The October bank Holiday weekend is significant to many in Ireland as a turning point as the autumn evenings turn to winter with the clocks turning back on the Saturday night. It’s also very significant to close to 17,000 who arrived at the start line on Sunday morning to participate in the Dublin Marathon. For these, their families and supporters the weekend holds far more importance.
The Dublin Marathon is now one of the largest in Europe celebrated its 39th annual event in 2018 with its popularity only increasing. Already now in the second week of November there are over 10,000 participants registered for 2019 and the 40th anniversary event.
For Dunboyne AC this year was possibly a record one with 55 of our athletes reaching the start and finish line! Just to reach the start line in itself is a major achievement with the long hours of preparation and training that are spent over the 4 or more months leading up to the big day. Following training plans and schedules both at scheduled club training sessions as well as on the road all through the week with long weekend runs building week by week until the big day is no mean feat. For this, to you and your families, we as a club are so admirable of such an achievement.
The Dunboyne crew had fellow club member Sean Cox firmly in their minds on the day. Sean had registered for the marathon earlier in the year before his life threatening injury in Liverpool. With Support Sean logos on the running vest and t-shirts for the day his fellow club athletes also got a huge acknowledgement throughout the day from both athletes and supporters on the route. In addition, there were Support Sean t-shirts scattered around the route worn by our fantastic support crew.
The morning itself started off dry and very cold with very little wind. This was a big bonus as the previous few days had both rain and high winds which luckily subsided in perfect time. By the time all of the athletes were gathering at Merrion Square the sun began to shine making it a very bright but crisp autumn day.
At 9am, the first wave of participants left Merrion Square to follow a route of 26.2 miles around Dublin taking in Kevin Street, Patrick Street, Christ Church and on down the Quays, up through Stoneybatter and into the Phoenix Park, Castleknock, Chapelizod, Ballyermot, Inchicore, Rialto, Crumlin, Drimnagh, Walkinstown, Kimmage, Terenure, Rathgar, Milltown, Clonskeagh, Roebuck Road, UCD, RTE and down through Mount Merrion before passing the RDS, Ballsbridge, Mount Street and finishing at back at Merrion Square where it started some hours previously.
The race was won by Asefa Bekele of Ethopia 2:13:26, with Mesera Dubiso also from Ethiopia the 1st woman, 2:33:47. Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrocks) 2:15:57 and Lizzie Lee (Leevale (Cork)) 2:34:48 won the Athletics Ireland National Marathon Championship.
Dunboyne athletes were never too far behind with Alan Kenny the first of our club athletes over the line in a super time of 2:26:22. Sari Coakley was our first woman home with a super 3:15:00 marathon debut. Alan’s performance also earned him a Bronze medal in the M35 category of the Leinster Athletics Marathon Championship!
Full list of Dunboyne AC marathon finishers for 2018:
Alan Doyle, 3:57:50
Alan Kenny, 2:26:21
Ana Quigley, 4:38:43
Ann Garrett, 4:26:06
Ann Ryan, 4:29:29
Annette Conroy, 3:56:38
Antoinette Brannigan, 3:45:43
Bernie O’Connor, 4:46:21
Brian Keenan, 3:18:35
Carl Harrington, 3:58:40
Cian Mangan, 3:08:01
Cian O’Sullivan, 3:27:56
Ciara Keenan, 5:00:18
Cristian Dan, 4:25:46
Dan Higgins 6:13:01
Dave Galbraith, 3:28:42
David Dolan, 4:33:37
Deirdre Fitzsimons 3:43:34
Elaine O’Donovan, 3:59:52
Fintan Crehan, 3:45:41
Geoff Hamilton 3:54:06
Gerry Walsh 4:39:13
Giles Lord 3:28:12
Hilary Madden 4:38:44
Jackie Brannigan 4:33:24
James Duffy 4:21:49
Jason Corbett 2:55:24
Jim Lineen 3:20:22
John Meegan 3:30:50
John O’Malley 4:01:00
John O’Toole 3:24:21
Laura McNulty 4:25:59
Lewis McCann 3:08:02
Liam Grant 4:29:40
Lisa Stewart 4:12:06
Mark Broughill 3:21:34
Mark McDonald 4:01:00
Michael O’Baille 3:55:42
Mick Foy 3:55:42
Noel Leddy 6:06:39
Olywen Read 4:33:26
Paul Brady 3:11:52
Paul Gorey 4:08:27
Patrick Phillips 4:12:09
Phil Mahony 4:34:01
Ray Mitchell 4:28:23
Rob Hale 3:29:11
Sarah Meegan 3:40:17
Sari Coakley 3:15:00
Seamus Dunne 4:18:14
Sean Manning 4:26:13
Siobhan Campbell 4:12:26
Stephen Doyle 3:42:08
Tim Fogarty 3:49:38
Tony O’Neill 3:13:06
Violet Molloy 3:56:37
Congratulations to all of our super athletes on the day, the club is very proud of their achievements with some debut marathoners, some personal bests achieved, while others completing multiple marathons during the calendar year or completing the next instalment in their Dublin marathon story.
Mick Foy has completed 13 successive Dublin events, a fantastic streak but by far surpassed by Seamus (Shay) Dunne, our evergreen marathoner completing his 39th Dublin marathon… That’s right, he has managed to complete each one since the first Dublin marathon in 1980.
A big thanks and congratulations goes to all of the family members, club members and supporters who came out to cheer our athletes on a bitterly cold morning. Some of you managed to pop up in numerous locations around the course which in itself was a great logistical feat! Thanks also to the Dunboyne Scout crew who were volunteering at water stations around the course and shouting on their home town athletes whenever they saw them. This is what makes Dunboyne great and also adds to the fantastic event that is the Dublin Marathon.
Thank you to the organisers and thousands of other volunteers for making it such a wonderful and well organised event.
Photography on the day was managed at various points around the course by Sam Hamilton, Claire Clifford and Rob Web. Thank you guys. Please find the photos at the following links with just a few tasters attached…
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmsBApb4
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmuSeFdz
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmthX3RF
