History

Glendalough AC was founded in 2014 by Juju Jay (Jason Handyside) and René Borg along with a group of local runners and Wicklow mountain running enthusiasts. Rene Borg served as the first provisional chairman followed shortly after by Niall Corrigan. Rene Borg has been head coach since the club’s foundation.

Rene Borg (and wife Aoife Joyce) transferred over from Crusaders AC whereas most other members joined an athletics club for the first time. Barry O’Neill joined from Parnell AC.

FOUNDING MEMBERS

The founding members were (bold = also current member)

René Borg
Jason Handyside
Niall Corrigan
Colm Kenna
Barry Murray
Aoife Joyce
Flora McKnight
Angus Tyner
Barry O’Neill
Marcus Murphy
Raymond Chambers
Keith Mulvey
Derek Cullen
Yvonne Brennan
Mairead Keenan
Donna Quinn
Eva Borkowska
Ivan Mahon

Perhaps the first training session done by the club as it settled into it’s early regular training ground at Laragh GFC’s pitches (pictured are – left to right – Donna Quinn, Rachel Wisdom, Colm Kenna, Derek Cullen with the rest not clearly recognisable)

INAUGURAL MEETING

The inaugural meetings was held on the 6th of November 2014 in Lynhams Hotel in Laragh.

Meeting notes from the Inaugural Meeting

It was agreed that the new club should join Sli Cualann AC.

Sli Cualann chairman Terry Kavanagh presents at the inaugural meeting

RATIFICATION

Glendalough AC were ratified on 2nd December 2014 at the Wicklow County Board meeting by unanimous decision. The club was represented at this meeting by Rene Borg and Yvonne Brennan.

The Glendalough AC flag began flying in earnest in 2015

FIRST RACES

The first official ‘racers’ for the club were Angus Tyner, Barry Murray and Keith Mulvey at Ticknock Winter 1st February which preceded the AGM but came after the club applied for official status with AAI and it’s approval by Wicklow Athletics.

However, the first runners who represented our club were a mere 10 days after the formation on 6th November (16th November 2014) when Juju Jay and Mairead Keenan competed at the Tollymore Ultra on the same day as Niall Corrigan, Yvonne Brennan, Colm Kenna and Donna Quinn competed in the Wicklow Fit4Life Round 10 in Avondale Park. These six runners are considered the first six to have officially competed for our club.

1ST AGM

The first Annual General Meeting was held on the 24th of February 2015 in the River Room of Lynhams Hotel in Laragh.