Michael Fearon & Kevin Marron Carlingford 5k 2018
The anticipation and nervous excitement was tangible as over 550 runners stood shoulder to shoulder facing the start line, in front of king John’s castle, awaiting the sound of Tommy Neary’s starter pistol to mark the beginning of the 2018 Carlingford 5k road race!!, Before that athletes observed a moments silence for the recently deceased Andrew Malone, who was a good friend to Glenmore AC and a race steward at this very event, last year and in the years before that. As previous years have shown this event proves extremely popular among elite athletes and also the novice runners due to its course flatness and the opportunity of achieving a PB, and this year exceeded all expectations. Athletic Clubs were well represented and from as far afield as City of Derry Spartans AC and Kilcoole AC in Wicklow
The weather conditions were near perfect with just a slight almost unnoticeable breeze to cool the athletes as they ran along the sea front on the Greenore rd, out of Carlingford, then turning around and running back to Carlingford via Shilties Lough with Slieve Foy Mountain in view.
The 1s t male to cross the finish line was Craig McMeechan of North Down AC (15.13) 2n d Conal McCambridge of North Belfast Harriers (15.21) 3r d Gerry Campbell of Dunleer AC (15.31)
and 1s t Female was Una Britton of Kilcoole AC (16.53) 2n d Jessica Craig of North Down AC (17.00) 3r d Breege Connolly of City of Derry (17.08)
Course record still remains unbroken at 14:26 which was set by Martin Fagan from Mullingar Harriers in 2014.
Ciaran Flynn was presented with the Francis O’Reilly Shield for 1s t male Glenmore AC member to cross the finish line.
Katie Conlon was presented with the Ciaran Gormley Trophy for 1st female Glenmore AC member to cross the finish line.
Other presentations on the night were
Stephen Kelly 1st vet men O40 Gary Henderson 1st vet men O45 David OConnell 1st vet men O50 David Clarke 1st vet men O55 Eamonn McMahon 1st vet men O60 Pat Rocks 1st vet men O65
Christopher Devine 2nd vet men O40 Denis Cush 2nd vet men O45
George Shields 2nd vet men O50 Gary Keenan 2nd vet men O55
Owen McNally 2nd vet men O60 Conor Cooney 2nd vet men O65 Karen Costello 2nd vet lady O40 Yasmin Canning 2nd vet lady O45 Carol Clarke 2nd vet lady O50 Amanda Russell 2nd vet lady O55 Patricia Mulholland 2nd vet lady O60
Breege Connolly 1st vet lady O40
Cathy McCourt 1st vet lady O45
Diane McKee 1st vet lady O50
Dolores Kelly 1st vet lady O55
Patricia Browne 1st vet lady O60
Elizabeth Rafferty 1st vet lady O65
Tadhg Donnelly 1st male U17
Kate O’Reilly 1st female U17
Ruancan O’Bibhne 1st male U19
Emma O’Hanlon Geary 1st female U19 Katie Mallon 2nd female U19
Joseph Haynes 2nd male U17 Abigail Tegart 2nd female U17 Cormac Canning 2nd male U19
In the team events, prizes were presented to 1st and 2nd teams of 4. the winning men’s team from North Belfast Harriers were presented with the Michael Fearon cup – Conal McCambridge, Andrew Milligan, Joe Malone and James Trainor. In 2nd place was a team from Drogheda and District AC – Tadhg Donnelly, Stephen Kelly, Paul Smith, and Cormac Canning.
The winning ladies team from Dromore AC were presented with the Kevin Marron cup and included Laura Bickerstaff, Jillian Redpath, Robyn McKee and Judith Nixon In 2nd place was North East Runners team of Laura Mathews, Karen McCrystal, Patricia Mulholland and Ursula Noone.
This event is widely known as one of the fastest 5k courses in the country due to its extremely flat gradient, this an be easily seen from the huge amount of athletics and sports clubs that are involved every year, this time round we had representation from (in no particular order) North Belfast Harriers, Drogheda & District AC, Victoria Park and Connswater AC, Ballydrain Harriers, Dromore AC, Armagh AC, North East Runners AC, Dunleer AC, Newry AC, Newcastle AC, Newry City Runners, Togher Fit to Run, Carrick Aces AC, Team Carrie, Blayney Rockets, Kernan Run Club, Annacolone Blister Sisters, St Kevins Phillipstown, North Down Ac, Clonliffe Harriers, Raheny Shamrocks, Boyne AC, East Antrim AC, Willowfield, Bure Valley Harriers, East Down Ac, Pace Running Club, Kilcoole AC, City of Derry Spartans, Carmen AC, Boyne AC, Bohermeen AC, Blackrock AC, Jog Lisburn, Donore Harriers AC, East Coast AC, Glaslough Harriers, County Antrim Harriers, Ardee and District AC, Orange Grove AC, Setanta Triathlon, Marathon Club Ireland, Slieve Gullion Runners, Hunterstown Rovers, Team Runwell, Syddan Runners, Murlough AC, Live4Performance, Team Dog, Balbriggan & District AC, Mourne Runners, Crossmaglen Area Running, Oriel Ac, Pink Ladies, Clones AC, Dromiskin Fit Club, Naomh Martin Rovers, Dundalk Park Run, Mallusk Harriers, Clare River Harrier, Ni Childrens Hospice, Roxys Runners, Reaghstown Chasers, Run like the Winded and lastly but certainly nor least, we had a team from our main sponsor Collen Construction.
Glenmore AC would like to mention its own members who participated on the night
Ciaran Flynn (18.00), Kevin Harnett (19.07), Tony Mulligan (19.26), Stephen O’Connor (19.37), Gerard White (20.30), Lloyd Byrne (21.14), Katie Conlon (21.51)
Cronan O’Shaughnessy (22.02), Pat Ferguson (22.07), Paul Flanagan (22.15), Sarah Dooney (22.42), Stephen Toner (22.53), Katie Mallon (22.54), Shane Arnold (23.13), Gavin White (23.37), Kinga Byrne (24.20), Kevin McDonald (25.07), Bridget McGreehan (26.06), Tony Elmore (28.13) Rose White (28.15), David O’Reilly (28.28) Anne McEvoy (29.45), Elizabeth Rafferty (30.07) John Page (31.15), Noeleen Hallahan (32.24) and Teresa Keenan (32.26)
Our race is in memory of our deceased friends, Michael Fearon, club member and Kevin Marron, former editor of the Sunday World, and a great friend in the early days of the clubs fundraising for our track.
Glenmore AC would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our main sponsor, Collen 200. We would also like to thank Mackle snacks of Moy for the supply of the popcorn. Balers Takeaway for the supply of Water and John Laverty Motor Factors.
A special thank you to Tommy Neary, our official starter and to John and Mary Mc Geown who helped out enormously on the night also the Red cross for their invaluable service along with as always Donal McDonald who provided a motor cycle escort to all of our Juvenile and senior races.
The organisation of an event like this requires the help from an array of volunteers from the those who marked out the road , those who coordinated registration, those who acted as stewards and Setanta triathlon club for helping out as stewards and those who prepared and served us all the delicious refreshments in St Michaels Carlingford parochial hall, this hall has been the epicentre for this event for years and we are very grateful to the parish for this.
Sincere thanks to all residents and businesses in Carlingford for bearing with us and for any traffic disruptions. We thank all the locals and supporters who came out to cheer, clap and encourage all the runners along the route and to cross the finish line. Finally, a big thank you to all the clubs and runners who participated, we salute you and thank you all.
Next on the event calendar for some of our members is the Rock and Roll Half Marathon on the 12t h of August, followed by Marathon Club Ireland’s, Dundalk Half and Full Marathons on the 9t h of September.
The juvenile road races preceded the 5K and were well represented by clubs both north and south. Prizes were awarded to the top 10 finishers across all ages U9, U11, U13 & U15. Glenmore winners on the night were Zoe White who took gold U9, Aoife Mc Donald, and Gillian Tuohy also U9. Jessica White, Katie Mc Donald, Leah Dunne & Molly Anne Moore U11, Ava Ashby and Ellen Callan U13, Fionn O Reilly and Aaron O Connor U13, James Dunne U15, and Lisa Conlon won silver and Ava Brady girls U15. Full results are available on our Facebook page. Well done to all.
