Lindie Naughton reports on all of the Irish action this Bank Holiday weekend with plenty of time for running. 

Irish performances of the weekend came at the Bristol Track Club 5km in England where Efrem Gidey of Clonliffe Harriers and Ciara Mageean of City of Lisburn AC made it a Irish double.

Gidey was men’s winner in 13 mins 49 secs, while Mageean’s time of 15:24 was a course record and took 20 seconds off her previous best time.

Her next outing will be at the Belfast Track Meet on May 23 after a stint of altitude training in St Moritz.

Locally, the big race of the Easter holiday period was the Streets of Kilkenny 5km on Thursday evening (April 6) where Andrew Coscoran of Star of the Sea AC and Íde Nic Dhomhnaill of West Limerick AC were the winners.

Coscoran, better known for this track exploits, finished a comfortable winner in 14 mins 14 secs. In the battle for second place, Mitchell Byrne of Rathfarnham WSAF AC out-sprinted Michael Harty of East Cork AC with the pair timed at 14:22 and 14.23. Harty was also first M40. First junior was Jack Fenlon of St Abban’s AC in 14:14.

Nic Dhomhnaill clocked a time of 15:48 – a personal best. Second and first W40 in 16:12 was Lizzie Lee of Leevale AC while third in 16:27 was Cheryl Nolan of St Abban’s AC.

Dundrum South Dublin AC, led by Killian Mooney who was fifth overall and and Fiona Clinton sixth woman was first Peugeot Series mixed team, followed by home team Kilkenny City Harriers and Leevale AC. In the club team categories, St Abban’s AC proved best of the women and KCH AC of the men.

The race was the second round of the Peugeot Road Races Series, with a €30,000 prize pot.

Always nice to see some Monday racing

In Dublin, on Easter Monday (April 12) the Battle of Clontarf 10 mile, hosted by Raheny Shamrock AC in St Anne’s Park, incorporated the Leinster Championships.

Peter Somba of Dunboyne AC was a clear winner of the race in 51 mins 55 secs, with Mick Fogarty of Ferbane AC second and first M40 in 43:14 and Karl Nolan of Clonliffe Harriers third and first M35 in 53: 24.

First woman in 61:45 was Caroline Donnellan of Edenderry AC. Sarah Baryga of Sli Cualann AC was second and first W45 in 62:43 and Aisling O’Connor of Edenderry AC third in 62:59.

Raheny Shamrock AC, led by Mark Kirwan in fifth place, finished best of the men’s teams, with Dublin taking the senior and M35 county titles and Offaly first M50 team.

Tullamore Harriers, led by Sarah Flanagan in fifth place, were clear winners of the women’s senior team title ahead of Raheny Shamrock AC and Crusaders AC. Tullamore Harriers was also first W35 team with Lucan Harriers first W50. For the county title, Offaly beat Dublin and Westmeath and also took the W35 title, with Dublin bestW50 team.

Four miles of fun

On the same day, Lee Canavan Dignam of Club Triathlon Murcia was the winner of the Moynalty 4-Mile road race in Co Meath. Dignam finished in 22 mins 8 secs. First woman was Leonas O’Reilly of Tara AC in 26:134.

A number of local races took place on Good Friday (April 7), with Mick Kelly winning the 10km race at the St Michael’s AC Forest Run in Emo Co Laois. Kelly’s winning time was 36 mins 37 secs. Second and first woman in 37.04 was Heather Murphy of the host club, St Michael’s AC. Winners of the 5km were Thomas Bergen of Nenagh Olympic in 17:09 and Della McLoughlin of Oughaval AC in 19:51.

At the Noel McManus Run/Cycle, held at Lough Rynn Castle, Mohill, Co Leitrim, Ben Quinn of Longford AC in 17:36 and Fiona Fallon in 20:47 were the winners of the 5km. Winning the 10km was Sean Lynch of East Breffni AC 40 mins 21 secs. Kevin Higgins was second and first M50 in 40:21 and Jennifer Algar of Mullingar Harriers third and first woman in 40:35.

Half marathon winners were Kedagh Geoghegan of Mullingar Harriers in 78:12 and Theresa Hughes of Athlone AC in 89:01.

Winning the opening found of the Roscommon Harriers 5km Series was Andrew Lennon of Athlone IT AC in 16:54. Anna Dooner of Roscommon Harriers was first woman in19:55.

Winners of the Good Friday Grange 5km in Sligo was junior athlete Francis Donoghue of South Sligo AC in 16 mins 18secs. First woman in 19:12 was Mari Johnston of Sligo AC who was also first W50 – the race, organised by North Sligo AC, was dominated by juniors and masters.

Races on every day of the long weekend

On Saturday, London visitor Simon Bernard was the winner of the Easter 5km trail race, organised by Liscarroll AC at Doneraile Park. His time was 17:27. Finishing third and first woman was Martina Kiely of St Finbarr’s AC I 17:58.

Brendan Conway of Westport AC in 4:09, and Sarah Byrne of Mayo AC in 40:02 were the winners of the Kilmovee 10km, in Co Mayo. The race was the opening round of the Mayo 5km Series with three more rounds to go.

At the Beragh GAA 5km/5 mile, near Omagh, Michael Crawley beat his Strive RCC club mate Aidan O’Hagan to win the 5-mile race, finishing in 27 mins 34 secs. O’Hagan finished in 27:49. First woman was junior athlete Nadine McIntyre of Enniskillen RC in 32.45.

Junior athletes Rory Dolan and Emma Conway were the winners of the 5km in times of 18:09 and 30:39

On Sunday, Barry Twohig of St Finbarr’s AC in 26 mins 60 secs and Leevale AC’s Hannah Steeds in 28:58 were the winners of the Courcey’s AC 5-Mile in Ballinspittle, Co Cork.

Winners of the Easter Lily Charity 5km, Merlin Wood, in Galway, were Shane Begley of Tribal Running in 18:02 and Niamh Hennelly of Galway City Harriers in 1957