years I had some of the best times training with Matt. He’s the most talented athlete I ever training with

SOCIAL QUESTIONS

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? Jim Stynes “My Journey”

WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? Christy Moore

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?

1. 7 Pounds

2. Inside Man

3. Shawshank Redemption

FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? The USA, with New York the best place I’ve visited by a country mile!

IF DISERT ISLAND DISCS ASKED YOU TO PLAY 3 SONGS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

1. Beeswing – Christy Moore

2. Into the Mystic – Van Morrison

3. Sweet Sixteen – The Furey`s

ATHLETICS QUESTIONS

WHO IS YOUR COACH? Mark Kenneally

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? Finishing the marathon in Frankfurt last year. It was my 2nd attempt at the marathon distance. I dropped out of Rotterdam the year before at 16 miles. It was a case of not respecting the distance and the event that day. My biggest disappointment in sport. Leading into Frankfurt I was extremely nervous about the race. I remember coming back into the city at 20 mile thinking I’m going to finish here and run a decent time. 5 minutes later I was on my hands and knees getting sick. I remember thinking “not again please!”. But I struggled on and finished. Albeit disappointment with my time (2.28.19!!!), I later sat in the hotel room with Eric (Keogh) and I was never more content. The buzz around the build-up, the morning of the race, knowing that the human body is not designed to run this long and hard is such an excitement. What an event!

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES/MARKS (PBs)? 14.28 (5km), 31.04 (10km), 24.28 (5 mile), 68.28 (Half marathon). 2.28.19 (Marathon)

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? TheMoneghetti Fartlek (THE SESSION is 2 × 90 seconds, 4 × 60 seconds, 4 × 30 seconds, 4 × 15 seconds. All efforts are done with a recovery that is the equivalent time of the effort completed (90 seconds on, 90 seconds off and so on). The complete time taken for the session is 20 minutes)

DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU HAVE DONE? I remember it as clear as day! It was a wet, dark, cold Friday evening after a long week at work when myself, Eric (Keogh) and Mark (Kenneally) had the joy (!!!) of doing 5 x 5km at marathon pace in a 20-mile run. It is as tough as they come, a pure mental and physical grind

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN? Back in March when the pandemic started, I had a great chat with Eric Keogh about how we could keep training going without any races. Eric has such a great mentality around running and challenged me to train harder than ever. So, since March I’ve averaged around 85 miles per week with only a handful of days off. It’s been smart, sensible training and I’m really starting to reap the rewards

WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?

1. Jim Stynes (Australian Rules)

2. John O Shea (Ireland Football)

3. Jonny Doyle (Kildare GAA)

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

I BELIEVE THAT YOU WON THE Fr. ARCHER CUP (Salesian College, Celbridge Road Race). WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT RACE? Some of my best running memories come from this race. It’s one of the oldest school road races in the world if I am not mistaken. It measures around 4.5km and starts on the grass with up to 600 students on the line. If you survive the madness of the first half a mile you generally have a good chance of being up the top. I was lucky enough to win the road race three times in a row and I am sure that Donore Harriers athletes won it 8 out of 9 years on the bounce. <Here is a video on the Fr. Archer Road Race which was part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the Salesian College. Introduction by the legendary PE teacher Paddy McGovern with contributions from Lee and Max Van Haeften This video concludes today’s Salesian… – Salesian College Celbridge (facebook.com) >

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE TRANSITION FROM BEING A JUNIOR ATHLETE TO A SENIOR ATHLETE? Only a few weeks ago my little brother sent me on some national cross-country results from 2006. He was giving me the large one about finishing in the top 12. His name was not what got my attention, but the fact that most of the names inside the top 30 that day are no longer competing. I showed Eric and we could not spot one name that went on to win a senior title. We could be wrong! It got me thinking what the drop of rate in athletics from junior to senior. Why is it so high? You would think winning national medals, competing at the top end of your age group as a junior would be enough to keep you in the sport. Of course, not everyone, but surely more than 1 or 2 out of 30. It seems to be a trend when you look through old results.

Make no question about it, athletics is such a difficult sport! To be at the very top takes complete discipline and dedication. You see it so often that the athletes winning medals at a junior level athletics that it becomes their personal identity. They are known as ‘the runner’. Maybe that is the problem? Successful junior athletes are often quite talented and that is what brings them their success. Yes, they do some hard graft, but their talent is the key. How often do you see it? Life starts to get more hectic when they become adults! And running no longer feels like a hobby, but more of a chore. It is not as easy as it once was. Talent will only get you so far, but it is the hard training what makes a top senior athlete. I think if more juniors appreciate the positive benefits of what athletics brings other than competing and winning it may help keep them in the game. A healthy balance of sport and general life is important. No one remembers good juniors; they only remember good seniors.

YOU INTRODUCED THE Long-Term Development Plan PROPOSAL TO THE CLUB IN 2013 AND IT PROVED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, ALBEIT TEMPORARILY, WITH THE SENIOR MEN’S TEAM GAINING 2 BRONZE MEDALS IN THE NATIONAL XC AND A GOLD IN THE NATIONAL ROAD RELAY. IS IT YOUR PHILOSOPHY THAT CLUB TRAINING SESSIONS BE PROPERLY STRUCTURED WITH CLEARLY DEFINED RACE TARGETS? I think for success in any club to be sustainable you need structure and a platform for athletes to develop. Take the Melbourne track club as an example, year after year producing athletes who are world class. Paul Robinson who most will be familiar with from Irish athletics is based in this group. I listened to a podcast recently where he spoke about the continued success of the group. He mentions the culture of the group being so important to their continued success. A group of athletes training together, trusting the process, utilizing different strengths of each athlete, all with the same goal of being the best they can be. In my opinion not enough athletes are training together. Not enough are willing to be brave and train with athletes who are better than them. You need the best athletes in the club linking in and working towards a goal. Look, most have different coaches, live in different areas, and work/life commitments make it difficult to train together. If there is a goal within a group, there should not be any reason not to link in every few weeks. It then provides younger athletes with a vision of wanting to be in that process. To be fair, within Donore Harriers there is some great work being done in the younger age groups. When I first joined the club there was not much of a sprint culture. John Geoghegan built and developed a system which gave athletes what they needed to be competing both nationally and internationally. Look how successful the group is now and the culture of sprinting within the club! Good athletes training together, with a good system, all training towards a goal. It’s simple really! John will be greatly missed within the club; a legend who has left a great legacy

YOU NOW HAVE A NEW PHYSIO CLINIC AT THE DONORE HARRIERS CLUBHOUSE, WHAT SERVICES DO YOU PLAN TO OFFER TO CLUB MEMBERS? I am delighted to be given the chance to open a chartered physiotherapy business in the Donore Harriers clubhouse starting in January 2021. The clinic will be based upstairs beside the gym, both of which are currently having a much-needed upgrade. The plan is to provide a top-quality service. There will be a separate side entrance into the clinic which has also been upgraded. My philosophy is honest, simple, practical advice for the treatment and management of acute and long-standing injuries. Watch the space in December for a new website which will provide information about the service and benefits for club athletes.

06. Eric LVH John T Daragh National Road Relay winners 2015 01. Lee Van Haeften

Donore Harriers Online Quiz

Club News

To mark what would have been our 30th Annual Jingle Bells 5K we scratched our heads and decided to have an Online Quiz. Our quiz will take place on Saturday 12th at 7.30pm.

 

 

 

 

We hope you can join us for an evening in of fun with your families, as part of your social bubble or even on your own if you’re smart and quick enough! We have over €1,000 worth of prizes to give away, including €100 cash to the winning team. We also have spot prizes, with a chance to win an Apple Series 3 Watch, one of ten Dunnes Stores €50 vouchers and a hamper from Boots pharmacy valued at €200 and more. All prizes will be delivered to the winners.

The quiz will be a ‘General Knowledge’ quiz. It will take just over an hour, comprising of 75 questions with breaks built in for topping up your refreshments. Our quiz will be hosted by ‘John O Connor, Smartphone Quiz Host’ and will be streamed Live through YouTube.

Entry is €10 per team plus an administration fee of €1.09. The quiz is open to all.

What do you need to play?

  • You need an internet connection.
  • You need a device to watch the quiz live such as a lap top, PC, Smart TV or mobile device (smartphone or tablet).
  • You need a 2nd device, ideally a smartphone to submit your questions through the gaming App ‘Kahoot’. Kahoot can be downloaded for free through the ‘App Store’ or the ‘Google play store’.
  • You also need to be quick, with 30 seconds to answer. The quicker you answer the higher your scoring points!

Once registered your gaming PIN will be sent by email to the email address you register with no sooner than 30 minutes before the quiz starts.

To take part in the Quiz click on the following link to register: https://bit.ly/2VvMh7p

DunnesStores(300) Bootslogo

20×20 Women in Sport Campaign

Club News

We are delighted to announce that Donore Harriers has recently been successful in our application to become part of the 20×20 Women in Sport Campaign.

 

 

 

 

The 20×20 campaign aims to create a cultural shift in our perception of girls and women in sport. As part of the campaign, three main targets for the end of 2020 were identified. They are:

  1. 20% more media coverage of women in sport
  2. 20% more female participation at player, coach, referee & administrative level
  3. 20% more attendance at women’s games and events.

Donore Harriers AC recognises and acknowledges the key role that those targets play in ensuring long-term participation in sport for female athletes, and as a club, we endeavour to support those targets in all that we do – as athletes, as parents, as coaches. In addition to those targets, we have set our own targets for the female athletes in Donore Harriers AC, as part of this hugely important 20×20 campaign.

Donore Harriers is a club with a long, proud culture of female athletics, through our juvenile, junior, senior and masters ranks. Our aims for the female athletes in Donore Harriers AC as part of the 20×20 campaign have been identified as follows:

  1. That all young female athletes will be provided with early opportunities to educate themselves in relation to nutrition, women’s health and injury prevention 
  2. That all young female athletes are provided with female mentors who they can trust and seek support from in relation to their health and well-being
  3. To recognise and highlight positive female athletes in Donore Harriers AC who have demonstrated life-time participation in the sport

Our first 20×20 Women in Sport campaign event will take place this Wednesday 02.12.20 at 7pm, via Zoom, when we will welcome Katie Kirk, International 800m athlete and sports nutritionist.  Katie will be speaking on a number of key issues including nutrition, injury prevention, women’s health and how to stay in the sport during periods of physical change in the body.  Her recent talk for Athletics Ireland on disordered eating and exercise is a must watch.

We would like to invite all of our female athletes and all of our coaches, to join us for this hugely relevant talk and are excited by the potential educational benefits that it offers to us all in terms of our training and our coaching.   The parents of younger female athletes will also find this session to be of great benefit. We look forward to seeing you there and we look forward to building a generation of female athletes who enjoy a life-time of sport.

To oversee the club’s involvement in the 20×20 campaign and all other issues relating to female athlete recruitment, participation and retention, a 20X20 sub-committee is to be formed, drawn from all ranks in the club, including Little Athletics/juvenile squad (parent), LTAD squad, juvenile sprints squad, Academy, juniors, seniors and masters.   The group will be chaired by our 20X20 Champion, Sinead Lambe, will meet quarterly and make its recommendations to the committee of the club. Interested members are invited to apply to participate in this group by email.

Our goal is that sport and athletics becomes a way of life for our female athletes, whatever level that may be at. That sport and athletics enables our young female athletes, that it does not inhibit them. We believe that sport and athletics as a way of life, builds confidence, endurance and resilience that are lifelong tools for success. And we hope that sport and athletics as a way of life, will be a gift to all of the young people who arrive at the gates of Donore Harriers AC.

 

DSC_8774 (2) DSC_8767 (2) DSC_8754 (2) cda 20x20 Club house many 20x20 Club house many Mask (2)

Abdel Laadjel – Providence Scholarship

Club News
Donore Harriers extends its congratulations to young Abdel Laadjel  on obtaining a scholarship to  Providence College USA, next year. This is a fantastic and well deserved achievement by Abdel. We wish Abdel every success in athletics and in life. No doubt his coaches Gerry Naughton and Ciaran O’ Flaherty will keep in contact and update us on his progress.

 
 
 

In recognition of this outstanding achievement Abdel has featured in a recent media articles in fastrunning.com and in the Dublin Gazette. You can also read more about Abdel on our Facebook page and  here in an interview he did earlier in the year with Gerry Naughton.
Well done Abdel!
U18 Abdel Laadjel being cheered by the best DH Abdel Laadjel

John Geoghegan RIP

Club News, RIP

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of John Geoghegan, our highly-respected and dedicated sprints and hurdles coach.

 

 

 

 

John’s daughters Emily and Alice joined Donore as juveniles and competed in BLOE Track and Field events. John offered to help in the coaching of our young athletes. He attended AAI courses, moved swiftly through the various levels and achieved the highest coaching qualifications. He developed a very good group of boys and girls, who went on to become Dublin, national and schools’ champions. Some of them qualified to compete at European Junior level, several making finals.

John was pivotal in the club’s efforts to convince Dublin City Council of the need to develop a track for Donore Harriers. Following the laying of the track, John and his coaching team developed a young sprinters and hurdlers group, many of whom have since graduated to the senior ladies and men’s teams. John has been key in enabling our junior sprinters to become national senior medalists and internationals. In the space of ten years he has expanded the culture of the club from solely middle distance to include track and field.

John communicated with his athletes in a quiet manner, preparing meticulous training schedules, and supervising their implementation with praise and encouragement. He was adored by his athletes, who, through wet and dismal conditions, turned up loyally for training, knowing that John’s priority was to coach them to success.

The club has been fortunate over the years to have had brilliant coaches. John Geoghegan ranks with the best of them as a gentleman and an exceptional coach.

John will be greatly missed by us all.

Our condolences to his wife Oonagh, daughters Emily, Charlotte and Alice, mother Rita, siblings, relatives and friends.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Pat Hooper RIP

Club News

The members and committee of Donore Harriers are shocked and very saddened to learn of the untimely death of Olympian and athletics legend Pat Hooper. Pat was a true gentleman who did so much for athletics in Ireland. We would like to express our sincerest sympathies to his family, friends and all at Raheny Shamrocks Athletics Club. May he rest in peace.