Archive for May, 2013

Calling all Clonliffe Ladies past and present….we are kicking off our 50^th celebrations at Morton Stadium on Thursday the 4^th of July.

It was an historic occasion in October 1963 when at that years A.G.M it was decided to welcome women members to the then predominately all male Clonliffe Harriers Athletic club. Within a month of this decision a small band of young women began training on a regular basis at the stadium, many of who went on to be the national and international female stars of the sixties and seventies.

(Pictured: Ladies first: December 1963, the historic 1st race)

Nick-named the ‘Morton Marvels’ these ‘Lassies’ were ‘encouraged away from their knitting’ to train three or four times a week at the stadium and by mid-December 1963 they were competing in their first Club event. This race was run on Santry lane over a distance of 600 yards attracting up to thirty competitors. The race was won by Claire Dowling, ‘a clerk from Guinness’s’, in 1min 37.5 secs.

Clonliffe Harries has developed and promoted women’s athletics over the 50 years since this momentous beginning and we are proud of the achievements of all our women at every level of athletics up to and including their participation at the Olympic Games.

On the 4^th of July next we are running a celebratory 600yards race on the track at Santry starting at 7.30

So, ‘Come on Girls’ both past and present join us on the evening. Come for a walk, a jog, a run or sprint. But most of all come for the chat. Join in with our stars of yester years; our young stars of the future; Olympians Claire Walsh, Patrice Dockery, Ann Keenan-Buckley; cross country champions Ann O’Brien, Kathryn Davis and Mary Donohue to name but a few who have worn the ‘black and amber.

Following our amble on the track there will be a cuppa in the clubhouse……….

Do please spread the word

. To keep as many of our members past and present up to date with our celebration news can you please pass on mobile numbers and/or emails contacts to one of the following contacts.

Futher enquiries to

Noreen Keane 0876846662  nkeane@eircom.ie

Kathryn Walley (0872475321/kathrynwalley@hotmail.com)

Pamela Cooper 0861503015 pamelacooper2002@yahoo.co.uk

Wanted: photos going back through the years. Please contact Noreen Keane.

Club members may collect their Athletics Ireland 2013 Membership Cards from Stephen Harkness in the clubhouse tomorrow, Tuesday 29th at 8.30pm. These cards will have your AAI Registration numbers which are needed to enter competition. Members are asked to collect them, members registration details are currently available from list on club notice board.