Sarah is a highly respected member of the sporting community given her participation and contribution to a number of different events and organisations.

Sarah has been a competitor and volunteer with the Irish Mountain Running Association and is a regular participant and event organizer with the Irish Orienteering Association (IOA). She is likewise an active member of the Fingal Orienteers club.

In the colour of Donore Harriers she has competed at distances between parkrun and the marathon – and is a regular at road races and Meet & Train events. Sarah is also a regular volunteer at club events.

She is the current and long-standing Treasurer of the IOA.

STANDARD QUESTIONS

PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? Rotunda Hospital, Dublin in August 1980

WHERE ARE YOU BEING EDUCATED? I’m currently being educated at the University of Life, like many club members. I have a degree in Engineering from UCD, a Masters in Energy Management from TUD and an MA in Leadership & Strategy from the IPA.

WHAT IS YOUR PLANNED CAREER PATH? In October 2020 I joined the Department of Environment, Climate & Communications on secondment from the Department of Justice. I am a member of the team that is preparing the next iteration of the National Climate Action Plan. Prior to working in Dept Justice I worked in the Office of Public Works. Who knows where I will end up when my secondment finishes!

IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE HARRIERS? 2010

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? Location, Location, Location

WERE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY OTHER CLUB BEFORE JOINING DONORE HARRIERS? No

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORT? Yes. I played Ladies Gaelic Football – the rules are slightly different to the men’s version- until around the time I joined Donore Harriers. I was also orienteering and dabbling in mountain-running.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? You can’t beat a Meet & Train cross country followed by a good spread.

WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT ROLE(S) AT THE CLUB? Slogger

WHO WERE/ARE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? When I was a child, Sonia O’Sullivan would have been a big one. She was one of the few prominent female sportswomen of the time. I try to emulate her famous sprinter’s kick but not with as much success. Thankfully now there are far more successful sportswomen who are excellent role model for girls and young women.

SOCIAL QUESTIONS

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? “The New Wilderness” by Diane Cook

WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? I have to confess that it was Westlife in July 2019, where I was on duty as a voluntary steward. I would like to put it on the record that I am not a Westlife fan, so does that count? In terms of concert for which I actually paid for tickets, Kylie Minogue in December 2018.

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?

1. Silence of the Lambs. No-one can say “Clarice” quite like Anthony Hopkins

2. The Shawshank Redemption

3. JoJo Rabbit. It was the last film I saw in the cinema.

FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? Japan. I was there in April 2019. An amazing country and I would recommend a visit to everyone.

WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AWAY FROM ATHLETICS/SPORT? As mentioned above, I am a voluntary steward in Croke Park, which takes up quite a lot of time. I also read and try to do table quizzes. I sometimes do them with Florence Curley.

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

1. “Human” by The Killers

2. “Insomnia” by Faithless

3. “N17” by The Saw Doctors.

ATHLETICS QUESTIONS

WHO IS/ARE YOUR COACH(ES)? Willie Smith and before that, when I first joined Donore Harriers, the late Jim McNamara.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES (PBs)? My 3:59:57 in the Dublin marathon in 2011, 38:18 in the Raheny 5-mile in 2012 and a 5km in 22:20 also in 2012.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? A Saturday morning fartlek on the magazine hills. Maybe even in the rain.

DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU HAVE DONE? Willie and Iain (Morrison) came up with an idea last summer for a Saturday morning session on the Polo Grounds. We had to run for 1 minute, recover for 1 minute, run for 2 minutes, recover for 1 minute, run for 3 minutes, recover for 2 minutes and then go at tempo pace for 2 minutes followed by a recovery. I think I did that three times and I was shattered. I had to have a nap that afternoon.

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN? I’m going to be somewhat controversial here and let slip that I used to go to the gym twice a week. I used to do a gym class on Monday, intervals on a Tuesday, yoga class on a Thursday, class on Friday and then the Saturday session. I might run or go orienteering on the Sunday.

DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY STORY RELATED TO ATHLETICS/THE CLUB? As someone who grew up in North East Dublin, I can never understand how club members can get lost going to Raheny for the Raheny 5, cross country in St. Anne’s or the National Road Relays.

<<NOTE: I must admit that I also belong to this group. I turn my bike up the Malahide Road at Fairview and keep on cycling towards Coolock…doh!>>

WHAT ONE CHANGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT DONORE HARRIERS? Adult men and women training together, although that has happened in recent years.   A few more social events in the club, hopefully sometime in the future.

WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?

1. Sonia O’Sullivan

2. Joe Canning

3. Rena Buckley

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

YOU COMPETE IN MOUNTAIN RUNNING EVENTS, ORGANIZED BY THE IRISH MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION (IMRA). WHAT ATTRACTS YOU TO MOUNTAIN RACES? I have to admit that I found myself at IMRA events almost by accident. I had made a lot of friends through my involvement in orienteering and some of them were branching out into IMRA. They more or less brought me with them. IMRA is a very sociable organisation: socialising after events is a big part of the sport. I haven’t done an IMRA race since 2015 or 2016. I think I’d collapse if I tried to run up a mountain now.

YOU ARE BOTH A COMPETITOR AND AN ORGANIZER IN THE SPORT OF ORIENTEERING. WHERE DID YOUR INTEREST IN ORIENTEERING STEM FROM? AND WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT INVOLVEMENT WITH THE SPORT? I started orienteering when I was in college in UCD. I’m currently Treasurer of the Irish Orienteering Association (IOA), the National Governing Body with responsibility for the growth and development of the sport in Ireland – the equivalent of Athletics Ireland but a lot smaller. I have been the Treasurer since 2010. I have also organised a lot of multi-day orienteering events, including the Leinster 3-Day in 2016 and the Irish Orienteering Championships in 2018. That was a 4-day event with over 300 participants that was held in Donegal. Needless-to-say, the organisation involved in those events is massive and I was exhausted after them. It was also complicated by the fact that I was doing it on a voluntary basis. I have organised, planned, and helped out at other, more local events as well, with my club Fingal Orienteers.   Orienteering is a sport that is ideally suited to social distancing: we had events on during the summer when other sports were not allowed to. I would definitely encourage going to an event for our younger athletes, particularly the cross-country group.

WHAT ARE THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS IN ORIENTEERING? A combination of navigation and fitness. Navigation is possibly more important. Often orienteers are running so fast that they miss out on key features and get lost. Or run around in circles for ages trying to find a control.

HOW CAN YOUNG ATHLETES, OR INDEED ADULTS, TRY OUT ORIENTEERING? ARE THERE ANY BASIC SKILLS AND INSTRUMENTS REQUIRED? Anyone can try orienteering: it’s a sport for those aged 8 to 80 at all levels of fitness. For someone, of any age, starting out, I would recommend going to a “Come and Try It” event in an urban park and trying the short or medium course. If that’s too easy, try the long course the next time and then move on to more complex league events. For those events all you need are a pair of runners. You’ll get a map when you start.

Events on open mountain require navigational skills, but those can be learned, and clubs hold training events. These events require a compass and the ability to use one, as well as trail shoes or other footwear suited to rough terrain – not spikes. And possibly a lightweight but water/windproof jacket!

Details of events can be found on https://www.orienteering.ie/. There are no events at present, but the IOA has used the past year or so to promote the use of MapRunF/MapRun6. These are apps that can be downloaded to your phone, and even to your GPS watch. Maps of courses in some areas such as parks or even suburban areas, are available to download for free. So, you can just head to the start point on the map at any time and run around the course, recording your time on your phone. The phone will beep when you reach a “control” although there won’t be a physical control there. That is another good way to learn, particularly if someone lives in area that is mapped and is already familiar with it. They can learn and understand map symbols and related to an area they know. It would also be a good, and slightly different, training session for athletes of all ages.

THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A GREAT CAMARADERIE AMONGST ORIENTEERS, SO DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNNY OR UNUSUAL STORY FROM A TRIP OR EVENT?There are multi-day orienteering events held worldwide that anyone can enter: you don’t need to qualify. I have travelled to these events with friends and often combined them with a holiday in the country in question. Easter is usually a good time of year to go.  For many years travelling to an Easter orienteering event was a regular occurrence. In 2009 I and five friends went to a four-day event held in the town of Targovishte, Bulgaria. Targovishte is a town with a population of about 35,000 in north-eastern Bulgaria. None of us knew any Bulgarian and Bulgaria uses the Cyrillic alphabet, which made life more interesting!  The organisers of the event gave each of us a small pocket dictionary to help us in our efforts. One evening we went out for dinner in a small, local restaurant. None in the restaurant spoke English but we found the Bulgarian for “potato” in the dictionary and chose every dish on the menu where we could see that word.  Well, the food just flowed. Endless amounts of platters of food, each containing potato in some form or other. There was also this weird ice-cold soup that we had to drink. It was white and looked like milk. While we were working our way through this feast, the door to the restaurant opened and a member of the kitchen staff walked in, with what can best be described as a, “good sack of spuds” on his shoulder. He came in and went straight into the kitchen. We had managed to eat them out of potatoes, and someone had been sent to get more! We certainly lived up to the image of the potato-loving Irish!  And yes, I still have the dictionary.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ACHIEVEMENT WHILST REPRESENTING DONORE HARRIERS? Squeezing in under the 4-hour hour mark at the 2011 Dublin marathon and finishing in 3:59:57.

HAVE YOU RAN IN ANY OTHER MARATHONS SINCE THEN? Ahem!!! No, I haven’t. Training for a marathon is all-consuming and I think that unless you really have the grá for it and are prepared to commit, there’s no point. I haven’t ruled out doing another one at some stage in the future but getting an entry to Dublin is a complicated business these days.

HAVE YOU COMPETED IN THE WATERHOUSE BYRNE BAIRD SHIELD? AND WHAT IS YOUR BEST RESULT? No, never! I can’t summon the energy to get over to the Park on time.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY L0NG-TERM INJURY? IF YES, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE INJURY AND THE RECOVERY PROCESS?  Surprisingly not, but then I probably don’t train hard enough or take enough risks to get seriously injured. I have now just jinxed myself ahead of my return to training. I have gone over on my ankle a few times. Orienteering is particularly bad for that: tripping over tree roots and falling into rabbit holes. I have a problem with my circulation so I’m reluctant to ice any form of injury to my hands or feet. So, I just have to be patient, not put too much pressure on it and wait for the injury to heal.

Captain Scott of the Donore Harriers! The likeable Scot, Craig, has been at the club for just over 4 years, the latter two in the captaincy role. Indeed, it may be a question in a future club quiz as to who the first non-national was to captain the Donore Harriers men’s road and cross-country team.

In this interview we find out that Craig is an exceptionally fine golfer; played football for his local youth and school teams; and aspires of breaking 3 hours for the marathon.

Note that it is not unusual for the Interview Series to reveal some interesting and historical facts relating to the club and its members, but the Donore Harriers Mansfield TownFC Supporters Club!!!

STANDARD QUESTIONS

PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? Dunoon a relatively small town on the Clyde in the West Coast of Scotland, also known as the “Costa Del Clyde” for the one or two nice sunny days they get during the summer and from being a popular holiday destination prior to the days of foreign travel. DOB March 1978.

WHERE WERE YOU EDUCATED? I graduated from Paisley University, now known as the University of the West Coast of Scotland with a BSc in Mechatronics.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH? Having graduated in November 1999, I moved to Dublin in January 2000, from 2000 to 2008 in worked in Electronics manufacturing. In 2008 I started working in Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics in Swords where we manufacture Immunoassay Analysers, my current role is Senior Product Engineer.

IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE HARRIERS? I joined Donore Harriers in November 2016.I had run the Dublin Marathon in October and I wanted to improve my running, so it seemed like the natural progression to make.

I remember my first session being 600s on the track. This was a real shock to the system as I had never done anything like that before. Peter Nugent and Tom Fagan dragged me through those reps if I am being honest with you!

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? Living in Palmerstown, Donore Harriers was the most local club so that’s what prompted my decision initially. In my four years I have been lucky to meet some great folks in the club.

WERE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY OTHER CLUB BEFORE JOINING DONORE HARRIERS? Apart from dabbling with the local athletics club when I was young Donore Harriers is the only club I have been a member of.

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORT? I have always had a great interest in sports in general. In terms of participation when I was younger, I played football just in the local youth football league and for the school team, but my main sport was always golf.

In comparison to Ireland golf in Scotland was much more of a working-class sport. I come from a family of golfers so it was only natural that I would take it up. There is a photo of me somewhere of me out the back garden about 4 or 5 years old with an old cut down 7 iron. I continued to play golf competitively until I moved to Ireland where I played recreationally for a couple of years before taking it up more seriously again. I played off a handicap of 5 so managed to play to a decent level. I think a lot of the attributes which you apply to golf transfer well to running.

I also hold a PADI Advanced Open Water Diving qualification although I only Scuba dive while on holidays. I haven’t braved the cold waters of Ireland yet.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? To run and looking back I have probably not run enough of these, but I do like 10k on the road. When I started running there were two-time targets that I had in mind, those being sub 20 minutes for 5km – which I managed in January 2017 in the Tom Brennan Memorial Race – and sub 40 for 10km. Sub 40 for 10 took a little longer than planned, mainly due to not racing them to often or running on tough courses like the Edinburgh 10km during a Donore Harriers trip in 2018. That was never going to be flat! I finally broke 40 in Clane in 2018. Currently my PB stands at a shade over 38 so still room for improvement.

Events to watch I am going to go for 2 as I cannot separate them. The 1^st would be the 100m Olympic Final; and 2^nd would be the London Marathon as it’s such an iconic event and one I hope to run someday.

WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT ROLE(S) AT THE CLUB? Athlete firstly, but I have also been the Men’s Road and Cross County Captain since taking over from Rossa Hurley in 2019.

In 2020 I also helped out as one of the handicappers for the WBB Shield. A role for which I have taken a torrent of abuse – in jest!!! – as it was believed that I had given myself a favourable handicap. Let’s call the main protagonists of the “feedback” the Patron Saint of Inchicore and the Imelda Marcos of Chapelizod, they know who they are. But for the sake of being sued, I will refrain from naming them.

WHO WERE/ARE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? From my younger days I would say from a football world Kenny Dalgleish, probably the best footballer to come out of Scotland and a man did so much for the people of Liverpool who were impacted by the Hillsborough disaster. From the golfing world Seve Ballesteros a total maverick, such a natural talent, he really was one of a kind.

SOCIAL QUESTIONS

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? Ross O’Carroll Kelly’s Bray Watch – I think I have read the full series. Light-hearted and funny.

WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? Gerry Cinnamon at the 3 Arena in November 2019, followed by a few beers in my favourite pub in Dublin, The Long Hall. I was on marathon recovery, so let’s call it rehydrating.

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?

1. Stand by Me

2. The Green Mile

3. Full Metal Jacket

FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED?

For this I was torn between two! Growing up I was lucky enough to spend a lot of my summers in Canada, but I am going to plump for China as my favourite country visited.

From May 2005 whilst in my first job I spent 6 months in Shanghai as we were transferring our manufacturing operation from Dublin. In my time there I managed to visit Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors and Beijing/Great Wall. It was such a change in culture and the sheer population of Shanghai was unbelievable. There were also not too many red-headed Scottish lads there, so it was a bit like being a celebrity with all the looks I was getting just walking down the street.

WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AWAY FROM ATHLETICS/SPORT? I am a big music fan and there is not much that I won’t listen to, so chilling out and listening to music on Spotify. Also traveling when it is allowed, there is so much of the world that I still want to see.

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

1. Oasis – Live Forever

2. The Verve – Bittersweet Symphony

3. Dougie MacLean – Caledonia – although not a patch on my version with Audrey Gahan at the Donore night in The Villager!

ATHLETICS QUESTIONS

WHO IS/ARE YOUR COACH(ES)? In 2016 when I joined Donore Harriers, the men’s group where in a bit of a transition period so we had a time when Mick Bourke, Iain Morrison, Tristan Druet and Ciaran O’Flaherty all helped out with the group. From 2018 I have been coached by Willie Smith aka “The Gaffer”, a man who gives so much to our group and someone to whom we are all grateful for.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? When I first joined Donore Harriers in 2016 one of my goals was to break 20 minutes for 5km. In Enfield in 2019 I ran 17.50 which is something that I was happy to achieve. There is more to come when we get back racing!

As a pretty latecomer to athletics the best achievements that I can claim are the improvements that I have made since starting to run in late 2014. I think we have to remember that we are all different in this regard and to be honest getting out and running is an achievement in itself, both for our physical and more importantly mental health.

One big aim would be to break 3 hours for the marathon.

 

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES/MARKS (PBs)?

1 Mile – About 5.15 in the road relays in 2019, probably the toughest race I have done.

3km – 10.40 in a Dublin Graded Meet, a rare track race for me

5km – 17.50

5 Mile – 30.06 (what a difference 7 seconds would have made; I was so disappointed that day)

10km – 38.09

10 Mile – 66.46

Half-Marathon – 1.26.11

Marathon – 3.08.33

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? We do some great sessions on the Polo Grounds over the summer months, so will go for 1km intervals there.

DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU HAVE DONE? An endurance session that we ran a couple of times last summer when we could get the group together. Starting from the bottom of the Kyber Hill up onto the Coal Road (a term I learned in Donore), around the triangle at St Marys Hospital and up the S Bends back to the start point, 3 laps and just under 10 miles.

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN? To be honest my weekly training plan has not really changed because of the Covid-19 lockdowns. Maybe this is my runner’s OCD kicking in and being a creature of habit, but keeping up routine is something that I think is really important in these different times. The only difference is not training with the group. Doing sessions on my own, especially on the Chapo Road on a cold winters evening, can be tough. I tend to vary between 5 and 6 days a week for training. Session days are Tuesday and Saturdays. A typical Tuesday is intervals of 400s up to 1kms and Saturdays tend to be either fartlek or longer intervals. Long run on Sundays and easy runs on the other days of the week.

It is going to be great when the group get back together or even when we can train in small groups, I think Sinead is missing dropping us lads at sessions! It will also be good to get the “Donore Bus” back in action for the Sunday morning long runs.

DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY STORY RELATED TO ATHLETICS/THE CLUB? I have had two really good trips away to races with a few of our group. In 2018 we had a great trip to Edinburgh to run in the Edinburgh Marathon Series 10km and then to Galway for the Streets of Galway 8km in 2019.

One trip which will live long in the memory will be a trip myself, Alan Farrell, Peter Nugent, Stephen Dawson and Andrew Wilson made on St Patrick’s Day of 2018. Believe me I use this term lightly we travelled to Nottingham for a football match between Notts County and Mansfield Town. Who knew there was a Donore Harriers Mansfield Town supporters club? After an epic battle where Mansfield scored an 97^th minute penalty to equalise, we headed for a few pints and back to the airport… Cue the longest night in history, as our flight which was scheduled to leave East Midlands at 21.30hrs was cancelled due to snow and we ended up spending the night in the airport. We eventually made it back to Dublin about 14.00hrs the next afternoon. Whilst not so funny at the time it is a trip that is brought up on many a Sunday run or warmup/cool down at sessions.

WHAT ONE CHANGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT DONORE HARRIERS? I appreciate how many people in the club give up their personal time to ensure that everything runs smoothly. A lot of this work goes on behind the scenes and it would be nice to see others step up and help out.

From a running perspective, when we get back to racing it would be great to see more people running for Donore Harriers teams, whether it be on the track or cross-country

WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?

1. Katie Taylor

2. Paul McGrath

3. Sonia O’Sullivan

WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 SCOTTISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?

1. Andy Murray (Tennis)

2. Chris Hoy (Cycling)

3. Alex Ferguson – one I am going to get so much abuse for, but his record cannot be denied. (Apologies to Alan/Donal and all the other Liverpool fans in the club).

Maybe if we revisit this in a few years Laura Muir will make the list, a super talented athlete who is hopefully destined for Olympic medals in the near future.

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

WHERE DID YOUR INTEREST IN ATHLETICS STEM FROM? Growing up the Olympics was always such a big event that I always watched. My initial interest in athletics would have stemmed from there.

In terms of my own participation, I always had an idea that I wanted to run the marathon as it is such an iconic distance. So, training for Dublin in 2016 was pretty much the start of my athletics journey properly. Looking back the first actual race that I ran was the Run in the Dark 10km in 2014 with a time of 52:44.

HAVE YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH ANY LONG-TERM INJURIES? Being a late bloomer in terms of running I have, touch wood, not had any long-term injuries. Now maybe I should look more into injury prevention I am not getting any younger.

CROSS-COUNTRY OR ROAD RACING? Honestly before I joined Donore Harriers I had never even considered cross-county, but I have quickly learned of the significance of cross-country running.

They are two entirely different beasts, but I think I still prefer road racing. Cross-country over the autumn/winter season certainly builds up the legs for the road though.

WHAT ARE THE NEGATIVES AND POSITIVES OF BEING THE MEN’S ROAD AND CROSS-COUNTRY CAPTAIN? The positives of the role far outweigh any negatives. As captain I think that the most important part of my role is to encourage everyone in our group, and to offer advice when it is required. I also get a great kick out of the Donore Harriers teams doing well. We had great success in the Dublin Marathon in 2019 and had a strong season in cross- county. We looked to be in great shape going into the road season and I really believe we would have medalled across all categories in the National Road Relays.

Being relatively new to the role it is hard to list any negatives, but of course, the Covid-19 has really impacted our training and also ability to race. We will come back stronger from this though, of that I have no doubt.

WHAT SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS HAVE YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH DURING THE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS/LOCKDOWNS? In terms of normal routine, I have not been hugely impacted by the Covid-19 Restrictions/Lockdowns, because of the nature of my job. I have been onsite pretty much all the time with the exception of a few days working from home. The most significant problem for me during lockdown has been that I have not been able to get back to Scotland to visit family. This is something that I will rectify when travel is allowed. All in all, when you consider what some people have had to deal with, I have not been affected too much.

 

 

 

  Continue reading Club Interview Series 39 – Craig Scott →

It is appropriate that in the week following the death of Jerry Kiernan that we feature an athlete coached by the legendary Olympian. Maura Kearns has been a member of Donore Harriers since 2008. Although primarily a track runner she has represented the club in road and cross-country championships, being a key scorer on several successful club teams, including the winning National Novice XC team in 2011. Maura has also represented the club in National T&F League and National Road Relay championships. She was the women’s club XC champion in 2018, becoming the 2^nd holder of the Jim McNamara Cup.

Maura says of her Donore Harriers experience: “I feel lucky and privileged to be part of a great club that has produced some of Ireland’s finest athletes. When you go to an athletics race or championship you always see familiar friendly faces. And if a race doesn’t go your way you can always count on your teammates to build you back up. Donore Harriers is where you make friends for life”.

Her coach Jerry Kiernan died on 21^st January 2021 aged just 67. Kiernan famously finished 9^th in the 1984 Olympic Marathon in LA <<see video link later in text>>. He won the Dublin Marathon in 1982 and 1992 and the National XC title in 1984. He ran a sub-4-minute mile and at one time held the Irish 3,000m record. As well as being a popular RTE pundit, Kerry native Kiernan was also a renowned coach. His training group contained several Donore Harriers athletes, including John Travers <<see Interview No. 32>>.

STANDARD QUESTIONS

PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? I was born in Falcarragh Co. Donegal in 1982.

WHERE WERE YOU EDUCATED? I was educated in my beloved Donegal. I went to St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra and obtained my primary teacher training degree.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH? I work as a primary school teacher in Clondalkin. I have worked in the same school for the past 17 years.

IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE HARRIERS? I joined Donore Harriers in 2008.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? I ran the Mini-Marathon in the Summer of 2008. Being a very competitive person, I was not happy with the time I did for the 10km. I decided I wanted to get back running competitively and compete with the best girls. I scrolled through the Evening Herald to see the results and I noticed some very impressive times run by Donore Harriers athletes so that became the club I would join. The late great Jim Mc Namara was the ladies’ coach at the time. Jim was an incredible person and made me feel so welcome.

WERE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY OTHER CLUB BEFORE JOINING DONORE HARRIERS? I ran at Junior level in Donegal. I ran for my local club St. Finian’s A.C. and I later joined Cranford A.C. for a while. I competed in the Community Games many times. My proudest moment was reaching the final of the women’s U 17 100m training solo sans coach.

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORT? I played a bit of basketball for a while during school, but it was never for me. There was always only one sport and that was running.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? I do enjoy competing in all events road, track and cross-country. I would not be a natural long-distance runner. I am definitely better at shorter distances. You really cannot beat the atmosphere at a popular road race.

WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT ROLE(S) AT THE CLUB? Athlete

WHO WERE/ARE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? Growing up in the 90’s you couldn’t escape the greatness of Sonia O’ Sullivan and Catriona McKiernan. I used to love watching international athletics and still do. I used to run around the fields jumping over bales of hale imagining I was on the big stage!

SOCIAL QUESTIONS

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? I read a lot of newspaper articles. I like to stay abreast of what’s happening. The last book I read that I thoroughly enjoyed was ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ by Delia Owens.

WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? Seems like a lifetime ago, but the last concert I attended was Fleetwood Mac at the RDS.

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?

1. Home Alone

2. The Notebook

3. Ghost

FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? I have been lucky to have been to many different countries. I took a year out from teaching to travel the world. A hard question to answer but both Vietnam and New Zealand are incredible for the backdrop and scenery.

WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AWAY FROM ATHLETICS/SPORT? I like to read newspapers and I also try to meditate regularly too.

IF DISERT ISLAND DISCS ASKED YOU TO PLAY 3 SONGS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? Hard question to answer as I love a wide range of music but here goes:

1. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean

2. Radio Head – Street Spirit

3. The Rolling Stones – Miss You

ATHLETICS QUESTIONS

WHO IS/ARE YOUR COACH(ES)? Well up until last week it was the great Jerry Kiernan. The news of his death sent shockwaves throughout the country and, amongst the athletics community of Ireland. I will never forget the moment I got the call that Jerry had died. Jerry invited me down to join his training group a few years ago. I was both delighted and honoured. I loved the training, and I came on a lot under his wing and in turn I got a PB of 18.19 for 5km. Jerry coached a lot of athletes, from elites to casual runners and had time and respect for everyone. He will be missed terribly.

DID JERRY EVEN TALK TO YOU ABOUT HIS RUNNING EXPERIENCES AND ACHIEVEMENTS? Jerry only spoke about his own achievements if you asked him. I remember listening to him talking about the searing heat in LA before the marathon commenced. He poured a bottle of water over himself and felt ready to battle. He knew he was going to race well that day. I do regret not asking him more questions about his fine achievements. I have learned so much about Jerry’s running prowess since his passing. It is always the way though. I could say the same for Jim Mc too.

<<here is a link to Jerry Kiernan competing in the 1984 Olympic Marathon – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2rkaqrW7mg&t=1396s It’s taken from a US TV station (ABC maybe), and there is some background chat going during commercials. As the commentators focus on Alberto Salazar around the 18-mile mark Kiernan catches up to join the leading group – @4.30 until @14.45 on video. He placed 9^th in 2.12.20, ahead of world marathon stars such as Rod Dixon (NZ), Hugh Jones (GB), Toshihiko Seko (Japan), Salazar (USA), Karel Lismont (Belgium), and others). John Treacy took silver in 2.09.56. Two Irishmen in the top 10 of the Olympic Marathon made it one of the greatest ever Irish sporting achievements. RIP Jerry Kiernan. >>

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? This is a hard one to answer but any time you run a PB is wonderful.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES (PBs)?

800m – 2.20

1-Mile – 5.10

5km – 18.19

4-Mile – 24.06

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? Doing tempos around UCD with the JK Harriers. Killer sessions but key for strength and endurance.

DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU HAVE DONE? Running up Tri- Rock with JK Harriers on Saturday mornings are killer sessions. There are days you would literally be walking up!

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN?

Sunday – Long easy run 12-14 miles

Monday – Easy run 8 miles

Tuesday – Tempo session UCD 20 – 30 mins

Wednesday – Easy run 8 miles

Thursday – Easy run 8 miles

Friday – Rest day or 30 mins easy

Saturday – Either speedwork at UCD or session up Tri Rock

DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY STORY RELATED TO ATHLETICS/THE CLUB? I remember when I first started running out at UCD, the session was scheduled for Marlay Park Playground. I ended up at Marlay house not having a clue how to get to the Playground. I remember ringing Jerry and being scolded harshly. I was really upset and thought maybe I will quit now but I told one of the lads and he said that it is not a normal day at training if Jerry doesn’t scold me! We had a good laugh about it and Jerry never scolded me after that, but I did witness him scolding others regularly. It was just his way and he never meant any harm.

WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?

I admire many sports people. There is a wealth of athletes in Ireland who have achieved so much in sport through both talent and sheer hard work. I get inspiration from athletes around me who train extremely hard whilst combining work and motherhood. There are many examples of this. Annette Kealy and Aislinn Nic Dhomhnaill are just two people who spring to mind.

I also have huge admiration for athletes who have survived incredible hardship in their lives too. Jim Mc Namara would be a prime example of this. He suffered so much trauma and tragedy throughout his life yet trained incredibly hard and qualified for the Olympics at the age of 37!

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

WHERE DID YOUR INTEREST IN ATHLETICS STEM FROM? We had a local carpenter in our house growing up and I remember him encouraging me to join the local athletics club. He used to show me some exercises and he begged me not to tell my father this! This was around the time Sonia O’ Sullivan was gracing our screens.

DID YOU EVER COMPETE AS A JUVENILE OR JUNIOR OR IN SCHOOLS COMPETITION? Yes! I ran in many competitions as a youngster.

HAVE YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH ANY LONG-TERM INJURY? I have been very fortunate not to have suffered any long-term injury. I think the key is to get a monthly massage, foam roll regularly and do a little core work weekly.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER AS YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? Hard question to answer but probably winning the national novice team gold back in 2011 at the Curragh. I remember being bitterly disappointed with my own personal performance that day but in hindsight finishing 19^th out of approximately 150 athletes wasn’t so bad! We packed tightly that day and it was great to be part of a gold medal winning team. Jim was chuffed to bits to get the team gold.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE AWAY TRIP RELATED TO ATHLETICS? Any trip away with the club on a bus with the late great Jim Mc Namara were great days. We would always have good craic and laughs along the way.

WHAT’S YOUR PREFERENCE, TRACK, CROSS-COUNTRY or ROAD? I enjoy running all events. I am definitely more suited to races where speed is key so I cannot ever see myself running a marathon.

HOW HAVE YOU COPED WITH TRAINING DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS? Unless I can get to the group sessions, I just run easy. With no races to aim for, I try to get in as many easy runs as I can.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIG TARGETS FOR THE FUTURE? I would love to break 18 minutes for 5km and 40 minutes for 10km. I think that with consistent training, these targets are very achievable for me. I have not run a 10km in a long time and I hope to do so post Covid-19.

DO YOU HAVE AMBITIONS OF COMPETING IN THE EUROPEAN AND WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS? To represent your country at that level would be the ultimate dream. I so think that it takes a special kind of talent to reach that level but who knows. Never say never and keep pushing forward.

 

It was a typically cold January day in 2015 when Maurice Ahern and I attended the West Leinster Schools cross-country championships, next to the Pope’s Cross. We were there to support the competing Donore Harriers athletes, and to make connections with local schools.

 

 

I was chatting with juvenile club member Angie Gonia when I saw an overdressed young lad whizzing past on his way to winning the Minor Boys race. As I made my way towards the finish-funnel, I could see the young athlete respectfully shake hands with the other leading competitors.

I politely asked the new champion if he was a member of an athletics club. He wasn’t sure! “My Mam might have put me down with a club”, he told me. I came away from that short meeting having wrote ‘Louis O’Loughlin’ and ‘Moyle Park College’ in my notepad.

I wrote to the principal of the school, more in hope than expectation that the nippy youngster would join the ranks of Donore Harriers. A few weeks later I approached the woman whom the new All-Ireland Schools minor champion gave a hug. Mrs. O’Loughlin (Deborah) immediately called over her husband (Andy) and I was informed that Louis would like to do a trial at Donore Harriers. Happy days!

As it happened, Louis was attached to Tallaght AC, but apparently only did a couple of training sessions there and did not return. Louis happily settled into the juvenile squad at Donore Harriers and quickly started to establish himself as a rising star in Irish athletics.

Louis has won something like 20 national titles in schools, juvenile and junior grades. Last summer he retained his national junior 800m title and took bronze in the national senior 800m. He won the Dublin senior 800m, when still aged 15 – and has represented Ireland in the Schools International (the SIABs) XC and track, the Celtic Games, European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), the European Under 18s and Under 20s championships.

He has an 800m PB of 1.50.02 set at the International Flanders Meet at Oordedem, Belgium in 2019 – and has won several awards from Athletics Ireland, the Dublin Athletics Board, the Echo Newspaper…

Despite all his successes, Louis remains a down-to-earth young man who is always supportive of other athletes. He’s a special talent, a rare gem, and a pleasure to coach. I really hope that he will go on to fulfil his Olympic Games dream. Gerry Naughton (coach)

STANDARD QUESTIONS

PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? Dublin, 2001

WHERE ARE YOU BEING EDUCATED? TUD, Tallaght. My secondary school was Moyle Park College in Clondalkin

WHAT IS YOUR PLANNED CAREER PATH? I haven’t planned a career path yet, but I would like to either branch out into athletics or music.

IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE HARRIERS? 2015

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? Oddly enough Donore Harriers chose me! My coach Gerry Naughton approached me in the West Leinster cross-country championships – and wrote to the Principal in my school (Moyle Park College) inviting me to do a trial period at the club.

WERE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY OTHER CLUB BEFORE JOINING DONORE HARRIERS? I was with Tallaght AC for like a week but didn’t return. About one year later I joined Donore Harriers.

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORT? I used to do Gaelic football and hurling for the Round Towers club in Clondalkin. However, as I progressed in athletics, I gave up the GAA to concentrate on my running.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? The 800m because it is very entertaining to watch.

WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT ROLE(S) AT THE CLUB? Athlete

WHO WERE/ARE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? I look up to many athletes such as Mo Farah, Eliud Kipchoge, and Donovan Brazier, the American middle-distance runner.

SOCIAL QUESTIONS

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? The Great Gatsby

WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? Hall and Oates 2019

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?

1. Rocky

2. Borat

3. Straight Outta Compton

FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? America, Florida

WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AWAY FROM ATHLETICS/SPORT? I like to DJ and produce music.

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

1. Baby Come Back – Player

2. Maneater – Hall and Oates

3. Love Train – O’Jays

ATHLETICS QUESTIONS

WHO ARE YOUR COACHES? Gerry Naughton and Ciaran O’Flatherty

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? I don’t have one! But I am proud to say that I have won every national title in my age grade since I joined Donore Harriers. <<Here is a link to Louis winning the National Under 15 XC title, with Fathi Aden in 2^nd – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uIdHSUC8jY >>

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES (PBs)? 1.50.02 for 800m and 3.56.7 for 1500m. <<Here is a link to Louis running his 800m PB at the IFAM Meet in Oordegem 2019 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfw9_Dxt6ik >>

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? Probably 400m and 1km reps.

DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU HAVE DONE? That would be pyramids on the track. Our coaches try their best to get us working hard and pyramids is certainly a way to do it. It’s really hard when you have to do 400m, 800m, 1,000m, 1,200m, and then back down. In the end I just trust the process because hard work pays off!

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN? I would do just recovery runs for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I do speed sessions on Wednesday – and Saturdays, which might be hills or tempos. We concentrate more on speedwork as the track season approaches.

DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY STORY RELATED TO ATHLETICS/THE CLUB? I remember our squad was in Belgium for the Euro Cross XC races at Hannut. I was in transition-year at the time, so I had to perform in a school musical and had to go over later with my mate David Campbell. Our flight was like 2 o’clock in the morning! When I got there, I was very tired and really wanted to sleep before my race. Well, that’s what I tried to do! Then I heard something hit of the window. It was a coat-hanger thrown by my teammate Abdel Laadjel. We both laughed, and I went to sleep. It happened again! But this time I got so mad I nearly threw a chair out the window cause all I had was 2-hours of sleep. All I could remember was David Campbell shouting “NO LOUIS, NOT THE CHAIR! “ It was very funny at the time.

WHAT ONE CHANGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT DONORE HARRIERS? I wouldn’t change much to be honest. Donore Harriers is a very welcoming place for everyone no matter their ability. The only thing I would change is to add colour and brightness to the place or to even add speakers, like a tannoy system, so as to play music as a motivation to athletes before training.

WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?

1. Ronnie Delany

2. Conor McGregor

3. Katie Taylor

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

WHAT IS YOUR BEST DISTANCE, 800m or 1,500m? I haven’t reached my full potential in either event. However, at the moment 800m is better regarding my achievements and personal best. But I do feel that I have better long-term potential in the 1,500m. For now, the focus is mostly on the 800m.

WHAT’S YOUR PREFERENCE – CROSS-COUNTRY, ROAD OR TRACK? Track is my thing. It’s fast and suits my pace, and there’s always a good vibe.

YOU PRESENTLY TRAIN WITH THE ACADEMY SQUAD AT DONORE HARRIERS. HOW IS THAT GOING FOR YOU? It’s going great! There’s a great group of athletes, who are a pleasure to train with. I wouldn’t be so motivated if it wasn’t for them helping me at training and supporting my journey. Now with the Covid-19 we unfortunately can’t train together. But our coaches have given us a training challenge to help keep us motivated in this lockdown period. I look forward to getting back to club training and banging out a few sessions with the lads.

YOU’VE HAD TO DEAL WITH INJURIES? PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE INJURIES AND THE RECOVERY PROCESS? I had a stress fracture about 3 years ago. I was running in the All-Ireland Juvenile XC when I felt the pain. I won the race, but I wasn’t jubilant afterwards because the pain in my leg increased. I had to walk in a boot for 4 months and I did pool running every day until I was better. I remember how tough the training was compared to actual running. It’s so much harder cause you have to visualise yourself running on a road or in the park. Everyone else is just swimming past you and it’s hard to keep going because the water gets wavy due to the volume of people in the water. I’d do a pool run for about an hour, which is not only physically challenging but also mentally tough. You just must believe in why you are there and where you want to get to in your sport. You’ve gotta visualize the end goal, which for me is the Olympics. That’s what makes me work hard. After 4 months of being injured I was back in action stronger than ever. I would encourage anyone even if you are not injured to do pool running because there are many benefits from it.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS TRIP? AND WHY? Favourite athletics trip was to the Bauhaus International Junior Gala at Mannheim in Germany with the Irish team when I qualified for the European Under 20s. It was June 2019, and I ran in 40 degrees during one of the hottest periods ever in Europe. I had to run 1.50 for the 800 metres in that heat. It was a make-or-break race and my last chance to make the qualifying standard. I had run one B standard of 1.50.02 from the Oordegem Flanders Meet, but I needed to run another. Thank God I made it! I ran 1.50.28. I was dead after it, the heat was so stifling! Even the ice baths were warm! It was that hot that the cold shower was the only relief. The cold shower was the best thing about the trip, but I was very happy at having make the qualifying standard.

YOU USUALLY ENTERTAIN YOUR COLLEAGUES (AND OTHERS) BY PLAYING THE PIANO AT AIRPORTS, TRAIN STATIONS, AIRB&Bs ON AWAY TRIPS. WHERE DID YOU LEARN TO PLAY THE PIANO? I learned to play the piano in a place called Jams Music in Clondalkin Village. It’s my Dad’s best mate’s place. I met this guy called Rob and he was the one who taught me how to play a few songs on the piano. I tried to learn sheet music, but I couldn’t get the hang of it! Rob told me that I had a good ear for music and ever since then I tried to make my own songs and learn how to play more songs by ear.

IS IT TRUE THAT YOU EAT 8 WEETABIX ON THE MORNING OF A RACE? I used to! But now I only eat 4 but will probably start back to 8 again soon hahahaha!

YOU HAVE REPRESENTED THE FRENCH CLUB S.P.N. VERNON IN THE COUPE DE FRANCE COMPETITION. HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? I was offered to run for the French club on the day of my birthday in 2018. I went with my squad on a day trip to Sligo, which included a session with John Travers, Daragh Fitzgibbon, Ray Hynes and a few local athletes. After the session Dermot McDermott asked me if I would like to run over in France. Gerry, my coach, agreed that I should go for the experience of running in Europe.

In the Coupe De France competition each club is permitted to enter one non-club athlete to their team for every event. I ran in the 4 x 1,000m relay. I brought the team from 12^th to 4^th on Leg 2 and we won the silver medal. A man named David Grard did all the arrangements and it was a great weekend socially, it felt different! I enjoyed every minute! I was offered to go back to represent the club again, but I was injured at the time. Maybe in the future!

DO ANY OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE A CONNECTION WITH ATHLETICS? My mother Deborah used to do athletics as a child in the Community Games. She later was a sprinter with Clondalkin AC. My grandad Sammy used to tell me a story about how he ran 16-miles in a race in his bare feet on the road, until the medics had to stop him because his feet were bleeding so badly.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE RACE? AND WHY? The most memorable race has to be the Schools International cross-country at Callendar Park in Falkirk in 2016. I was only a school’s junior grade – and I was scared about competing in an international event for the first time. Somehow God was with me that day! It was only a 4km race, but the early pace was fast.

The race started with a 200 metres incline, then downhill for 200 metres. There were loads of twists and turns. The most memorable part of the race was the last 2km. There were British athletes at the front. I sprinted past them and they tried to keep up. It was very tight the whole way round until the last 500 metres. I went as fast as I could along the straight before the downhill finish. I got clear of the field and raced through a stretch of forest having to dodge tree branches. Then I ran into the sunlight and turning a slight right I had just 100 metres to run on a downhill slope to the finish. The adrenaline was pumping, and I was charging like a bull. I couldn’t see much due to the blurriness. I began celebrating with 50 metres to go, not believing what was just happening!

I remember my Dad told me that he recorded the time and it said 12 mins something. This was later confirmed as 12.54. The pre-race favourite Harris Meir of England came 2^nd in 13.00. I felt so proud standing on the podium. That was the most memorable race so far!

YOU WON THE NATIONAL JUNIOR 800m in 2019 AND AGAIN IN 2020. THEY WERE BOTH DRAMATIC RACES! WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF THOSE TWO RACES? Both races were extremely competitive! I remember them so well. In 2019 myself and Mark Miller went through the bell at a really comfortable pace of 60 seconds. We were side by side and decided to pick up the pace for the last 400m. At 200m to go I fell back slightly as my mind was focused on the fact that I had to run in my own age group on the following day. I remember my coach Gerry telling me to treat it as a qualifying heat as if I had to run a final on the following day. This was considered good preparation for the European Under 20s championship. I wasn’t thinking about going eyeballs out, but when I saw Daragh McIlhenny pass me all those thoughts went away. He had beaten me in the Community Games over the same distance, so I told myself I’m not letting him beat me again. I stormed down the home straight like a charging bull and oddly enough Daragh and Mark kept moving more to the right and I gained the edge running on the inside. With 10 metres to go all three of us were nearly diving for the line and thank God I managed to edge out the win.

<<Here is a link to the 2019 National Junior 800m final – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh-0glwXFbw >>

In 2020 I remember the 800s were very tough due to the Covid-19 lockdowns. I felt very rusty beforehand, but after the heats I was more relaxed and focused. I ran 2.02 in my heat due to the other athletes trying to get PBs. I went straight home afterwards – and 4 hours later I returned to Santry to race in the final. Gerry told me to take the bull by the horn and run fast from the start. I was not to repeat my slower first lap of 2 weeks previous in the senior championship 800m final. When the gun went off, I ran eyeballs out hoping for the best. I was at the front and went through the bell in 54/55. My main rival Jake Bagge of Ferrybank AC stayed right on my tail the whole way round. We kept a high tempo. I was worried about losing my stride pattern with 300 metres to go. At 200m to go I was aware of Jake being in close order and I knew that he wasn’t going to give up easily. I just had to remain focused. I kept telling myself to push on and don’t give up till after the finish line. I won by 5 metres in 1.50.93, and Jake got a massive PB in 2^nd place. I felt unwell for a while afterwards. If I didn’t have to run a heat and had a couple of preparation races leading up to the championships, I probably would have achieved my 2020 goal of a sub-1.50. I later found out that my time was a new championship record.

<<Here is a link to the final lap of Louis retaining his national junior 800m crown – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYdFKytIxzc >>

YOU PLACED 3^rd IN THE NATIONAL SENIOR 800m IN 2020. IN HINDSIGHT, DO YOU THINK YOU COULD HAVE WON THAT RACE? On reflectionI think I could have won it! I needed to have kicked earlier. Afterall, I was second from last at the bell, so I left myself with too much to do on the last lap.

WHAT IS YOUR BIG TARGET IN ATHLETICS? My big target is to do what everyone speaks of and that’s to qualify for the Olympic Games. That has been my dream since I was in primary school. I want to be able to live the rest of my life knowing that I made it to the biggest stage in sport.

Finally, here is a link to Louis competing in the European Under 18s at Gyor, Hungary in 2018 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uIdHSUC8jY >>

Michael Cornyn was a member of Donore Harriers from the winter of 1988 to the winter of 1995. Presently he is the Chair of Meath Athletics, having been both Secretary and Chairman of Dunboyne AC.

 

 

 

 

Michael’s journey in athletics has been remarkable! It went from a budding juvenile/schoolboy/junior athlete in his birth county of Leitrim… to a promising senior athlete with Rathfarnham Ajax and Donore Harriers… to a retirement from the sport aged 35… to a comeback 12 years later with the Dunboyne AC Fit-4-Life group… to winning World and European medals in the Masters grade.

This interview is a wonderful collection of stories and achievements. The young lad who was enthralled watching the Olympic exploits of Walker, Juantoreno and Coghlan on his neighbour’s TV set in 1976 wanted to seek out his own unique journey in athletics. Many of you will relate to career/business, family commitments, lack of proper coaching, injuries, etc putting a dampener on sporting ambitions. However, Michael got his day in the sun in South Korea. Let’s just say that it’s a long way from Ballinaglera to Daegu!

PLACE & YEAR OF BIRTH? Born in Co. Leitrim 1961

WHERE WERE YOU EDUCATED? Slievenakilla NS, Drumkeerin Vocational School, Sligo IT

WHAT WAS YOU MAIN CAREER PATH? Management. I started in Dunnes Stores North Earl Street as a Trainee Manager in September 1981, moved to Tesco Ireland after 3 years, When Tesco pulled out of Ireland the store, I was working in was taken over by Quinnsworth. After only a few months I applied for a job as General Manager of a Wholesale Company in John F Kennedy Industrial estate and started work there in March 1987. After almost 10 years there I left and during the Atlanta Olympics set up my own Wholesale business and named it Olympic Wholesale Ltd. From then until 2014 I grew it into a substantial Stationery Wholesale Company with 12 Employees. Like many companies during the recession, I ran into some difficulties and closed the business in January 2014. After 7 months I decided to set up a new business Glera Ltd trading as Olympic Distribution and in 2018 one of my biggest competitors was bought over by a company owned by Independent News & media and when the approached me about joining the new business. I decided the time was right so moved my customers and business across to this new business and become an employee again, back out on the road selling stationery to people I have known for many years.

IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE? I joined Donore with the demise of AJAX (Rathfarnham Ajax) around 1988/89.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? I was always destined to choose Donore Harriers at some stage. As an 18-year-old I qualified to represent Leitrim/Connaught in an All-Ireland Inter-Counties Track & Field meet which was held at the Morton Stadium in summer. I had spent the day before building 100 rucks of hay with my dad and got word from P.J. Leddy that the event was on the next day in Dublin. I had also qualified that year for the U17 All Ireland 800m which was been held in Cork, but the club told me they would only take me to one event. As it turned out, I was brought to neither but have no regrets as it meant someone giving up their day to take me there and I did manage to get to Santry.

On the next morning I got a lift to Carrick on Shannon and then a train to Dublin Connolly station. Having no idea how to get to Santry I was standing at a bus stop near North Earl Street when an old lady came up to me and said: “son this is only a set down area, where are you going?”. I mentioned Santry, and she brought me to the number 16 bus stop on O’Connell street where I made my way to Santry. This was my first experience of Dublin!

I finished 2^nd in the Junior 1,500m that day and 3^rd in the 800m as well as helping Galway to win the 4 x 400m as they were a runner short.

A few weeks after this event I was at Mass in my local church when a guy who worked as a prison officer – I think his name was Tom Frank Gilroy – approached me after the service was finished and said he had a message from Donore Harriers in Dublin who wanted me to join the club. As I was still in school that was not an option, but I walked around on cloud nine for a few weeks telling the locals that one of the biggest and bests clubs in Ireland wanted me to join them. I never found out who the connection was, and the eagle-eyed recruiter must have watched me in Santry that day.

When I came to Dublin first, I joined DCH and after a few years returned home for a short time and re-joined my home club North Leitrim AC. On my return to Dublin, I ended up out in Bray where Pat & Bernie Dunne had newsagents beside where I worked. Even though I was doing very little training Pat & Bernie persuaded me to join this new club Ajax AC where I ended up spending most of my senior years, but I always had this thing in the back of my head about joining Donore Harriers. Thus, when Ajax folded, I headed for Chapelizod and the Donore Harriers clubhouse.

ARE YOU OR ANY FAMILY MEMBERS PRESENTLY ATTACHED TO ANOTHER CLUB? Yes, my son Niall & myself are members of Dunboyne AC and just last year my wife Maureen joined the couch to 5k group. Niall’s main sport is Triathlon/Duathlon where he has represented Ireland at U23 level and finished 4^th in a World Cup event last year in China in his first senior International race. This year with no events on he ran in the National 10k Championship in Santry running 31.34 and a time trial over 5k in 14.27.

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORT? I played Gaelic football for my school and the local club and representing Leitrim once at U16 against Mayo. However, I decided that athletics was my future after that. When my local parish set up a new Club in the 1980’s I went back playing Gaelic football and played a fair bit during the 88/89 season winning 2 County Junior ‘C’ championship playing in the centre-field position. I was also the long-range free taker kicking a number of 50s in vital games.

I did a bit of boxing as a teenager, but after getting a hiding from Peter Forde (that year he won the All-Ireland Youth Heavy weight title and went on to have a distinguished career with Mayo senior football team) I decided that boxing and football were not for me and at 17 put all my energies into a sport that I love and found fascinating – running!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETIC EVENT? Without doubt the 800m, with its combination of speed, stamina, and tactical awareness. I always loved the excitement of running 4 x 400m relays and for a track runner enjoyed running through the mud in XC during the winter months.

WHAT WAS YOUR MAIN ROLE AT THE CLUB? Athlete only.

WHO WERE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? Having read the book the Golden Mile which I found in my school library Herb Elliott was my inspiration and the training sessions he did on the sand dunes at Portsea. My next-door neighbour got a television in 1976 and I spent every day there during the Montreal Olympics and was enthralled with Eamonn Coghlan and John Walker, Juantorena – and, of course, Lasse Viren of Finland. From then on, my dream was to be a top athlete and hopefully a scholarship to the States, so I dropped all other sports to concentrate on my running.

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? I have about 10 books still to read that I bought over the last few months. At the moment I’m between a few books.

1. How Champions Think In Sport & Life by Dr Bob Rotello (should have read it 40 years ago!)
2. No Bugles, No Drums by Garth Gilmour and Peter Snell, which I recently got from New Zealand signed both by Peter and the author.
3. 14 minutes – Alberta Salazar (could be controversial but it’s an interesting read)
4. Endure by Alex Hutchinson. Mind, Body & Elastic Limits of Human Performance.
5. I just got a signed copy of Ralph Doubell’s book from Australia to add to my reading list.

WHAT WAS LAST CONCERT ATTENDED? Elton John in the 3-Arena – a great concert!

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?

1. The Shawshank Redemption

2. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

3. Mrs. Doubtfire and Tootsie, with Dustin Hoffman

FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? I have visited a lot over the last 10 years all over Europe, but I rank Australia as the best, totally unique animals/bird life and they have such a great outdoor life. I have travelled a lot to Scotland over the years and love its wilderness and its beauty.

I have competed in Hungary, Slovenia, Poland, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Finland and Italy in recent years.

WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AWAY FROM SPORT? That’s a hard one as I love almost all sports especially skiing and have an open water qualification for Diving. I love travelling to new places, cities and especially anything historic as I love History. My wife Maureen is very musical, and we go to shows in Dublin, London’s West End if I’m competing in UK masters, and we took in a few shows on Broadway. I love nature and anywhere we travel we usually end up visiting Zoos and wildlife parks. I loved working on our small farm on the top of the Slieve an Iarann mountain – and I still have a love of animals.

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

1. Days Like This by Van Morrison

2. Lovely Leitrim

3. Go Lassie Go – a great Scottish song.

WHO WERE YOUR COACHES AT DONORE HARRIERS? Noel Redican & Willie Smith

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT? I won some good races underage at Junior level and the 2 All-Ireland Senior medals won with Donore Harriers are very special. But I think my best achievement was in 2017 at the World Masters Championships in Daegu South Korea when Ireland won the World M55 Cross-Country team title on the first day of the championships. I have said since if an athlete had a dream week then I had it that week in Korea. I was in the best shape of my life, running 6 races in 6 days and winning 3 World medals – including team Gold in the 8km XC with Tom O’Connor of Liffey Valley AC and Pat O’Grady from Drogheda AC: qualifying from the heats of the 800m and then finishing 5^th in the final. Three of the guys ahead of me had won World or European 800m titles. <<NOTE: Here is a link to the M55 800m at Daegu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_KAG5VmIXo Note that Michael starts on the inside lane and holds 4^th position after Lap 1>>.

I also qualified for the final of the 400m, but instead I opted to run the M45 half-marathon – dropping down a 10-year age gap – as I was needed for the team. The team, which included Tom O’Connor and Ian Egan, won bronze! My time was 1h.33m. Later that evening I ran in the 4 x 200m relay as anchor and we won silver. Thus, I ended up winning gold, silver, and bronze medals. Like many athletes I had dreamed of a day standing on a podium and hearing the National Anthem and thought it had long passed me! It just took a long time in my case and it came when Ireland was crowned World M55 Cross Country team champions that day in South Korea.

When we arrived back to Dublin airport the DAA had banners and pictures up in the airport and a reception with Frank Greally. That was really special for all the Master athletes arriving home. The few months afterwards we got a special award from Athletics Ireland and Meath County Council gave myself and Tom O’Connor a civic reception. The year was crowned with a Special Achievement Award at the Leitrim Sports Awards in December.

A really special memory was winning my first World Masters Medal in Lyon France in over 30 degrees of heat with Mick Traynor of Raheny Shamrocks & Tom O’Connor of Liffey Valley AC. With one of the biggest fields ever assembled for a World Masters XC race with 10 teams competing. We beat Russia by just a few seconds for team bronze medals. One of the best running memories of my life!

Also up there is winning my first Master All Ireland Indoor 800m by a few hundreds of a second – running the last 200m in 31 seconds at age 58 yrs.

Some other memories! Looking back, I ran against Eamonn Coghlan in 1986 over 800m in the AIB league. Coghlan won in 1.54 with me finishing down the field in 1.57, but it’s a great good memory to have!

I won the Dublin B 400m championship at Belfield in 51.9 seconds. I had done no speedwork beforehand only a few 6 x 800m intervals. I won the heat in 53 seconds and the favourite would have been an athlete from DCH. As an 800m runner I went out hard and won easily. My time would actually have made the top 3 in the ‘A’ Race.

I ran a number of times against Noel Carroll. He would have been in his 40’s and was still running well. The first time I raced him he kicked at 200m and I failed to catch him. So, I decided a few weeks later if he was in the race, I would kick at the 300m mark and see could he catch me! I ended up running 1.57 and Noel made a good bid to catch me in the finishing straight, but I held on for the win.

Other performances at senior were winning Leinster senior bronze medals in the 800m one year and another year bronze in the 3,000m steeplechase and of course winning the Dublin Intermediate Silver medal with the Donore Harriers team.

I ran the Oman Cup race a number of times with a best time of 11 minutes.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? Hill session on the Magazine Fort and 10 x 200m on track.

WHAT WAS A TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN IN YOUR HEYDAY?

Sunday – 6 miles

Monday – 5 miles

Tuesday – 10 x 200m in 28/29sec, with 30 seconds recovery

Wednesday – 4 miles easy

Thursday – rest

Friday – 6 miles easy

Saturday – 8 x 400m 65/67 seconds, with 2 minutes recovery

DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNNY STORIES RELATED TO ATHLETICS/ DONORE HARRIERS? A few!

On my first week working in Dublin in Dunnes North Earl Street I heard a commotion downstairs. I then heard the security guard shouting my name as two lads went scampering out the door. He shouted at me: “catch them, thieves!” They had stolen an old lady’s purse. So, I ran out after them and down O’Connell Street with the security guard trying to keep up. I caught them round the the back of Cleary’s. The security guard got the purse back and gave them a few good wallops with a leg of a stool. That was my introduction to work in Dublin.

Then back in the mid 80’s I was working in Tesco in Newbridge when I spotted a teenager shoplifting. He made a run for the door and me after him. He headed across a field with me right behind him. I decided I would just run behind him to see how long he would last, and it was not long before he lay down on the ground completely out of breath. He looked up at me and said: “Jaysus! your fast!”. I laughed and said to him: “This was not your lucky day. You picked the wrong man to run away from”.

In the early 90’s Leitrim Athletics put on a county 10km. As the race unfolded PJ Leddy, Danny Hannon & myself broke away and coming to around 6k we came to a junction. I thought we should be turning left for home but Danny and PJ who were just in front of me went straight on. We ran on for a while but with no turn in sight we all stopped realising we had gone wrong. In actual fact we had ended up in County Longford. Brian Moyston from Carrick AC was first to arrive at the finish line – and with that my wife and race officials began wondering as to where the 3 leaders had gone. The front-page headlines in the Leitrim Observer that week wrote about the 3 runners who entered a Bermuda triangle. I think that was the only time a road race made the front page of the Observer. Eventually the organisers sent a bus out to rescue us. The organisers decided to award Danny Hannon the win, with PJ (Leddy) 2^nd and myself joint 3^rd with Brian Moyston.

With Donore Harriers I have 2 great memories running in relay races against a greyhound in Shelbourne Park. It was a club fundraiser and a great event every year.

The first year the greyhound won. If memory serves me well the greyhound was released when the 3^rd runner had the baton. And in the 2^nd year I ran the final leg and managed to just pip the greyhound.

My dad used to tell us stories of him running on the mountain and outrunning a hare, so I told a few people down home I went one better and outran a greyhound. I did actually catch sheep on the mountain for some of my neighbours in my young days.

In the mid 80’s I was asked by a company to run for them in BHAA Trinity Races in the 800m. I arrived a bit late and after a short warmup someone from the team told me to go to the start as the first heat of the 800m was getting ready to start – and I was in the 1^st heat. I lined up with all the rest and off we went, and I won the heat easily. Pleased with myself but only for a few seconds as one of the officials came over and told me I was disqualified from the results as I was down to run 2^nd heat. The 2^nd heat was starting to line up so I decided to run the second heat. I struggled a bit but managed to finish 4^th or 5^th and qualify for the final for the team. The final was about an hour later so I had recovered, and I can still remember the team cheering me on as I took the lead with 80m to go and went on for the win. I never remember who that team was, but I got so many words of congratulations and handshakes that day after the race.

Another good memory is when I was about 18 years old, I would run 4 miles to Ballinaglera village pub/shop and 4 miles back home. Most if it was downhill or flat so I would try and run between 5- and 6-minute a-mile pace. One day after 1 ½ miles an older man we knew as Michael James Flynn came out of his house and was getting on his bicycle. After about half a mile he passed me. 2 miles further on there was a slight uphill and I caught up to him and passed him out. I upped the pace as there was only a mile to go to the pub and he failed to pass me. I heard after that he went straight into the pub and told all and sundry that he couldn’t catch the lad running and he on the bicycle.

DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU DID? 3 x 2,400m or 5 x 1,200m. I hate the long interval sessions!

Another tough one is 14 x 200m hills rep, then hops on one leg, bounding and finished off with 4 x 80m at a 90 per-cent effort. I’ve only done this session as a Master athlete.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES (PBs)? 100m – 11.5; 200m – 23 seconds; 400m – 51 seconds (50s in relay); 800m – 1.54; 1,500m 4.05 (as a junior); Mile – 4.20 (4.10 in road relays), 3,000m 8.47; 3,000m Steeplechase 10.16: 5,000m – 16.15 (as a junior); 10km Road – 32.20; Half-Marathon – 1h.14m; Marathon – 3h.17m in Dublin 1983.

In 2017 and at 57 years old I ran 2.19 Indoor for the 800m to place 5^th in the World Masters at Daegu, South Korea – and that July in Aarhus Denmark I ran 2.17 in the European 800m final for 8^th place. If 2.17 is converted to a senior time it’s around 1.48

DID YOU COMPETE AS A JUVENILE OR JUNIOR ATHLETE? I started running at local sports around 14 years old, and thankfully Leitrim Vocational schools decided to have a county championship around then. I won every event at the local schools’ trials and then headed for the county championships with a warning that one of the best 800m runners in the county would be competing for Ballinamore PP school. I remember tracking this guy until about 300m from the finish when I took off and running in fear that I would be passed at any moment I glanced back about 10 metres from the line and this guy was just entering the finishing straight. I then went to the county championships to compete but was told that I could not enter as I was not a member of a club. So, I promptly asked to join North Leitrim AC as I knew a few lads there.

From 17 years on I started winning at Leitrim and Connaught level. In 1978 I won the Leitrim ‘Young Athlete of the Year’ award for winning the senior 800m in 2.04 on a grass track. I also won the county ‘Male Athlete of the Year’ award for Vocational Schools after winning every event from 100m up to 1500m. Self-coached as I lived 20 miles away from the club, I continued to improve throughout 1979/80. As we didn’t have any transport at home, I mostly thumbed or got a lift to join the North Leitrim AC at Manorhamilton.

In 1979 I won the Connaught and All Ireland Junior Inter-Counties 800m. I finished 3^rd in the Connaught Novice Cross-Country.

In 1980 I won the Connaught 400m in 52.9 seconds and also won the 3,000m in the O’Duffy Cup race, which was a Connaught selections v Ulster. I had finished 2^nd in the trials to Enda Coll but won the event on the day. I also finished 2^nd in the 800m to Paul Donovan of Galway by 1 second.

I also won the Tubbacurry 10k Senior road race and the first Senior Inter-Counties road race in Carrick-on-Shannon between Sligo, Roscommon, Longford & Cavan. Noel Farrell RIP came 2^nd and Hugo Cafferty of Donore Harriers and Cavan was 3^rd.

I finished 6^th in All Ireland Junior 800m final in 1.59. The race was won by Brain McDonald of Clonliffe Harriers.

In 1980 I won both the Leitrim Senior 800m & 1500m on the same day. In the 800m I beat Peter Rynn who had finished 5^th in the All-Ireland senior schools 800m in 1.57 the previous day. In December 1980 I won my first Leitrim Senior XC title.

Between 1978 and 1989 North Leitrim AC had a great Junior cross-country team which won a lot of Connaught medals. We probably ranked 2^nd behind Pearse AC of Galway who had a number of International athletes, including Jimmy Fallon, Conrad Conneely and Paul Donovan in their ranks. We finished 5^th club in the Junior race at Ballyfin in All-Ireland Inter clubs in 1978. I finished 35^th when aged 17 years-old, and in the following season got my best national XC result with 28^th position at the Inter-Counties at Fermoy. The winner was Andy Ronan, with Marcus O’Sullivan coming to the fore in Irish athletics in 2^nd place. I had some strong runner behind me that day, including Kieran Stack 29^th, Pat O’Grady 33^rd, Richard Mulligan 34 and my present coach Robert Denmead 44^th.

I ran in a number of Connaught Schools XC races. My highest placing was was in 1979 when I came 6^th in the Senior Boys and 35^th in the All-Ireland Schools.

I was the only athlete from my school (Drumkeerin VS) competing at these events so had to get a lift from Marymount College in Carrick – 20 miles away – or St. Claire Manorhamilton which was the same distance away. A Iocal man named Sean O’Rourke had a Honda 50 and he gave me many lifts to these places. On many a weekend over a number of years, until my older brother got a car, Sean would help me as he had a genuine interest in sport.

WHERE DID YOUR INTEREST IN ATHLETICS COME FROM? I grew up in a small 2 roomed thatched cottage on the top of a mountain in Leitrim with no electricity or running water until I was 10 or 11 years old. We used the old tilly oil lamp for light at night. We had an open fire, and my mother baked every day and churned butter. We were basically self- sufficient with the exception of buying tea, sugar and bags of flower to make bread. So, I am not sure why we all became so interested in sport and why I developed ambitions to become a good athlete. My younger brother Padraig was a very good sprinter and jumped 5.66m in a Connaught Long Jump competition, but he concentrated on Gaelic Football representing Leitrim at U16, Minor, U21 and Senior level.

My older brother Anthony played a lot of club football and represented Leitrim at U16 level. He also did a good bit of running. He won the Leitrim Community Games 100m and went to Mosney. He started winning a good few medals, and I thought I should try it. If you can imagine what some of the people thought back in the 70s living on the top of a mountain – we lived 2^nd last house on the top of the mountain – seeing this guy out running on the roads in a vest and shorts! At that time there were few televisions or telephones in the area and very few people owned a car or even a tractor. The nearest telephone was over a mile away or else a walk of 4 miles to the Post Office.

My father was supposed to have been a good footballer in his day, but he never showed any interest in sport when we were young and there was always this feeling of ‘don’t go too far or you will be beaten, so don’t be too ambitious’. It was probably part and parcel of most of rural Ireland at that time.

YOU WERE A MEMBER OF DONORE HARRIERS DURING THEIR TRANSITION ERA BETWEEN HOSPITAL LANE TO CHAPELIZOD ROAD. WHAT DO YOU RECOLLECT ABOUT THAT PERIOD? I joined just after the moved to Chapelizod so never got to Hospital lane. The club had moved but the official opening was I think about a year later. My time in Donore Harriers was special and my memory was that I was welcomed with open arms by Maurice (Ahern) in an exciting period for the club. Huge work had been done to build the new clubhouse by the members, and a whole new exciting chapter was about to begin with a state-of-the-art clubhouse and a track to follow. These were all great men who had the vision and the foresight to see the importance of building a base for the future of the club and what a great job they done.

For me the welcome was like I had been part of Donore Harriers for years. It was the first time I had a clubhouse to visit in Dublin with great facilities, hot showers etc. With the friendliness of Maurice Ahern, Jim McNamara, Willie Smith and Noel Redican it was like home away from home and I have so many fond memories of my years there. I was always made feel special and I still love going back there every year for the Jingle Bells and renewing old acquaintances.

Not only that I was told when I started back competing as a Masters athlete, then for Dunboyne AC, I was always welcome back if I needed to train in the Park or on the track. I was delighted to be part of the club and be there at the official opening by President Mary Robinson. It was such a momentous and historic day for the club. I also kept in contact with some of the athletes I competed with and trained with and still keep in contact, friends like Donal Iremonger, Tom Hickey, Charlie O Neill & Iain Morrison.

A great trip to the Isle of Man with Donore Harriers was my only ever trip away at senior level. It was a great weekend of competition and some socialising as well. I competed in the 1500m, triple Jump and 4 x 400m relay on the Saturday in very wet conditions. On the Sunday morning I lined up for the Ramsey 10km and finished 2^nd despite a good few drinks the night before. A really enjoyable trip with a great group of people.

It always felt very special pulling on the Donore Harriers vest when I thought of the great tradition and athletes who have worn these colours down the years, Tom O’Riordan, The Dunne Brothers, Jim McNamara, Jimmy Reardon, Frank Greally, Eamonn Coughlan to name a few! And of course, the many great cross-country teams who wore the vest.

WHO WERE THE BIG CHARACTERS AT THAT TIME? The big names then were Noel Richardson, Senan O’Reilly, Ciaran O’Flaherty, Albert Prendiville, David Ivers, Humphrey Toomey, and of course Herbie McClelland.

Of course, Jim Mac & Willie Dunne were legends around the club at that time and I remember meeting Jimmy Reardon a few times. And there was also the great Gerry Curtis, who was a phenomenal athlete!

YOU WERE ON THE DONORE TEAM THAT WON THE NATIONAL 3 x 800m TWICE. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THAT EVENT AND WHO WERE YOUR TEAM COLLEAGUES? A great event that seems to be no longer run by athletics Ireland. In May of 1993 the All-Ireland relays were held in Tullamore. The team was Austin Lynch, David Ivers and myself winning team bronze medals that day. In February 1995 it was the All-Ireland Indoor relays in Nenagh. The team was Iain Morrison, Donal O’Sullivan and myself again picking up bronze medals.

I also competed in the Outdoor 3 x 800m relay in 94 & 95, but we finished outside the medals.

I also picked up a Dublin Championship team silver medal in the Intermediate XC in October 1994 and ran the Eastern Region Novice at Moate. The team won silver, but as 5^th scorer I didn’t count.

DID YOU EVER COMPETE IN THE WATERHOUSE BYRNE BAIRD SHIELD? Yes in 1994 and 1995. It was the only time I ever ran a 10-mile XC race. It’s a bit long for a 400m/800m runner! It was a privileged to compete in the oldest race in the country. I would usually not have trained much due to work commitments from October to January but in 94 I had managed to keep training during November and December, and I ran the course in 61 minutes. I think I finished in 5^th overall that day. In 95 my time was 64 minutes and 11^th place finish.

In 1993 I was 5^th in the Faugh–A– Ballagh Cup race in 35.19. Th race was won by Herbie McClelland.

I came 6^th in the Stratan–Cahill-McNamara Cup in 31.39 of a 2.40 handicap.

In September 1994 I came 2^nd in Slater Cup in 21.20.

I ran Leinster and All Ireland Intermediate XC with Donore Harriers also.

In 1994 I won the Dublin standard 1500m in the black and white of Donore Harriers. I also competed in Liffey Valley relays for Donore Harriers. I think it was All Ireland XC relays in March 1992 running a 1-mile leg.

YOU ARE A REGULAR AT THE JINGLE BELLS 5km. WHAT IS YOUR FONDEST MEMORIES OF THE RACE? I go back for 3 reasons! 1. To support the club; 2. To meet up with so many of the club members that I can and chat over the cup of tea and re-live some of the memories; and 3. The race itself! It’s always a great atmosphere and the last downhill kilometre is a great way to finish a race.

My son Niall ran it a few times and I was still managing to stay ahead of him. I few years ago I gave him the same advice: “Don’t go off too hard on the first kilometre”. As I was passing the Pope’s Cross, I could barely see him in the distance ahead. I thought to myself I’ll catch him in the last 3kms. I got to the Ordinance Survey Road I could see a friend of mine – Jim Gaughan of Liffey Valley AC – chatting to him and then I could see them starting to move away with Jim finding out who he was and giving him encouragement and they were soon out of sight. That was the last I saw of him until the finish. He got the Junior award that day, so the tables had truly turned. Two years ago, he ran just over 15 minutes to finish in the top 10 overall.

DO YOU HAVE SPORTING REGRETS? Like most athletes there is always regrets.

Both my brothers made it to the All-Ireland Community games in Mosney, both in the 100m, I never got there. Back in the late 70s there were so much quality athletes and I never made it out of Connaught to the All-Ireland Schools with several national level and international athletes in my age group. My best years were not until I was 18 and 19 years old.

I dreamed about getting a scholarship to the States, but that never happened. In 1980 the only guys that beat me on the track were Paul Donovan and Conrad Conneely, Paul going to Arkansas and Conrad to Providence.

I never had a coach until I joined Donore Harriers. Well respected coach Robert Denmead gave me detailed programmes and plans as preparation for the World Master Championships in South Korea in 2017 and I reaped the benefits.

This gave me an insight into how valuable a coach is and how important a role they play. At senior level I was doing so little training – 25 to 30 miles a week. I saw no point even though I was approached a few times by coaches. I usually did no training between October to January because of work commitments and I never did intervals and hill sessions in the winter until I joined Donore Harriers – and saw how top athletes train during the winter.

I mostly ran races to try and win and never ran for times. Looking back, I wish I had tried a few more races in the mid-80s when I good form. I had run 51 seconds for 400m and 8.47 for the 3,000m when winning a Dublin Graded in early 1987. Unfortunately, in June of 1987 I got anaemia and ended up struggling to even walk or work so that was my season ended when I had been in my best ever shape as a senior.

The previous year in 1986 I had planned to do more training and improve all my PBs. In January I met the lads from Ajax (Rathfarnham) for a run in the Dublin Mountains and after telling them all how easily it would be to run on the mountain, I ran 20 metres and looking at my watch to set the time went over on my ankle and badly sprained it. I recovered after a month or so and got back training. In March, I met with the lads for another run in the mountains. Half-way through the run we came to a river and I jumped halfway across to a stone. I fell a jarring in my back but managed to finish the run. Bernie Dunne gave me a lift to Dublin City Centre, but I was barely able to get out of the car. So, another month was lost with physio and rehab. Still by June after missing 3 month of training I was back running 51 seconds for 400m & 1.57 for the 800m.

My best training by far has been done as a Master and I’m now doing sessions double or treble what I done at senior level. Probably in 2017 I was in the best shape of my life making 2 World Masters final in the 400m & 800m and European Masters 800m final in the M55 category.

I now tell young people including my son how important a role coaching plays in the development and fitness of an athlete.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A MASTERS ATHLETE? My best years have definitely been as a master starting when I reached 47 years old. I retired from running at 35 thinking I would never run again! Three stone overweight and barely able to run a mile I started back with the Fit-4-Life group in Dunboyne AC. I progressed to run the National Master M45 400m, but in my first try I finished last and tore my hamstring in the finishing straight. In the following year I came back to finish 2^nd in the 400m in 58 seconds. I have won a national medal almost every year since, I think with the exception of one.

A number of years after starting back I was in the Phoenix Park doing a hill session. As I finished who did I meet only Jim Mac heading to start a training session with the Donore Harriers ladies. As usual when we met, we stopped briefly for a chat. Jim asked as to how I was getting on with the Masters. I said: “Jim, ‘I’m fine over the 400m, but I’m struggling with the 800m and not able to medal”. I can still see him stopping and turning around and looking me in the eye. He said: “Michael you have done it before so you can do it again”. Of course, he was right! I have retold this story on many occasions particularly to athletes who may be questioning the ability to return to good shape.

In total I have won the following medals –

AT MASTERS LEVEL

Meath Championship – 54

Leinster Championship – 34

All Ireland Championship – 34

Northern Ireland Championship – 12

Scottish Indoor Championships – 3

Dublin Championships – 3

Munster Championships – 2

World Championship – 4

European Championship – 3

I also won a Master 800m in Long Island, USA track meet and got a US track medal a few years ago.

In 2017 in All Ireland master I won gold in the 400m, silver in 200m & bronze in 800m.

AT SENIOR LEVEL

Several Leitrim Senior Championships on track over 400m, 800m 1500m & 3k and Senior XC gold – 1, silver – 2

Connaught senior 1500m gold

Connaught Novice individual bronze and team gold

Senior All Ireland 2 x 800m relay with Donore Harriers

Senior Dublin Championship – 3

Senior Leinster Championships – 3

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR INVOLVMENT WITH DUNBOYNE ATHLETICS CLUB?

After I started as a master athlete I have got involved in administration in Dunboyne AC, another club with a great history and tradition. I was Secretary for a number of years, then assistant Chairperson before taking over as Chairman in 2012. With the old cinder track very wet during the winter and the surface causing a lot of damage & dirt to clothes and with the track regularly closed due to frost damage we formed a sub-committee to oversee a new tartan track. The track development committee set to work and put together a plan and a financial plan to develop a state-of-the-art tartan track. We brought this presentation to an EGM of the club and it was passed even though some eyebrows were raised with our plan of raising €500,000 in the middle of a recession. We were fully confident with the plan and to have no borrowing when the track was complete. At the end of my 3-year term as chairman we had raised 250.000 and all the first phase of groundworks etc was done with another €100k in the bank. Teresa Smyth, the next chairperson, took over and did a great job to see the track completed in 2018 at a cost of what we had estimated of €500k. We completed the track to schedule and funded it and had some spare money in our bank account when all was paid.

I am also a director of the Cow Park – which is in a Sports Trust – where recent Leinster & All Ireland XC has been held. This is a 39-acre site between Dunboyne & Clonee which is in a Sports Trust to be developed and used for sport at some future date.

At the Meath Athletics County Board AGM in December 2019, I was appointed Chairman of Meath Athletics starting in January 2020. What an unusual and difficult year with Covid-19 for officials and athletes alike!

 

 

 

 

 

In the early days of the Donore Harriers women’s section (formed 1982) a young athlete blazed a trail of glory. However, an injury which led to a more serious health diagnosis cut short her athletics career.

 

 

 

 

Gwen Stanley claims that she wasn’t a talented athlete, but that she “tried hard”. Her sheer determination won her national cross-country titles at Under 21 and Under 23 grades, as well as a host of other championship medals – including a national road-relay team silver.

In this engaging interview Gwen recalls the women’s “caravan” at Hospital Lane, the craic that was had on the charity relay back from Westport, the positive influence of coach Jim McNamara, and missing out on not getting an Irish vest…

Gwen’s determination and successes made a key impact in the development of the women’s athletics at the club.

STANDARD QUESTIONS

PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? Dublin, Ireland May 1971

WHERE WERE YOU EDUCATED? St Dominic’s College, Cabra West

WHAT HAS BEEN YOU CAREER PATH? I started out as a Receptionist in Edenmore Health Clinic in the Eastern Health Board, which is now the HSE. I moved to London in 1996 having been encouraged by the Nurses I worked with that I would have better job prospects long term. I joined the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Parliament Square, London as a Junior Admin assistant and worked my way up to PA level. Having spent 6 years there, I joined Railtrack as a PA and I was only there six months and they went into administration. My boss took me with him to Atkins Rail where I worked my way up to EA to the Group MD level within the Rail engineering side of business. After 14 years in engineering, I decided I needed a change, so I moved into Finance. I am currently the PA to General Counsel at the Payment Systems Regulator (The world’s first Payments Regulator).

IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE HARRIERS? 1984

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? A friend in school asked me to join her one evening in Donore Harriers. She was a famous model Gillian Diffley whom many will remember. She introduced me to Gerry Ronan, the sprints coach, However, sprinting wasn’t my forte, and interest was fading fast. Jim McNamara had moved in next door to us on Carnlough Road and he soon encouraged me to give the club another go. So, we changed direction and Jim introduced me to Eddie Hogan and middle distance running and that was just the beginning.

WERE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY OTHER CLUB BEFORE JOINING DONORE HARRIERS? No

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORT? Up until then no.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? Cross Country and Road (brutal on track!)

WHO WERE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? Rosa Mota, Ingrid Kristensen, Liz McColgan and Yvonne Murray

SOCIAL QUESTIONS

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? The Dead Sea Scrolls (I don’t do fiction!)

WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? Depeche Mode at the Olympic Stadium, London 2017

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?

1. The Wizard of Oz

2. Jaws

3. Ben Hur

FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? Greece, Greece and more Greece…

WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AWAY FROM ATHLETICS/SPORT? I enjoy my Neilson holidays twice a year. I play terrible tennis as I talk too much on the court. Of course, I love to sail – albeit very badly! I prefer to be a deck hand than a skipper! I tend to hitch a ride on the Cat with a decent skipper and participate in the Regattas.

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

1. Nessun Dorma

2. Chariots of Fire

3. Over the Rainbow

ATHLETICS QUESTIONS

WHO WAS/WERE YOUR COACH(ES)? Eddie Hogan and Jim Mac, I also had a lot of guidance from Prof. Brendan O’Shea.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? National Under 18 3,000m Silver in 1990; Under 21 3,000m Silver in 1991; National Schools Silver 3,000m in 1989; National Under 21 and 23 cross-country Gold; multiple Dublin and Leinster medals in cross-country and road. There are many other national medals, but I cannot recall. I’d have to have a look back in my scrap book which is dusting away in my sister’s attic in Dublin. One of our biggest team wins was the National Road Relays in 1990? We won silver beating Finn Valley our biggest rival. Aisling Smith ran fastest 1-mile, Helen Saunders ran the second fastest 1-mile, and I ran the fastest 2-miles leg to secure us the silver. DCH won Gold (very marginally). I held the Raheny annual 5-mile road race record of 28.06 – a junior record for 19 years.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES (PBs)? 28.06 for 5-mile road; Jim Mac and I used to do a 15-mile run on a Sunday in approx. 1hr 33 mins. I cannot recall my track times. However, I did a 9.54 for the 3,000m in Oregon in 1989.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? Fartlek sessions in the Park with Helen Saunders, Aisling Smith and Catherine O’Conner.

DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU HAVE DONE? Every session was difficult! I never liked the Polo Grounds – it was like running a straight line and it was too flat. I always had a preference for the gruelling Magazine Hills and of course the spooky Furry Glen.

WHAT WAS YOUR TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN? Usually 40 – 50 miles mixed between road, track, hills, and mountain running.

DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY STORY RELATED TO ATHLETICS/THE CLUB? Oh Hospital Lane; and Jim Dillon’s pub! A few of us Jim Mac, Willie Smith, Willie Dunne, Helen Saunders and Pat Cassidy and some others whose faces fade me now decided one Thursday after a training session to go in for a pint of Guinness… 8 pints later (which included 8 packets of Tayto each – yes 8 packets each) we emerged from behind the Red Curtain. Those who remember Hospital Lane will remember the famous Red Curtain! Some weren’t concerned the next day with the consumption of all of the black and white stuff. Jim Mac couldn’t get over the fact we had eaten 8 packets of crisps!

WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?

1. Jim Mac, of course

2. Sonia O’Sullivan

3. Catriona McKiernan

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

YOU WERE A MEMBER OF DONORE HARRIERS WHEN THE CLUB WAS STILL BASED AT ITS HEAD QUARTERS AT HOSPITAL LANE. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE FACILITIES THERE? AND WHO WERE THE BIG CHARACTERS IN THE CLUB AT THAT TIME? Oh, I was indeed, and conditions were appalling for the Ladies. There was one evening I was heading to the shower in the Ladies changing room – the damp and dreary “caravan”. Helen Saunders was already showering – and I can still hear the trickling of the water coming from that shower. A man entered the Caravan; I screamed and ran out straight into the main club house. Yer man was gone by the time the lads came running out; must have been my screams that set him off running.

Big characters! There was Eddie Hogan, our most formidable coach and of course the one and only Pat Mullaly. He famously disliked women in the club, and you had to do something extraordinary to win him over. I wasn’t too long at the Club and I started to win titles. Thus, he emerged one evening out the club door and headed down the lane to congratulate me on my Dublin cross-country title. I recall feeling so chuffed that I had been finally accepted as an equal at the club. It was never going to be the case at Jim Dillon’s pub – that curtain we reckon still hangs “somewhere out there”! Of course, we had some wonderful characters: – all of the Dunnes, the Iremonger family, the Redicans, the Lynch brothers, Prof Brendan O’Shea, Tony Murphy; Tommy and Eric Hayward, Matt Rudden, Sean Callan, Harry Gorman, Maurice Ahearn, Willie Smith and family, Pat Cassidy, Herbie McClelland but to name a few.

YOU WON THE NATIONAL UNDER 23 CROSS-COUNTRY TITLE IN CIRCA 1992. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT DAY? I remember it was a bitter cold day and when I saw that hill to climb, I got a lump in my throat! However, it didn’t deter my determination that I was going to get up that hill no matter what the weather and conditions. Donore Harriers had great success that day! I won the Under 23 title, Aisling Smith won the Junior Ladies and Donal O’Sullivan may have won the Junior boys or was placed? The Men’s team did particularly well also.

YOU WERE OBVIOUSLY A VERY TALENTED ATHLETE, BUT YOUR RUNNING CAREER WAS CUT SHORT BY INJURY. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE INJURY AND ITS IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE GENERALLY? I was lining up for an International XC race in Naas; the race was on Naas Horse Racing grounds. It had been really frosty, and the ground was rock hard. I was warming up and heard my name over the tannoy. They were expecting big things from me that day. All of a sudden, I went down a pothole (or rather a deep indent of horse’s hooves), twisted my hip and that was the end of the road for me. I lost my sponsorship with Asics and felt at a loss as to what to do for a couple of years. I thought about taking up coaching, but my heart was broken. It took 3 years of treatment to get my hip and back sorted out. What was finally discovered during the course of scans and treatment I was born with a bit of Spina Bifida. Therefore, I had a weakness which was always going to shorten my career. So, I took up another form of “Clubbing” instead!

HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU GET TO REPRESENT IRELAND? I finished second in National 3,000m Under 18s and 21s and got done out of a vest twice because they only sent one athlete to the International race each time. Belinda McArdle (Finn Valley AC) and Sinead Delahunty (Kilkenny) who were amazing athletes. I got picked for Mallusk International CC January 1991 a bitter cold but bright day. The BLE Organisers ran out of Irish kit on the day, so sadly nothing in the bag for me. Jim Mac was fuming! He encouraged me to get out there and beat those with Irish vests on. I ended up running in my Donore Harriers vest. I ran a blinder that day, finishing around 30^th and ahead of most of the Irish team and not far behind Valerie McGovern time wise. I went with the Irish Vets in 1989 to Oregon for a month for the World Veteran Championships. The Oregon Track and Field organised a Junior international 3,000m race, and I finished 3rd.

DO YOU STILL FOLLOW DONORE HARRIERS AND ATHLETICS IN GENERAL? Any televised athletic series and events and I am glued to the set – Olympics, European’s, World, London Marathon, etc. For many years I’ve gone to the Waterhouse-B-B Shield race to catch up with folk and reminisce on the good times. Sadly, with Jim Mac gone it’s not the same anymore. And of course, with Covid-19 this year I never made that boat thanks to the 8 hours’ notice we got for the lockdown that currently prevails. I shall be looking forward to Tokyo if it goes ahead this year.

DO YOU HAVE ANY CONNECTIONS WITH THE ATHLETICS SCENE IN LONDON? Helen Saunders joined London Irish just to train with as she no longer competed. And as I was no longer able to run the very famous PJ Fagan and I would walk around Richmond park whilst everyone else took off on a Sunday morning Run. We used to head to the worst “Café’s” in Ealing afterwards for a cuppa. Neither Helen nor I would have a cuppa as we simply didn’t like “Greasy Spoons”. It’s a put us off for life!

YOU WERE PART OF THE DONORE HARRIERS CHARITY RELAY FROM WESTPORT. WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF THAT EVENT? That was so much fun running from Mayo back to our Club House raising money for Charity. We ran between 6 miles and 10 miles in intervals – over 150 miles to cover so we managed to cover a lot of ground. The crack was mighty! Having left Helen (Saunders) in the local town in Longford shaking her charity bucket vigorously, we left her to it, and then realised half-way up the road she was missing. David Lynch and I turned back in his little rusty Fiesta car, only to see Helen by-pass us on a milk truck. She gave us the royal wave! Those who know Helen will of course understand standards haven’t slipped much! We stopped off at a boarding school overnight in Mullingar. Willie Smith had entrusted Aisling (Smith) to hold onto the prized bottle of whiskey for the Father (local priest) as a thank you for putting us up. Or should I say for putting up with us! Some of the crew fancied a drop of the auld bottle – and before we all knew it the litre was gone! For the records, I didn’t part-take on that occasion. However, I think Aisling did? Willie gave them all a dressing down the next day and of course it fell on deaf ears. We were having too much fun to take any notice.

YOU WERE WITH DONORE HARRIERS IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE WOMEN’S SECTION. HOW WAS THE GROUP PROMOTED AND ENCOURAGED DURING THAT FOUNDATION PERIOD? The more medals we were winning the more encouragement we were getting, not only from our fellow athletes in the club but a wider encouragement from Dublin City Harriers, Liffey Valley and Civil Service. Lindie Naughton was a serious fan writing about every achievement in her weekly column. Over time her column widened, and much recognition was given on the back of some great coaching from Jim Mac, Noel Redican and Willie Smith.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING YOUNG ATHLETES? As Jim Mac would say pain is temporary and victory is forever! There are two types of talent – natural and raw. Natural of course having the slight advantage over raw. However, if you nurture raw talent in the right way you can be just as successful as the naturally gifted athlete. To achieve that, a much greater effort and focus is required to gain the awards. It’s all about PMA ‘Positive Mental Attitude’ – and of course sheer determination and hard graft.

Long-standing member Donal Iremonger needs little introduction. He is one of the most popular and respected athletes both within the club and the wider athletics community.

 

 

 

 

Donal followed his father Noel and his maternal grandfather Tommy Conneff into the ranks of Donore Harriers. He is probably one of the very few people who has represented the club from the juvenile thru to the masters grade. His competitive distances range from 400m to the half-marathon, and he has won an array of medals at Dublin, Leinster and National championships, mostly over his favoured 400m and 800m distances.

In this fascinating interview Donal tells us about being a juvenile/junior athlete when the club was still based at its Hospital Lane HQ (he even took coaching advice from the legendary Eddie Hogan); the club’s transition stage to its new base at Chapelizod; his near-misses in the Waterhouse-Byrne-Baird Shield; and his strong connection with the wonderful Lambay Sports & Athletics club.

Donal has in recent years coached the Long-Term Development Plan juvenile distance group and is presently a member of club’s general committee.

STANDARD QUESTIONS

PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? Dublin, March 1971.

WHERE WERE YOU EDUCATED? I went to secondary school in Pobalscoil Iosolde in Palmerstown, and then to University College Dublin, where I did a Computer Science degree.

WHAT WAS YOUR MAIN CAREER PATH? I’ve worked in Information Technology since leaving college, in programming, testing and project management roles, in various industries, mostly financial services. I started my current position as a change manager with Salesforce in March 2019.

IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE HARRIERS? I think I joined Donore Harriers in 1981 because I remember running in a juvenile cross-country league in the Phoenix Park as an U/11. But I’d probably been around the club with my Dad (Noel Iremonger) before that, I have memories of the Christmas Raffle and the draw taking place in the old clubhouse every year on Christmas Eve, and of seeing Frank Cahill running in the Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield on St Stephen’s Day.

<NOTE: Noel Iremonger finished 11^th in the National Inter-Clubs XC championships in 1960 and was a scorer on the winning Donore Harriers team>

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? My Dad was a Donore Harrier from the early 1950’s so there was only ever going to be one club for me!

WERE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY OTHER CLUB BEFORE JOINING DONORE HARRIERS? No, but I have a strong connection with Lambay Sports & Athletics (LSA) in Donabate these days, and I have great athletics friends in many clubs, particularly the likes of Lucan Harriers and Liffey Valley, who I have trained with at different times over the years.

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORT? Running was always my first love, but I played football, table tennis, and pitch and putt when I was in secondary school. I loved sport and gave everything a go.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? My favourite event to take part in is the 800m. I also like 400m indoors (more than outdoors!), and the mile is always a classic distance to race! I have come to appreciate the joys of longer distances on the roads too, but the middle distances will always be my favourite.

WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN ROLE(S) AT THE CLUB? I’m still competing as a master, so I suppose that qualifies me as an athlete! I’m also currently on the committee. I’ve gone as far as the Athletics Ireland Level 1 coaching qualification and I assisted Gerry Naughton with the juvenile endurance squad from 2017 to 2019, before the formation of the Academy Squad. I assisted Graham Hopkins with the Long-Term Athlete Development squad of juveniles from 2019 until early this year (2020), when I stepped back due to other commitments. I’m still part of the coaching set up and very much hope to take up another coaching role in the future.

WHO WERE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? I’ve been inspired and influenced by many people over the years. My Dad obviously was a big influence. I grew up watching Seb Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram on television. In my teenage years we had a great group of juveniles and juniors in Donore Harriers, who certainly influenced me, some are still good friends. I joined the athletics club in UCD when I started college, which broadened my horizons further. A trip to the US in 1990 with UCD AC opened my eyes to the kind of training that scholarship athletes were doing. I met Mullingar athletes David Burke (1995 National Senior Cross-Country winner) and Cormac Finnerty (1996 Olympian) on that trip while they were on scholarship in the US. I still have a great bunch of college athletics friends including David, Cormac and Tom Hickey, another Donore Harrier. I’ve been involved in coaching juvenile athletes for the last 9 years and they can be the greatest inspiration! Occasionally a young athlete comes along who races with such freedom and fearlessness that it reminds me what it’s all about!

SOCIAL QUESTIONS

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? I’m just starting a book called “The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown that was recommended to me by the aforementioned college athletics friends as a great sports book!

WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? Because there have been no concerts for some time, I think my answer is the same as an earlier interviewee! I went to “A House” in Vicar Street with Alan Farrell before the lockdown, and we met Ray O’Keeffe and Leonie Newman there too.

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS?

1. It’s a Wonderful Life

2. The Shawshank Redemption

3. About Time

FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? AND WHY? It’s difficult to pick one! I was in Australia and New Zealand for a year in 2000 and 2001, taking in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and witnessing Sonia O’Sullivan winning silver in the 5000m. I loved both countries but haven’t been back since. In Europe, I’ve enjoyed trips to Portugal and Austria. I’m always excited to visit the US. My last trip was to New York in February 2020, where I competed in a half marathon in Central Park on a cold, crisp morning with blue skies and bright sunshine. That was such a great trip, just before the pandemic put an end to travel.

WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AWAY FROM ATHLETICS/SPORT? What else is there away from athletics and sport! The pandemic has put a lot of social activities and interests on hold for now. I’ve been working from home since March, and quite focused on that, as well as my training. Apart from that I’ve enjoyed catching up on Netflix and Now TV, and trying to get back into doing more reading. I’ve a 6-year-old nephew who I’m inducting into the Liverpool supporters club (he knows Mo Salah and Virgil van Dyke now) and I’m hoping he may be a future Donore Harrier!

IF DESERT ISLAND DISCS ASKED YOU TO PLAY 3 SONGS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? I’m not into music that much and my tastes are pretty diverse and not very cool but here goes:

1. Paint it Black (The Rolling Stones)

2. What About Us (Pink)

3. Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen)

ATHLETICS QUESTIONS

WHO WAS/IS YOUR COACH(ES)? My Dad was my first coach, when I was doing community games and school sports. When I joined Donore Harriers I was privileged to get some advice and coaching from the legendary Eddie Hogan. I remember doing a track session in Belfield in 1989 and my Dad, Eddie, Cyril Whyte and Sean Cowler were there (Cyril was coaching Sean for an international masters event), and Cyril told me how lucky I was to be benefiting that day from a combined total of over 200 years of athletics experience. How right he was! We had a successful group of juniors and young seniors in the late 80’s and early 90’s coached by Noel Redican, with the likes of Mark Redican, Austin Lynch, Donal O’Sullivan and Paul McGrattan. The Academy Squad today remind me of that group in terms of the camaraderie and team spirit. We probably didn’t have as much talent as today’s group. I certainly didn’t! But Donal O’Sullivan won a National Junior Cross-Country title and went on scholarship to Brown University. I got some great coaching and advice from Jim Davis (Liffey Valley) in 2001, when I was away from Donore with work. Willie Smith coached the senior Donore Harriers men for a time, and I’m back with Willie now, many years later, he’s a great coach, experienced and very knowledgeable. Iain Morrison is also very good to me, always including me in track specific sessions when I need them for upcoming races.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? I have two silver medals from the National Road Relays, on a senior team in 2004, and on an M35 masters team in 2011. I’m proud to have broken 2 mins for 800m on a regular basis when I was a senior. I’ve had great success over the last 5 years as an M45 master on the track, probably the stand-out performance was winning the National Indoor M45 400m in Athlone in March 2017 in a time of 55.18. I had great support that day!

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES (PBs)? Track – 400m: 52.5; 800m: 1.58.3; 1500m: 4.08.1; 3,000m: 9.41.0.

Road – 5km: 16:16 a long time ago! 17:38 in Rathfarnham in September 2019; 10 miles: 63:25 in 2008; Half Marathon: 1:25:29 in 2008; 1.25.36 in New York in February 2020; Marathon: 3:02:23 in Dublin in 2008.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? I’ve always enjoyed interval sessions with shorts reps, like 200m, 300m or 400m. I’ve generally found the longer stuff more difficult, like 1000m, 1500m or mile reps, and also long sustained efforts like tempo runs. But I’ve been working at the longer stuff this year and I think I’ve really benefitted from it. I did some great sessions (like 3 x 10 mins tempo with a 2 min float recovery) with club mate and Chapelizod neighbour, Sinead Lambe, during the first lockdown. I think it’s important to train with someone stronger if you want to improve, and Sinead is definitely stronger than me (at least over longer distances!). I’ve enjoyed experimenting with progression runs this year as well.

DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU DID? There were a couple of really tough 800m specific sessions that I did as a senior. 3 sets of 4 x 200m, done at race pace, so around 30s per 200m rep back in my senior days, with a 30s recovery. There was a 5 minute recovery between the sets. We were basically running 800m at race pace with very short recoveries between the 200m reps. A variation on that was a 600m rep in 90s, with a 30s recovery, and then 200m in 30s. There’d be a long recovery and generally a second set. Super sessions to replicate that feeling in the later stages of an 800m race!

WHAT WAS A TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN IN YOUR HEYDAY? With hindsight I don’t think I ever really trained hard enough as a senior. We’d do sessions on a Tuesday and a Saturday and a long run (10 or 12 miles) on a Sunday. I generally ran easy Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and took a rest day on a Friday. I never did any strength and conditioning training, which I see as crucial now.

These days I find four or five days a week of running works best, with one hard session on a Saturday, a couple of easy days and a lighter session or tempo run mid-week, and a long run on a Sunday. Although I find it difficult to recover from a Saturday session before a Sunday long run and I’m trying to find what works best for me. Always learning! I do three strength and conditioning sessions a week, and I stretch after every run. I was swimming one day a week too, but that’s only been an option intermittently in the last few months. I hope to get back to that as I find it a great recovery option.

DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY OR UNUSUAL STORY RELATED TO ATHLETICS/THE CLUB? I remember running in the Phoenix Park on a cold, dark, foggy winter’s night many years ago. I think I was running with Derek Murphy who was a very talented junior athlete. I suppose the deer in the park weren’t as numerous, or as tame, back then, and Derek and I certainly didn’t know the kind of sounds that they can make, especially during the rutting season! We were running down the Furze Road and we heard a very deep growling emanating from the fog, and it seemed to be following us. The pace of the easy run started to get faster and faster. We had ourselves convinced that a lion had escaped from Dublin Zoo! We eventually managed to outrun the growling and get back to the clubhouse in one piece. It’s a good thing we didn’t have heart rate monitors at the time because the readings would have been off the scale. It was quite a while later before I saw deer growling in that way in daylight and the mystery was solved.

WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?

1. Ronnie Delaney (it’s hard to top an Olympic 1500m gold medal!)

2. Sonia O’Sullivan

3. Rory McIlroy

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

YOUR FAMILY HAS A LONG CONNECTION WITH DONORE HARRIERS, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? My grandfather (my mother’s father), Thomas Patrick Conneff, was born in 1882 and was a member of Donore Harriers in the early 1900’s. I believe he went as Tommy Conneff in those days, although, coincidentally, there was a more famous athlete, also called Tommy Conneff, around the same time. The GAA stadium in Clane, Co. Kildare is named after the latter! I know that my grandfather won the Inman Cahill Cup, one of the club trophies, and I have a couple of great photos of him with it. Consulting with Willie Smith, we think this was in 1920, exactly 100 years ago! The cup certainly looks a lot shinier in the photos than it does these days in the trophy cabinet in the club lounge! To finish the Conneff thread, my uncle Paddy Conneff ran with Inchicore AC, which merged with Avondale AC to become Liffey Valley AC in 1974. Paddy was a keen athlete and a great athletics supporter up to his passing away just over 2 years ago. Paddy’s son, my cousin, Justin has signed up with Donore Harriers last summer and is training regularly with Willie’s group. Justin and I joked that his poor Da would turn in his grave if he saw Justin in the black and white of Donore Harriers! But we know he’d really be delighted and proud to see us running together.

My Dad, Noel Iremonger, joined Donore Harriers in the early 1950’s, having started with Metropolitan Harriers (the Metro part of MSB long before they merged with St Brigids). I believe he started as a sprinter, coached by Cyril Whyte, but was asked to make up a cross country team one day, ran well, and never went back to sprinting. Dad, like my grandfather, won the Inman Cahill Cup, and again in consultation with Willie Smith, I believe this was in 1957 (Willie himself won it in 1958). It seems that 1958 was Dad’s most successful year, he features in many of the results that year in the recent Basil Clifford book compiled by Cyril Smyth. In that year Dad won the AAUE Junior Cross-Country title, over 6 miles in Garristown, in a time of 33.48 (I understand this is more or less the equivalent of the National Intermediate Cross Country these days). Dad’s PB’s on the track were 1.56 for 880 yards, and 4.08 for a mile. Dad didn’t compete for many years when my sister and I were young, but he made a comeback in his early 50’s with his colleagues in Dublin City Council, competing in many BHAA events, which I know he thoroughly enjoyed. He regularly won masters prizes in his age category on the roads in the likes of the Raheny 5 Mile and the Rathfarnham 5km. Dad was 83 in April and has dementia. Many of these great memories are lost to him now. I hope I’m doing him justice and not reporting anything inaccurately, it’s based on what I remember him recounting over the years, and from what I remember myself. I owe my love of running and my life-long involvement with Donore Harriers to my Dad.

YOU ARE A LONG-TERM MEMBER OF THE CLUB, HAVING JOINED AS A JUVENILE AND NOW COMPETE AS A MASTER ATHLETE. WHAT ARE THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED DURING THE TERM OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP? The club has changed hugely since I joined as a boy almost 40 years ago! The old clubhouse in Hospital Lane in Islandbridge was about half the size of the upstairs lounge in the current clubhouse. The showers at one end of the clubhouse probably wouldn’t have passed today’s health and safety regulations! There was an adjoining porta cabin that was for the juvenile boys, and there was a separate portacabin next door for the newly formed women’s section, which had about half a dozen members. I remember a lot of the juvenile boys being fairly local to the club, from the likes on Inchicore, Phibsboro and the inner city. I remember the buzz on a winter Tuesday evening, the clubhouse packed, there was always a smell of sweat and wintergreen rub (like deep heat) and the likes of Pat Cassidy and Tony Murphy would issue instructions for the run (it always seemed to involve a “snappy effort” to White’s Gate!). The seniors would head out the door into the dark night with a sense of excitement and anticipation. As juveniles we’d often do the “station lap”, up Islandbridge towards Kilmainham, left onto John’s Road towards Heuston Station, and back around by Parkgate Street and Conyngham Road to Islandbridge. Occasionally we’d run into Heuston Station and run along the brightly lit platform, which we seemed to think was great craic at the time!

The club moved to the current site in Chapelizod around 1990, I don’t remember the exact year, and that heralded most of the significant changes. We had a grass track where the current track is for many years before we got funding and grants to build the track as it is now. Some of our training sessions changed with new areas of the Phoenix Park more accessible from Chapelizod. Our membership gradually changed with new catchment areas near Chapelizod, and people travelling from further afield. Obviously, the women’s section went from strength to strength after the humble beginnings in Hospital Lane. Some of the old traditions have been lost. With a packed race calendar, we don’t get the opportunity to compete for many of the famous club trophies, like the Inman Cahill Cup mentioned previously. The Opening Run to signal the start of the cross-country season has also become a little misunderstood and confused. But we still have the wonderful and historic Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield on St Stephen’s Day. Of course, there are lots of great new additions like the track and our sprint groups, a thriving and vibrant juvenile section, and great masters groups. Hopefully, we can continue to evolve and improve whilst retaining and cherishing the history and traditions of Donore Harriers.

YOU HAVE A STRONG CONNECTION WITH THE LAMBAY SPORTS & ATHLETICS CLUB IN DONABATE. TELL US ABOUT YOUR COACHING SUPPORT OF THAT CLUB? I lived in Donabate from 2004 until 2016. Lambay Sports and Athletics was founded in 2011 by some parents and Gerry Ronan after successful participation in the Community Games that summer. Gerry had been a coach in Donore Harriers when I was a juvenile. I hadn’t seen him for many years and I didn’t know he was living in Donabate but I bumped into him one day whilst I was out running in a Donore top! To cut a long story short he asked if I would like to help with the coaching in the new club. Having just turned 40 I had started to think about getting involved in coaching anyway so the timing was good. Initially I helped out with existing sessions, and LSA were great in supporting me attending some coaching courses, and I gradually started to take my own sessions with a focus on middle distance and cross country. I still take a Saturday afternoon session in Newbridge Demesne, and I still find it really enjoyable and rewarding. I’ve seen some of the LSA juveniles grow up in the time I’ve been there and some of the LSA coaches and parents are firm friends. I also think we have a great mutually beneficial connection between Donore and LSA. We’ve had a couple of joint training sessions, with the Donore Harriers juveniles joining a Saturday session in Donabate a couple of years ago, and a couple of LSA athletes training with Gerry’s Academy Squad. As a new club LSA have some great innovative ideas that we can learn from in Donore Harriers. And as an older established club we can sometimes advise LSA on some of the issues we’ve dealt with over the years. Long may our successful relationship continue!

DO YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR COACHING PHILOSOPHIES? It may be obvious, but with younger juveniles the training has to be varied and engaging and fun. Some juveniles are doing multiple sports and may arrive to training having a played a match, or swum in a gala, earlier that day. I always have a plan going into a session but I’m always prepared to change it at the last minute if the circumstances change.

Not just for juveniles I think it’s essential for a coach to be present at training, at least at key sessions, and ideally at races, to observe their athletes. You have to be able to pull someone out of a session if they’re struggling (and enjoy it if they’re going well!) There are plenty of online training schedules available these days but there’s no substitute for the presence of a coach.

One tip I picked up was to try to get 30 seconds one-to-one chat with every athlete in the session. It’s easier said than done but it is a philosophy that I agree with, particularly when coaching juveniles.

Finally, recovery is key, particularly for masters’ athletes. I don’t entirely agree with the concept of a “recovery run”, I think a swim, or a cycle is better for recovery than going out running again using the same muscles and causing the same impact.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SESSION TO COACH?

I’ve adopted quite a few of Gerry Naughton’s sessions that I modify and use with LSA. The “up and over fartlek” session is great early in the season, when we’re just starting back, and have groups at similar fitness levels. And the paarlauf relay is always popular too. There are some great areas in Newbridge Demesne in Donabate to carry out these sessions and it’s a great place to be on a sunny Saturday.

GOING FORWARD, WHAT ARE TARGETS IN MASTERS ATHLETICS? This was my last year in the M45 category and I had intended to step back from the track and have a season on the roads. I ran 1.25.36 for a half marathon on a hilly course in Central Park in New York in February this year, just 7 seconds slower than my only other half marathon in 2008, and it made me think I still have a chance of running a sub 3-hour marathon. I definitely have unfinished business with the marathon having run 3.02.23 in my one and only attempt at the distance in Dublin in 2008. Obviously, all the big road races were off this year, so I did a couple of track races after all, winning a silver medal in the M45 800m in the National Masters in Santry in September. Next year, as an M50, I may still pursue the marathon ambition, and I also have the ambition to run a sub 5-minute mile at 50. I’ve run sub 5 before, of course, most recently 4.51 in the Griffith Avenue Mile in September 2019. But it would be cool to do it at 50, and apologies for stealing this idea from Tom Hickey, who planned to run the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York a few years ago! I’d love to get a hat trick of National Road Relay medals, an M50 medal to go with my senior and M35 medals, although gold next time, rather than silver! And no doubt I will go back to the track, I may even travel to one of the international masters events, which I haven’t done before, when travel becomes possible. No shortage of targets or ambitions for an old fella!

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPORTING REGRETS? I partly regret not training harder as a senior. My 800m and 1500m PB’s of 1.58 and 4.08 are OK, but I think I could have gone faster with better training. I would love to have run sub 4 mins for 1500m. Having said that, I might not be still running at a decent level, and enjoying masters competition, if I’d flogged myself when I was younger, so I’m grateful now that I’m still running after all these years!

WHAT ONE CHANGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT DONORE HARRIERS? We have a fantastic committee at the moment. The three officers, Charlie O’Neill (President), Phil Hennessy (Treasurer) and Peter Nugent (Secretary), to single them out, are doing remarkable things for the club. Our men’s captain, Craig Scott, as a relatively new member, knows everyone, not just the elite athletes, and always has an encouraging word. But what I’d like to see is more members taking an interest and getting more involved in the club. We have almost 500 members but had less than 30 attend our AGM recently, which I think is a real shame. The club doesn’t run itself (no pun intended), everyone has a part to play.

Also, I’d like to see more of our masters’ athletes racing on the track. Everyone is so focused on the roads, and the marathon in particular (and I know I’ve expressed marathon ambitions elsewhere in this piece!), but I think it’s a pity not to try the likes of the Dublin Graded Meetings. This year pretty much the only races that took place were on the track! Our Women’s Captain, Florrie Curley, would be the first to admit she doesn’t like the track, but she turned out for the 3000m in the National Masters and gave it a lash! I think that running different distances on the track will only help in becoming a more complete athlete, and combined with cross country running in the winter, will ultimately lead to improved performances on the road.

DO YOU REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES YOU COMPETED IN THE WATERHOUSE BYRNE BAIRD SHIELD AND WHAT WAS YOUR BEST RESULT? I definitely took part in 1989 when I was 18, and when one of my training partners, Austin Lynch, who was 17, won the shield. That was one of the first times, if not the first time, that I ran it. I haven’t kept count of how many times I’ve run it, but it must be over 20 at this stage. I had some good races with my Dad over the years, catching him less than 100m from the finish on one occasion, but not getting near him on many other occasions. I’ve had two near misses, one very recently, which has necessitated me rewriting this section!

I ran 66.01 to finish second to Richard Fitzgerald in 2002. I passed the great Jim McNamara on the second lap and he shouted after me “this could be your year”! No pressure! I was in second place on the last lap, not really aware of where I was placed or who was ahead of me, when Tom Hickey caught up to me. Although we were good friends, no words were exchanged, I looked at him from the corner of my eye, and we probably became too focused on our own personal battle. I managed to pull away from Tom in the last 600m only to finish in second place, and I swear I never even saw Richard, who finished 19 seconds ahead of me! Tom ran 62.15, which was the fastest time that day. Tom and I still talk about it (often with alcohol, always with regret) as the one that got away and we probably will for years to come.

But I came close again in 2020, running 66.59 to finish second to James Bolton, who wasn’t born the last time I finished as runner up! I knew I was in decent shape, I thought I had a fair handicap, and I’d been training on the lap prior to the race (much to the consternation of club mate Emmet O’Briain on Strava!). I’ve run faster times over the years, but I think this was my best ever run in the shield. My Dad always said you have to go out hard and use your handicap and I don’t think I’ve ever done that the way I did on this occasion. I poured out all the heartache and frustration of 2020, went out aggressively, raced through the field in my first three laps, and was starting to feel it by the fourth lap. The last two laps are a bit of a blur now! But I kept going and passed Cliodhna Carthy on the Horse Gallop on the last lap to take the lead. So near and yet so far! I almost fell in the mud coming out of the forest at the back of the course, I was on the ropes. James passed me going down into the dip beside the Khyber Road, he glided away from me up the hill, floating over the mud, and my dreams were dashed for another year. I focused on composing myself and holding onto second place as I knew the “big guns” were closing fast, and I managed to finish strongly enough, in second place and 20 seconds behind the worthy young winner.

My grandfather, Tommy Conneff, never won the shield. Nor did my Dad, although he talked about coming close in the 1960’s when the race was run on the road due to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease. But with my cousin Justin in Donore Harriers now, I’m optimistic that we’ll have an Iremonger or Conneff winner of the historic Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield in the years to come.

If you are looking for a sporting inspiration, then look no further! Florence Curley was encouraged into running by her sister Anne and inspired to take the sport seriously by the Olympian and Late club coach Jim McNamara. Any ‘couch to 5k’ or fun-runner looking for a story to encourage their progress in running should take heart from the commitment and achievements of Florence.

 

She left her schooldays PE games to the sporty types, then took up running with a commitment that has gained her enormous respect within the sport. As an athlete she has won medals at county, provincial and national level on road and cross-country and in distances between the 6km and the marathon. As a long-standing road and cross-country captain Florence has steered Donore Harriers to consistently take places on the podium.

In 2018 she became the ‘club captain’, a directorship role previously held by the legend that was Jim Mac – and thus, she is the custodian of all athletics activities within the club. It is a position well deserved! Florence is one of the most ardent of club volunteers, doing a multitude of tasks that include administration, marshalling, handicapping, minute-taking, the collation of club results/reports, etc.

Donore Harriers and running have been important to Florrie, and Florrie has been integral to the sport of running – and to Donore Harriers!

STANDARD QUESTIONS

PLACE AND YEAR OF BIRTH? Dublin 1973

IN WHAT YEAR DID YOU JOIN DONORE HARRIERS? 2004.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DONORE HARRIERS? My sister Anne had been a member since 2000 and had been encouraging me to join for a while, so there was never any other club I considered. I had started doing some running and had run the women’s mini marathon twice but had no consistent training. Anne had got really good at running since she joined Donore Harriers. I was not very fit, but I thought this time I will do it right and join the club and here I am 16 years later!

WERE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY OTHER CLUB BEFORE JOINING DONORE HARRIERS? No

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER SPORT? No, I am not sporty. Literally the only thing I am able to do in sport is run. People think I am exaggerating when I say this but it’s true! I was never involved in any organised sport as a child or teenager apart from schools PE, which I was terrible at, and had a very brief and unhappy stint at gymnastics, so avoided it like the plague for nearly all my 20s until I started jogging.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ATHLETICS EVENT? Because I am an endurance runner, I enjoy watching the middle and long distance the most, I guess. The 10,000m is a real epic. To participate in, I have a special fondness for 10km on the road. It was my first ever race and it was a good distance for me, I can’t run it as fast as I used to but still relish it – in my last 10km in 2019 I felt I was getting some of my old form back until injury struck!

WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT ROLE(S) AT THE CLUB? I am an athlete and I have been on the committee and have been the Ladies road and cross-country captain since 2006. In my early years on the committee, I did some assistant secretary duties too. I am one of the official club handicappers so help to set the handicaps at the Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield race. Last year I became a director of the club in the club captain role.

WHO WERE/ARE YOUR SPORTING INSPIRATIONS/INFLUENCES? The two main ones are my sister Anne and my first coach – the late Jim McNamara, who coached the women from the late 90s up to 2016. I literally wouldn’t be running at all if it wasn’t for Anne. Her determination, bravery, work ethic, and refusal to give up inspired and still inspires me. She made her first forays into running when there were no fun-runners, so she would finish at the back of the field and it took real grit to do that and keep at it. It also made me think in my own early running days – maybe I could do this too! And she always has given me tremendous encouragement and brilliant advice. Jim’s positivity, kindness mixed with his incredible toughness and determination also inspired me. I was awed by his athletic achievements and talent. I couldn’t believe how hard he trained, and how he battled adversity and tragedy in his own life, but always overcame it. I find a lot of the old school athletes from the 60s and 70s like Jim and the UK runner Ron Hill and all from that era very inspiring. They weren’t doped, had to fit their athletics around their jobs and their lives weren’t easy. I found Ron Hill’s autobiography really inspiring, because it was honest about the struggle of sport and the day in-day out slog and finishing way down the field in races, so not just the winning! I find that as inspiring as talent and it feels real! As a female in sport, pioneers like Joan Benoit – winner of the first Olympic women’s marathon are awe-inspiring. I vaguely remember seeing it 1984. They were ground-breakers. I watched Sonia O’Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan in their heydays before I ran myself … it was amazing to see Irish women on a world stage beating the best in the world

SOCIAL QUESTIONS

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? Race to the Finish – not a running book! It tells the story of the 2008 US presidential race and Barack Obama’s victory

WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU ATTENDED? It was a few weeks before the country closed down in March 2020. A great sell out charity concert in the Olympia – Rock Against Homelessness which was headlined by Fontaines DC and with Murder Capital, Kneecap and others

WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILMS? It’s really hard to just pick 3, but right now

1. Schindler’s List – monumental, Spielberg’s masterpiece

2. Some Like it Hot –have seen it countless times since I was a child

3. The Ballroom of Romance – A classic Irish film from the early 80s – it says more about Ireland in one hour than 10 films put together

FAVOURITE COUNTRY VISITED? There is still so much of the world I have to see but I have made trips to various parts of Italy and it’s always fantastic.

WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AWAY FROM ATHLETICS/SPORT? Before I took up running I used to do a lot of set-dancing, just for fun, not competing. I still love to go to a ceili a few times a year and I adore trad music so I can combine the two at events like the Willie Clancy festival in Clare. I enjoy concerts, live theatre and comedy. Every year I go the Edinburgh Fringe festival. So I am looking forward to the vaccine which will allow all that to happen again! I love reading, and I’m fascinated with history and genealogy so like to work on the family tree. In recent years I have started going to see Mayo GAA games so that can be either trauma or triumph!

IF DISERT ISLAND DISCS ASKED YOU TO PLAY 3 SONGS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? This is actually impossible because I am a huge music fan so I really could pick 203 songs here, so this is just 3 of many

1. Radiohead – Airbag

2. Springhill Mining Disaster – Luke Kelly and the Dubliners

3. Eleanor Rigby – The Beatles

ATHLETICS QUESTIONS

WHO IS/ARE YOUR COACH(ES)? From 2004-2016 it was Jim McNamara who coached all the Donore Harriers women and from 2016 to now Willie Smith.

Jim’s dedication to his runners is legendary. When I think of the hours and hours out in all weathers and all the phone-calls… He built many a runner from a beginner into a senior, including me! So, he wasn’t just interested in talent, everyone was treated the same. Once I joined, I kept improving and it was all down to encouragement, not shouting or put-downs. If I had experienced that I would have left pretty quickly given my bad experiences in sport. Once I became captain I worked closely with Jim on teams and the training and as the group got bigger there was a lot to be done… I’d say we spoke every single day, so I got an insight into how much time he gave to everyone as a coach. He would announce some gruelling session with a smile, but you would still do it! He coaxed you into getting fitter and doing the races. Before people knew it, they were on a start-line of a race they didn’t expect to be in! When you look at the amount of medals won over that whole period it’s phenomenal. I was looking back at all the results there recently and it brought that home to me again. I don’t think Jim truly got all the credit deserved for being the driving force behind that. It was great that me and so many of the women down the years who came and went got a chance to be part of that.

Jim’s passing in 2016 was just dreadful. It broke our hearts. He tried to keep coaching til spring of that year, but he was just too sick to continue and he passed in April. We were just meeting to train ourselves, still shellshocked, and not quite knowing where we were going… So, Willie Smith, who knew Jim for so long and was grieving himself, stepped up to say he wanted to help the group and to coach us. That was an amazing thing to do and he has dedicated himself to the group ever since. It has gained new members and gone from strength to strength in the past 4 years. We are now a very big mixed male and female group, so me and Craig Scott, the men’s captain, support Willie in his coaching. Willie has channelled Jim’s spirit and brought in his own unique approach, which is again about encouragement and a positive training atmosphere. We were having some great results and improvements in the group so when competition returns it will be an exciting time to showcase this.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT? I am very proud of the time me, Anne and Angela Eustace won the National masters marathon team title in 2013. It was my debut marathon, which made it even better. There are other road wins and times that I am proud of, because that is what I am better. But some cross-country memories are also great, like winning the national novice team title in 2005. I still feel very lucky to have experienced that. I was the second scorer on the team. We all came in one after the other and Fiona Mahon won outright. I couldn’t stop smiling that day, getting that national gold was brilliant.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIMES/MARKS (PBs)? All on the road because I have done so few track races. I struggle to remember the exact times from track, so they aren’t here (they aren’t very good anyway!)

5km – 18.35

5 miles – 30.22

10km – 38.52

10 miles – 64.25

Half marathon – 85.18

Marathon – 3.07.49

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COACHED SESSION? Even though it is tough I do like 800s on the Polo Ground – 8 to 10 of them. The Polo Ground is one of the best training sites in Ireland

DESCRIBE THE MOST DIFFICULT SESSION THAT YOU HAVE DONE? It was a session we did a few times, years ago on the Magazine Fort area. It started on the downhill but then you went into a really sharp hill which knocked you for six. Downhill again and then another long 300m tortuous gradual hill followed by another few hundred metres round the trees. It was 1500m in all – and we did that loop 4 times.  It used to kill me. Jim actually stopped doing the sessions with that sharp hill because he thought it was too hard!

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN? I run 6 days a week with recovery runs on Monday and Wednesday, an interval session on Tuesday with the group, a slightly longer run on Thursday by myself which can be easy or steady, a day off on Friday, hills or a Polo Ground session on Saturday with a group, and then a long run on Sunday – sometimes with Anne or with the group – the mileage varies throughout the year but I try to keep the 6 days if I can

DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY STORY RELATED TO ATHLETICS/THE CLUB? I did a 10km race 10 years one really sunny day down in Moone, Kildare. The race started and finished in the village and to my delight I was first woman. The presentation was to happen in a village hall and about 200 metres away was a schoolhouse you could change in, so I went there with my stuff but oddly I was the only one there. I then got stuck in a bathroom cubicle; the lock jammed in some way and I was trying to open it for what seemed like an hour! Nobody was coming into the building and I was looking at the window wondering could I squeeze through it or smash it to get out! Eventually I heard someone and shouted, “help I’m stuck in here”. He had to practically break the door down. On the Monday morning the school was probably thinking what happened to our door? I thanked him and raced to the hall thinking what bad manners it was to miss the presentation and was mortified, but luckily, I was still just about in time! Anne was wondering where the hell I got to!

WHAT ONE CHANGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT DONORE HARRIERS? I would like to see better team cohesion. I know we have no competition at the moment but when we do, being all on the same page – even if people train outside the main groups – and participating in championship fixtures whether XC, national league, and road races is all-important. It’s an honour to be on a club team and to be asked to be on one.

Down the years I know how much it means to people to win team medals and they treasure them forever. You don’t know when injury will strike or when the rug will be pulled from under you, so you have to take your medals when you get them. I remember so many great days where the medals rolled in because we targeted every championship race, we could all over the country. It spurred everyone else on to be better and part of the next team. I know there won’t always be medals and not everyone will win one but once everyone does their best that is important too… When you are on a team there is always more to fight for, and that sense of collegiality is wonderful. There’s nothing like it!  That goes for every level from ‘Meet and Train’ to senior. Athletics doesn’t always have to be about individuals all the time. Being in a club means being part of teams. And that mentality also means people are more connected to their club and will help out. We have lots of great volunteers, but we will always need people to pitch in in so many ways. The club is way bigger than when I first joined, there is always much to be done

WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 IRISH SPORTSPERSONS OF ALL TIME?

It’s very hard trying to pick 3!

1. Catherina McKiernan – for all those world cross medals and winning the London marathon which she never truly got the credit for I don’t think. Her astonishing Irish marathon record has not yet been beaten either and might not be for some time…

2. John Treacy – of course for that marathon silver in LA which I have a memory of! But people forget he won the world cross country twice and was a brilliant track runner. There really was nothing he couldn’t do.

3. Sonia O’Sullivan – even though she missed (or was done out of) chances her brilliant sporting achievements stand the test of time

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

DID YOU EVER COMPETE AS A JUVENILE OR JUNIOR OR IN SCHOOLS COMPETITION? No, I never competed in running or any kind of sport as a juvenile. As I said before, sport to me just meant humiliation and I did not enjoy it. I went to an inner-city school with no playing fields, so we did court-based sports like netball, volleyball and badminton which I loathed. There was no running at all. There wasn’t a great choice of sports for girls then anyway in schools in working class areas. It was less enlightened times. That’s why it’s great to see the juvenile female element thriving in the club now

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BEST DISTANCE? Maybe the half marathon! I am not a speed runner but I probably have a pretty good engine so it is a distance I can get my teeth into and work into, so when it goes well it plays to my strengths, provided I don’t go off too fast. Mile 10 to the end is still always agony though! I am still proud of the day I ran my fastest half in Bohermeen and was 2^nd woman. My namesake Pauline Curley won it. She was miles ahead of me, but I really ran my heart out that day. I could hardly move for a week after, but it was worth it!

WHAT’S YOUR PREFERENCE, CROSS-COUNTRY or ROAD? Road! It definitely plays to my strengths more and I have had a lot more success on it. People who beat me on the cross country I would often turn the tables on them on the road. I have a real love-hate relationship with cross country! I am not a natural cross-country runner and suffer on a very muddy course. Cross-country can be terrifying, but it can also be a great buzz and I love the team element. Some of my happiest running memories are cross country races and some of my worst disappointments are also cross country. I will never stop trying in cross country and always encourage everyone to do it

YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH A LONG-TERM INJURY, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE INJURY AND THE RECOVERY PROCESS? I was training for the marathon in summer 2019 and in early September I felt slight soreness in my heel, but I kept running on it and it got steadily worse. It turned out to be a bad bout of plantar fasciitis – an inflammation of fascia on the heel and into the midfoot. It’s common in endurance runners but non-runners get it too and can be stuck with it for years! I had to completely stop running, even walking became problematic. I had to avoid too-flat shoes and wear inserts and a Strasbourg sock at night. I got some shockwave therapy and laser on it, but I knew that might not completely clear it. I joined the gym and tried to stay fit with spinning and other classes. Anyone who knows me is aware I struggle with any sort of exercise that isn’t running! So, this was a real mental challenge, and I did not enjoy it. Others would do better than me and be more dedicated, so I am not the poster girl for cross-training! It was February before I could even do easy runs again, so I was months out. When the country shut down, I was only starting to get back fit. I lost an awful lot of fitness, so it has been a long road back. I am careful to try and get a good deal of running on grass and I changed my runners back to ones with more support and another brand which lifts the heel a bit. I hope it doesn’t come back as that was my second time to get it and the second time was far worse. This was the worst injury of my career, but I have got off relatively lightly in 16 years compared to some, so I can’t complain too much. Most injuries will come round eventually, patience is a must! I feel sorry for athletes who always get blighted with injury, and it is very difficult having a chronic and unusual injury that can be misdiagnosed which has happened to Anne

YOU ARE NOT ONLY THE WOMEN’S XC AND ROAD CAPTAIN, BUT YOU HAVE THE ROLE OF CLUB CAPTAIN – A ROLE PREVIOUSLY HELD BY THE LATE, GREAT JIM McNAMARA. YOU MUST CONSIDER IT A GREAT HONOUR TO HOLD SUCH AN ESTEEMED POSITION? Yes, it absolutely is. I never thought I would be a sports captain of anything let alone the club captain of a great running club with a rollcall of Olympians like Jim. He represented everything that was the best about the sport; was a selfless club volunteer and nobody loved running more than he did. So, following in his footsteps is something I will always try to do and keep that legacy going.

Being a captain shouldn’t be about prestige or self-interest – it’s about listening and encouraging. As a captain I hope I support and encourage people, especially when they start out. It is daunting joining a club! The role is not just about getting teams out, it’s about checking in with people too. I try to take an interest and keep up with all the athletic activity going on in the club, not just the endurance side of things. The club is all of us! It’s not just a building or a place you go to train. It’s about the people, and sadly we have lost some great Donore Harriers people like John Geoghegan only a few weeks ago, Jim, and our teammate Karen Behan.

There was a time Donore Harriers did not admit women members, so it would probably be shocking for some of the very old-school administrators of decades ago to see a female club captain! But I am proud that women are now central to the club. Jim made the women’s team into an endurance powerhouse and we are still strong in that area. But now we have superb female sprinters and field athletes too, and some great juveniles coming up

WHAT ARE THE 3 STAND-OUT RACES/ACHIEVEMENTS, EITHER RUNNING AS AN INDIVIDUAL OR IN YOUR ROLE AS CAPTAIN? I have already mentioned the personal achievements, so I will pick three memorable events as a captain.

The senior team gold in the National Road Relays 2019 was fantastic. I have helped compile the teams for years and it’s not easy! This was one title that eluded the Donore Harriers women and there was no medal in it since 2002. Year in year out we would put out our best team and get nowhere. It was very disheartening. So, in 2019 in the pre-publicity on the AAI website nobody was tipping Donore Harriers for the win! But the women of Barbara Cleary, Ide Nic Dhomhnaill and Sinead Lambe did it! It was amazing to watch. I hope Jim was looking down approvingly and I was so happy for Willie too.

There have been so many super wins on the cross country! It is hard to pick one as any senior cross-country medals are very memorable. But in 2011 the ladies won the national novice down in the Curragh for the first time in 6 years. It was exceptionally competitive that day with well over 100 runners and nearly 20 teams and it has been like that ever since. I thought that win really was brilliant! Everyone just ran great; I was so proud of them. I remember on the way down one of the team rang Jim to say she was not long into the drive down and forgot her spikes should she go back for them and he said yes please do! So, she did go back and get them and ran great helping them win.

Winning the division 1 National track and field league in 2017 was fantastic. Now I have to say our wonderful track captain Leonie Newman can take most of the credit there for getting the teams out, but I always get involved in getting participants for the middle distance. I remember the bad old days of marathon runners being thrown into doing the 4 x 100 relay and we wouldn’t have a hope of even making the final let alone win the thing!

If I can cheat and add a fourth, there was a magic weekend in June 2014 too where Anne Curley won the Derry Walled City marathon, her first marathon win and on a gruelling course. The next day Barbara Cleary beat a top-class field and won the women’s mini marathon in Dublin. Seeing Barbara coming round that corner into the finish in the Donore Harriers singlet was amazing. That was a very memorable June bank holiday weekend!