The opening weeks of the season saw Glendalough AC members ease back into racing with a varied mix of hill, road, trail, and marathon events, combining steady returns, family-friendly outings, and some standout performances. From solid placings at the Pier Gates Remembrance Race and the MJ Bolton Memorial, to winter IMRA action at Ballyhoura, the early calendar also delivered notable milestones: Louis Byrne and Christina Byrne setting new club age-category records at Ferrycarrig, Aaron Cullen breaking a long-standing 5 km club record at the Coca Cola 5 km, and Monica Timmins opening her marathon account for the year with a Donadea PB.
PIER GATES REMEMBRANCE RACE
Last year’s racing season concluded for our members with the Pier Gates Remembrance hill race which was run on a course about 1 km shorter than the 2025 edition. Ian Bromley was our first man home with Kate Flynn next (and second FS) with Alan Kennedy next as the 3rd M55. It was also great to Huw Thomas back after long-term injury as he partook in the short race.
LONG
| RESULT |
| 1. Enda Cloake (Slaney Olympic) 0:33:30 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 25. Ian Bromley 0:44:08 – WW RC |
| 31. Kate Flynn 0:45:58 (2nd FS) – WW RC |
| 47. Alan Kennedy 0:49:18 (3rd M55) – WW RC |
| 87. Andy Walker 0:56:14 – WW RC |
| 93. Eoin Phelan 0:57:22 – WW RC |
| 111. Brendan Lawlor 1:01:11 |
| 136. Joe Lalor 1:06:29 (2nd M70) |
| 157. James Heggie 1:13:18 – WW RC |
SHORT
| RESULT |
| 1. Finn McGurren (Clonliffe Harriers) 0:29:04 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 25. Huw Thomas 0:40:59 – WW RC |
MJ BOLTON MEMORIAL RACE
The memorial 5 km for MJ Bolton has become the starting point for the racing calendar these last few years, and this year’s edition had a new (allegedly tougher) course with an uphill finish. Usually, taking more as a blow-out than a full on race, there was still a big field and fast times around the field although most of our participants took it easy with Aoife Joyce and Catherine Devitt running along with respective sons Cillian and Rowan.
| RESULT |
| 1. Dean Power () 0:26:01 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 135. Ciara Flynn 0:30:56 |
| 144. Aoife Joyce 0:32:09 |
| 153. Catherine Devitt 0:34:29 |
BALLYHOURA WINTER
Eoin Phelan was our most prolific runner both in 2024 and 2025 and he shows no sign of losing his desire to race with another outing at one of the first IMRA races of the year – the Ballyhoura Winter Moonlight Challenge on 3rd January.
| RESULT |
| 1. Matthew McConnell () 0:29:16 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 142. Eoin Phelan 3:51:03 – WW RC |
FERRYCARRIG 5 MILE
On the 4th of January, Aoife Joyce returned to her home area to race the Ferrycarrig 5 mile (also on a new, allegedly tougher, course than previous edition), accompanied by the family trio of Louis Byrne, Christina Byrne and Ann Cunningham. Louis set a new 5 mile club and M40 record while Christina set the mark for the F70 category.
| RESULT |
| 1. Evan Fitzgerald (West Waterford AC) 0:26:01 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 34. Louis Byrne 0:31:02 (Club Record, PB) |
| 98. Aoife Joyce 0:36:25 |
| 258. Ann Cunningham 0:47:11 |
| 285. Christina Byrne 0:49:56 (2nd F70, Club F70 record) |
COCA COLA 5 KM
Today, Amidou Dembele’s 9 year old 5 km club record of 16:45 was finally beaten when Aaron Cullen took 8th place while recording a time of 16:44 in the Coca Cola 5 km race. This is both the new senior and overall record and, we have a feeling, not the last record Aaron will break this year.
| RESULT |
| 1. Danny Nugent (Ace AC) 0:29:16 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 8. Aaron Cullen 0:16:44 (PB, Club Record PB) – WW RC |
DONADEA MARATHON
Monica Timmins ran the first marathon of the year for our club, setting a new PB despite the trail surface of Donadea Forest.
| RESULT |
| 1. David Murphy (Clonliffe Harriers) 0:29:16 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 38. Monica Timmins 4:20:45 (PB) |
Glendalough AC 