Some thoughts from those of us at Dunboyne AC who knew and will miss Jim McNamara. Our condolences go to his family, his friends and his club, Donore Harriers.
There are some races that he never missed and I’ll be searching for his pre-race advice, his encouragement and positivity. I feel sad for not letting him know how much I appreciated his advice and to say a last… thank you. – Emilia Dan
Jim Mac as he was known was a running legend, a fierce competitor for Donore. I was privileged to see Jim running in the Donore vest at his very best in the All Ireland inter clubs in Ballyfin in the late 70’s. I still remember running the All-Ireland Junior race in 79 – that course had a killer hill on it but it was no bother to Jim. I watched in awe as he made light work of the 12k on one of the toughest courses I have ever seen. Donore won the team title that day with Eamonn Coughlan, after coming home from competing in Australia & New Zealand(with a great tan) just making the scoring 6. I joined Donore in the early 90’s and was again privileged to train with, and have the company and friendship of Jim. We did many Saturday mornings on the Munich lap & hills on the magazine. After I left Donore to join Dunboyne Jim always made a point to talk to me at races say hello & how was the training. He inspired confidence in so many. Some years ago I met Jim in the park and as usual he was interested in how my training was going. I said: Jim, training is going well but I have not run a decent 800m since joining the masters. Jim turned to me and said in his usual quiet way: “Michael you did it before, you can do it again”. This was typical of the man who inspired generations at Donore. Jim dedicated his whole life to Donore & his chosen sport of running. May he rest in peace. – Michael Cornyn
Such sad news. He was a lovely man…. I had some great races with Donore girls over the years in Meet & Train and he always gave me a cheer and encouragement and would come up afterwards and congratulate me. In fact, if I’m right, I think it was he who told us this year that we’d won the Leinster Novice by beating Donore and came up and congratulated us on our cool down. – Claire Ni Fhairceallaigh
I raced him over the last 300M or so of a 5K last summer. We were neck and neck and I said to him “I always wanted to beat an Olympian!” He grinned and pulled back a little til I told him not to go easy on me and then he put the boot down. Can’t remember which of us came in first but it was great fun, a super end to a race. That was only a few months ago. He’ll be missed at the WM&T, missed already this winter in fact. – Roisin Bell
Such a lovely man. I used to be racing him too. Me in my 30s and him in his 70s !!! We’d always have a laugh about it at the end. – Aoiffe Kerrigan.
And I’m another guilty of racing him too – he got me last year in the Dunboyne 4 mile and came over to me at the 5k in Bohermeen and he told me he couldn’t catch me. He was a gentleman. RIP – Norma Farrell.
I’ve known Jim my entire running life, a lovely man and always had time for a chat, a cheer if I was racing and a big thanks after the race if he was racing and I cheered him on. Sad to see one so kind go so soon. – Deirdre Fitzsimons.
With thanks to Donore Harriers for this photo.
