31/05/2025
🖋 RACE REPORT
The forecast Gods were proven correct when, after days of basking in the sunshine, Saturday morning began in an overcast, rather cool manner. Soon after the mist set in. The fingers were crossed that the expected heavy rain would hold off for a few more hours.
The inflatable arches went up, the tunes put on and registration area was set-up. There was a quick dash over the mountain section – thanks Cormac – to ensure the signs and flags were in place while our stewards for the road and for parking assembled into position.
By 9.30 our 27 walkers were ready for action. We had one more walker on the way down from Galway, Nonie McEvoy and her daughter Olivia who would be running. Nonie’s plan was to set off as soon as they arrived, and we’ll return to Nonie later.
Muintir Bhaire Sea Scouts were in place at Water Station 1 and welcomed the first of the walkers, guiding them across the road and towards the mile 2 marker. Muintir Bhaire Foroige were also getting themselves, and their supplies, set up at the second station at Goats Path Farm and Pod Park.
The runners were now milling around the bar and the registration team getting bibs sorted and numbers recorded.
Sarah Kelly was helping out here before the run started, but from here onwards, the start/finish committee will be referred to as SFC. It compromised of Kate, Art, Fra, Carmel and Colin, with Annie joining in later.
Perhaps it was a manifestation of pre-race nerves – Margaret Whooley wasn’t walking or running, but was the kitchen leader as they set about getting the food/tea/coffee ready for later. In a moment of blind rage, she was about to call the guards as the participants gathered around the garden.
“I’m sick of it. Yes, the extension looks good, but I WILL NOT stand for the paparazzi sneaking in to take pictures of my home. It’s a scandalous invasion of my privacy”
“Put down the phone. That’s Annette Logan, your neighbour, and she has agreed to give up her time to take photos of the event.”
“Oh…I see. I’m mortified…just don’t ever mention this to anyone.”
“Mum’s the word.”
There was plenty of pre-race chatter among the athletes, with people coming from varying distances to take part. Regular attendee Declan Bevan crossed county bounds from Kerry, while Newmarketwest and Charleville were other places mentioned.
Juan Carlos Celis Pinto from Colombia could only smile as the Irish athletes thought they were clocking up the mileage.
Chef Tom Moloney, who made the pilgrimage from the other pub in Ahakista, Arundel’s, was in bullish form. The first to sign up for the event, he adopted a unique approach, deciding to taper 12 months out, though at least looked the part with his CamelBak pack that he gathered from a friend.
His wife Anna was less confident.
“Don’t get me wrong, Tom’s a grate guy, and soup-er kind, but he’s going to knead a lot of help on the mountain. The lack of preparation could be a recipe for disaster.”
Nonie had now arrived after the lengthy journey from Galway. We got her started before the runners took off, taking her onto the course towards the first walking man sign.
“Could I get lost?” she asked.
“Anything is possible,” I suggested. “There are walking man signs, arrows and pink flags, so you should be fine. The runners will be coming past shortly.”
As she walked off, with the cloud cover getting worse and the mist getting heavier, I couldn’t help but feel Nonie’s journey would be colourful.
The powercut (short-lived) and damp conditions was making the job of the SFC all the more challenging, but they seemed to rise to the occasion.
Before we knew it, the first walker, Patrycja Daly, crossed the line in a time of 2:35.14.
At this point, my son Rory walked over with a bemused expression on his face.
“Father, each year the times of the top walkers indicate that there must also be running involved. I’m struggling to comprehend why they don’t go with the runners, as each year the times are faster than some of the runners themselves.”
It was an excellent point that belied the fact he’s only three.
“Father, would it be fair to suggest that, while my vocabulary is improving, this is a total fabrication of our conversation. It’s almost as if you are putting words in my mouth here to make a subtle point in the hope that walkers will remain as just walkers? Would that be a fair assessment as you seek to maintain the integrity of the event?”
The SFC had now moved into the garden, shrugging off the inclement weather. Fra’s manual recording of times was now suffering, the sodden pages stuck together as one.
Kate and Art were hovering over the laptop, with Cian popping over every now and then for technical issues, with the umbrella providing some respite for the technology. They were alert to all eventualities, such as walker Finola Healy cutting her walk short.
Fiona travelled down from Ballycotton – an impressive 140km, but no Colombia – with her husband Brian after taking part the previous year.
Brian, a member of the Dublin Marathon Organising Committee, was fulsome in his praise for the Sheep’s Head Challenge after he dried out from the run and took his rehydration very seriously in the pub later.
“The Dublin marathon is fine, but this is the real deal,” he was thought to have said.
60 runners, plus another late starter, took off after a quick race briefing and now everyone was on the course.
Nick Hogan, winner of the two previous events, was a late withdrawal due to work commitments and soon there were four runners jostling at the front.
Owen Fetherstonhaugh, Conor O’Leary, Cathal Prior and John Cronin – a podium finisher the last two years – glided past water station 1.
They were followed by Enda Fitzmaurice, third in 2024. Marie Piggott made a powerful start to lead the women through, with Katherine Howard also starting well.
With the runners past the early stages, there was still no sign of Nonie. It turns out that within a minute of asking me if she could get lost, she duly did. She came back on herself and tail walker Cathal was able to guide her from there.
Water Station 2 offered a quick break for the walkers, and those runners not hell-bent on times.
Photographer Annette traipsed up the start of the mountain section to get some great snaps of people battling the elevation and elements.
Owen Fetherstonhaugh began to pull clear and looked all set for victory before coming a cropper at the very last turn, turning up towards the car park rather than right for home.
That allowed Conor O’Leary move into the lead in the final 150m and finish ahead of Owen in a winning time of 1:22.30, with Cathal Prior a further minute back in third.
Conor admitted there was a slice of fortune to his top place, while Owen was philosophical about the finish, singing the praises of a route he had never encountered before.
“Running the open mountain in those conditions is nearly more appealing to me than a clear day, especially when it's a race,” he said.
Marie Piggott was the standout female runner, crossing the line in 1:39.35, with Katerine Maeve Quinlan (1:55.14) and Katherine Howard (1:55.38) following her home.
Shortly before the heavy rain kicked in, and with nearly everyone accounted for, we had a quick look through the entrants. With Noel Lane and Mairead Morrissey crossing the line, it left only Nonie out on the course, getting personal guidance from Cathal.
“They are gone an awful long time,” one member of the SFC commented, the inference there for all to hear.
“Is Nonie married?” enquired another.
“Yes,” barked Olivia who had earwigged into the conversation at an opportune time, “to my father.” The SFC was, for the first time, short on words.
“Just as well,” I added, “Kilcrohane would be known for producing some questionable characters over the years.”
“Declan, isn’t your mother from Kilcrohane?
“I rest my case.”
The D’hondt family, with half a dozen represented between adults and kids, pushed their claims to be Ireland’s fittest family.
Sixth position went to Paul Griffin, a dozen positions and 15 minutes ahead of his brother-in-law Dave Finn, who credited his own performance to wearing a mankini under his running gear. We have been led to believe that the two lads, owing to the fact they are married to two sisters, are affectionately known and Paul and Dave Murphy.
Leon Whelton sealed another top-10 finish, regular Mary Falvey kept up appearances at the event, Joe Kelly bounced back from a recent injury in some style while Ruth Burke thrived in the conditions, possibly knowing she was going to be drier than in her tent later that night with three children.
Annette Kelly, who went to the extreme length of doing her first marathon last year in Dublin as a form of preparation for the west Cork trek, navigated the course without a single mishap for the first time.
A massive thanks to all those that helped out. It is a small, community-based event and can only survive through volunteers and participant goodwill.
A decade later, we’re still going strong. Roll on 2026.
