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The spectacular roar of the Glanmore waterfall, then larger, coined the current name of yesterday’s race venue: The Devil’s Glen. Two former Irish internationals roared highest as Michael Kelly, Gowran, beat a competitive men’s field… Read more…
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While English runners turned their attention to the Rydal Round, Borrowdale and other challenges, Irish runners have not been lying dormant. The Trail League kicked off at Glen of the Downs wood two weeks ago with victories for Joseph Mooney and Karen O’Hanlon, Maynooth… Read more…
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We’re well past half-way through summer but there’s still plenty of action in Ireland, here’s a quick look at some of the happenings…. Read more…
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Colm Hill had done his best to keep the Leinster Championship alive into the final round at Fraughen Rock Glen before being undone by Brian Furey late in that race. On the slopes of Mt. Leinster he proved a man on a mission intent on securing victory, runner-up in the league and the course record… Read more…
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Another IMRA summer league has waxed and waned as the thirteenth, and most technical, of the routes finished yesterday at The Great Sugarloaf (501m) next to the M50 highway. Barry Minnock had wrapped up the men’s individual title… Read more…
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The future of British fell running looks likely to be safe in Scots hands after youngsters Robbie Simpson and Catriona Buchanan shone at the this weekend’s European Mountain Running Championships. Ahmet Arslan of Turkey made it 4 in a row in the senior mens event… Read more…
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The Irish Championship entered its third fixture this weekend at Lugnacoille, Leinster’s lone Munro, but arguably the easiest race of the series but also the final counter in the King/Queen of the Mountains competition setting the stage for an enticing drama… Read more…
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Summer is high and the racing is still very much on over in Ireland. Rene Borg reports on Trooperstown and the Rogaine. Two very different events, resulting in one very similar outcome – a win for Irish mountain-dominator Eoin Keith… Read more…
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A long Leinster League season nears the end and the first signs of fatigue may have been apparent at the running of the new Seefingan course was 135 runners took the field. Or perhaps it was an air of post-script with Barry Minnock and Rathfarnham WSAF having wrapped up the individual and team titles last week… Read more…
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Runners were once again treated to an unusually dry and clear passage up Lugnacoille’s “back door” in the Fraughen Rock Glen from which yesterday’s penultimate Leinster Championship race took its name. Read more…
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Do hill runners only accept the uphill to enjoy the downhill? Whatever their reasons, only 164 runners gathered excitedly in Crone Wood for the ascent up Djouce Mountain... Read more…
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Following up a successful opening year can be difficult but the Mourne Way marathon series organisers seem to have the recipe. Good fields contested every one of the impressive array of distances on offer… Read more…
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This year’s Wicklow Way Relay found itself in one of the busiest weekends of the year with the Mourne Way Marathon up north and the European Trial in Crone Wood robbing the event of some long-distance men and aspiring internationals… Read more…
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While the wider IMRA membership rested after their efforts at the Wicklow Way Relay, those IMRA runners with international aspirations came out for battle on Sunday morning. Read more…
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Rathfarnham brought a “new” team to the unique Sorrell Hill race when newcomer Colm Moran helped veterans Peter O’Farrell and Aaron O’Donohue secure the club’s fifth win in seven and put regular solar flare between them and their nearest rivals. Read more…
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Carrauntoohil, Ireland’s highest peak, has hosted the premier mountain race in Ireland for twenty-three years running now but 2009 marked the last running of the old course. Access issues with a local farmer enforced a change to a route described as “the best ascent of the mountain”. Read more…
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Barry Minnock’s absence at Scarr meant the Leinster League title stays up for grabs for another week. Tristan Drute would be the one to take full advantage when the Sligo AC man secured his first win under the IMRA banner. Read more…
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In England the ultra-short races, like Grasmere and Burnsall, have long formed their own hallowed tradition and the British Championship has likewise been constructed with all-rounders in mind:… Read more…
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A new team emerged in style on the Irish hill running scene yesterday. Orienteers CNOC took on a strong Rathfarnham team, yet came out with a one point win! They were led home by debutante Seamus O’Boyle who combined with Colm Hill and new-joiner to the team Niall McAlinden. Read more…
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An unusual field of runners lined up on the tarmac of Ticknock carpark this Saturday to celebrate IMRA’s 30th Anniversary with a re-running of the very first competitive mountain race in Ireland: The Fairy Chase also the sixth race of this year’s Leinster League… Read more…
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Saturday 22nd saw IMRA celebrate its 30th birthday. Much younger than the FRA and BOFRA, thirty years still holds a lot of history and IMRA has decided to celebrate this with a re-running of the very first organised hill race: Fairy Chase. Read more…
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The Irish contingent at the European Masters showed that like fine wine they certainly don’t spoil as the years pass: Eight individual and three team medals, including two gold, was the impressive haul for the team. Read more…
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The new Circuit of Avonbeg course is one of the closest things you’ll experience to one of the long English fell-races in Ireland and is a route brilliantly conceived by Paul Nolan, the former national coach and Irish international. Read more…
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More news from Ireland courtesy of Rene. A new league in Munster, starting with the Clare Glens race, plus racing at Gibbet Hill with Martin Monaghan taking a convincing win over form-man Mick Hanney… Read more…
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A very strong field took set off in welcome break between showers yesterday evening at Prince William’s Seat. 220 runners once again added to what looks to be a record season for IMRA in terms of attendance and, as usual for the Leinster League… Read more…
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The joy of racing up and down rugged trails and hills on Wednesday evenings after a long day’s work will now also be available to mountain runners in the province of Munster. Read more…
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This season has seen the beginning of Brian Furey’s rise to prominence in the Irish hills and the Connacht man went West together with a big IMRA contingent for the annual double-header of Croagh Patrick and Ben Gorm the two counters towards the Connacht Championship title. Read more…
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The Dublin Mountains Partnership (DMP) was setup in May 2008 with the aim of improving the recreational experience for users of the Dublin Mountains. Off-road runners now stand to benefit from this mission as the DMP team up with IMRA to bring runners a new exciting event. Read more…
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Once again, memories rolled back to 2007 and 2008 as Barry Minnock, Rathfarnham WSAF, continued to stake a claim to regain the title he has held as he made it two victories on the trot. Just under a minute later, 3ROC’s Gerard Butler held off Martin Bradshaw, Bilboa AC, in a tight finish for second and third… Read more…
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Plenty of action from our Irish weekend round-up: A hybrid half-marathon, a classical fell-race and a trail race were available for the picking for those not doing the Total Experience Adventure Race in Blessington. Read more…
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What a return to the hills and what a race! Barry Minnock, the hegemon of the 2007 and 2008 Leinster Leagues, contested Howth. Given his traditional dominance many would have expected a foregone conclusion… Read more…
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In later years, the small knoll standing prominent over the small marina town of Bray has served as the Leinster League opener and once again this year prospective finishers could get the first of the seven necessary counters at Bray Head, the shortest course in the league. Read more…
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The trail running boom continues in Ireland this summer. Not only could the new Wicklow Adventure Race which featured a mountain run of the famous Spink in Glendalough celebrate around 700 entrants (!) but there’s three more off-road running events for the really eager to match themselves against… Read more…
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While the Silent Valley race opened the British Championships in the Mourne Mountains this weekend, there was also plenty of action south of the border. Not far away in the Cooley Mountains, the traditional opener of the Leinster Championships took place at Black Mountain. Read more…
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Previous to 2009, the lack of parking at Lough Tay had always enforced a very strict limit on competitor entries, leaving many disappointed to miss out, as was particularly evident in 2008. With coaches to and from the start this year and last… Read more…
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One of the most traditional fixtures of the IMRA calendar, the Wicklow Way Trail, and its big brother, the Wicklow Way Ultra (the out-and-back equivalent) has awaited eager hill runners every April since 1998, when Maurice Mullins laid out the route. Read more…
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The Winter League finished on a high note with another gorgeous sunny day at the revised Carrick Mountain route. Your trusty reporter went for a run of the route before the race and local man Mick Hanney had done a good job creating a varied and exciting route… Read more…
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Mark Keneally broke his silver Duck at this weekend’s Irish National Senior/Junior XC and led his team Clonliffe to another title in this year’s Irish cross-country season. The Clonliffe man took the expected win by 14 seconds from Galway’s Gary Thornton… Read more…
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Snow gave way to sunshine for the penultimate race of the IMRA Irish Winter League – Maulin, the shortest (7k or 4.3 miles) but steepest (474m ascent or 1555 ft.) in this five race series. The final run-in on the Wicklow Way fire-roads is explosive… Read more…
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The flat reddish hulk of Tibradden Mountain has been known as a vaunted ‘ankle-breaker’ in hill-running folklore, strewed as it has been with loose rocks and scree. In later years, heavy erosion of the central trail had forced the route out of circulation for a while… Read more…
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In the absence of many established hill runners in this year’s Winter League, notably defending WL champion Eoin Keith of Boards AC, there has been room for daring outsiders to establish themselves among the echelons of IMRA race winners. Read more…
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The Spiritual Home of Irish Mountain Biking it may have been called but Ticknock woods remains a deeply rooted fixture both during winter and summer in Ireland and with Howth Winter cancelled by recent snow… Read more…
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This classic Irish round has been awarded status as a points scorer for the years big French Ultra, the UTMB. Writing for IMRA, Eoin Keith reports that runners wishing to take part in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc need 4 points from qualifying events, the Wicklow Round will now carry 3 points… Read more…
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Jane and Graham Porter, organisers of the inaugural Wexford Open Trail Series have issued the dates for this year’s return: 28th March Little Sliabh Bhui, 25th April Kilbrannish South, 9th May Gibbet Hill. More details have been made available on the 2010 series at IMRA. Read more…
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The 2009 Yearbook is the first of its kind for IMRA. It features 80 pages of articles… which capture the magic that was mountain-running in Ireland in 2009. With articles from 17 contributors and featuring the amazing photographs of John Shiels, this yearbook is a limited-edition hardcover book that will grace any coffee table. Read more…
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The Irish Mountain Running Association represents hill running in all the four Provinces of Ireland (Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster) yet an oft-heard joke is the inference that the association is more The Leinster Mountain Running Association. Read more…
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IMRA’s year drew to a close this weekend as the Charles Barrington Memorial race was won by Richard McCauley in his first IMRA race in 9 years with Rathfarnham’s Laura Flynn 1st woman. This race commemorating Irishman Charles Barrington, one of the three men to first ascent the Eiger… Read more…
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This year’s IMRA calendar was released over the weekend and it proves one of the most innovative in years. While several old classic have returned, a surprising amount of new races will be inaugurated. Read more…
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Break-neck descents were the decisive factor as the last major race of the IMRA season took place around Djouce Mountain for the traditional Powerscourt Ridge race. Read more…
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Last year, the presiding IMRA chairman Tony Kiernan, decided to resurrect the Stone Cross to Lug Relay, bringing it back on the calendar from an 8 year hiatus. This year, the event has survived despite, or perhaps, because of, modest attendance… Read more…
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Competitors for this year’s Navigational Challenge could exchange the mist and fog from last week’s race for much better conditions at Up Leinster, the final race of the series. Newcomer Brian O’Meara, running his first season with IMRA, recorded a stunning victory… Read more…
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The crowd-gathering Wednesday evening races are over for another year but the Irish hill running season still has a few fixtures left to talk about. Read more…
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The second of this year’s three Navigational Challenges took place yesterday around Aughavannagh in Wicklow. Only 12 runners braved the challenges put up by the thick mist and persistent rainfall with visibility down to 10m on parts of the route – reports Rene Borg Read more…
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After Moire set sail to south Asia for a spell our Irish feed has been down – until now that is! We wanted someone with, wit, style and creative juice to fill the lil’ Irish girls’ mountain shoes, and we think that we have found a suitable replacement… Read more…
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With a temporary halt to the frenetic European action of late, it is time for some domestic bliss for many of the UK’s fell racers this weekend. England offers-up the Sedbergh Hills and Weasdale Horseshoe, with the big Welsh classic, Brecon Beacons, taking place on Saturday at 10.30am… Read more…
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The greatest shock of the night came from Sli Cualann failing to have a team out but with the league almost wrapped up you couldn’t blame them. Clonliffe Harriers would not let that steal their thunder and recorded a very fine score of 28 pursued by the still rising UCD and Sportsworld… Read more…
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Last night’s Scarr mountain race left few unscathed as the battle for Ireland’s Leinster League continues. It was the ninth Wednesday league race this season, and with only four races left to gain vital points, it was another raging battle out on the hills. Read more…
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Heavy downpours couldn’t deter a record 34 teams from turning out for IMRA’s Wicklow Way Relay on Saturday. Teams of 8 duly battled it out in sopping conditions to complete this 104 km race along Ireland’s most famous walkway… Read more…
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The list of fell races this weekend is astounding. Across the UK and Ireland I have counted 19 races, and they are the ones that are listed. Such classics as Ennerdale Horseshoe in England, the Welsh 1000m Peaks race in Snowdonia and of course the LAMM all take place. Read more…
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John Lenihan has seen a bit of mountain running. At nearly 50 the Irish multi-champion is still at the top of the sport. A recent Irish Times article reports that the great man has won the classic Carrauntoohil race a staggering 18 times. Read more…
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It was a medley of mist and mud at the IMRA Leinster League second round race last night. Fortunately the weather didn’t stop 162 runners from running out of work to head on up the hill for two laps of the Howth circuit. Read more…
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Wednesday saw the start of Ireland’s Leinster League with the first League race up Bray Head. Eoin Keith took the spoils, still fresh from his win on the Wicklow Way Ultra only 10 days ago. Read more…
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Plenty of choice once again this weekend from all points on the compass. The classic Ras Y Moelwyn takes place at Blaenau Ffestiniog in north Wales, Screel and the Highlander MM in Scotland, and the Coledale Horseshoe in Keswick – plus much more… Read more…
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A call on the IMRA news section seeks urgent help from volunteers to help racing go ahead at Bray Head. Equally future events at Howth and Three Rock are also under threat if helpers don’t come forward… Read more…
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A total of 86 runners were tempted out by the glorious weather to tackle the Wicklow Way Trail. This annual 22.2km race is run along one of Ireland’s most famous paths through the Wicklow Mountains, from Lough Tay to Johnny Fox’s Pub in Glencullen. Read more…
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The hills were alive this weekend as all four Home nations and Ireland saw fell race action. With many of the top runners over in Northern Ireland at Slieve Bearnagh it was an opportunity for some new, and not so new winners around the country. Read more…
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It’s great to see mountain running going from strength to strength, especially when it’s in the younger age groups. Last Weds the Irish Schools Mountain Running Championships took place in Phoenix Park – with over 350 competitors… Read more…
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Plenty of races to choose from around the UK this weekend (28th/29th March) for all you mountain goats. In Wales the racing is at all points from the Pen-Y-Cerrig Calch in the south to the Llangyhafel Loop in the north. Across the border the classic Wrekin Fell race also takes place. Read more…
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We have our fair share of fast lads alright on the Irish mountain running scene, ones that top the results table race after race. But to be fair, we also have loads of not-so-fast lads, the ones who consistently turn up to each and every event. Read more…
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Yes it’s winter, with its cold and dark and wet conditions. But that doesn’t stop the Irish from turning out in shorts and singlets to do battle once again on their seasonally frozen hills. Read more…
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Yes it’s winter, with its cold and dark and wet conditions. But that doesn’t stop the Irish from turning out in shorts and singlets to do battle once again on their seasonally frozen hills. Read more…
