A pretty quiet weekend for the club’s athletes. Today’s Rathfarnham 5k saw Eoin Taggart have a good run to place 19th in a fast 15.35, Sean Doran was within striking distance 21st in 15.41. Other Clonliffe: David Brady 17.40, Thomas Frayne 18.01, Emma Cooper 19.45.
Missed midweek was Wayne Walker in the paced miles in Morton Stadium on Tuesday 2nd in 5.19.
Permalink
Permalink
Back in the 1970s Clonliffe Harriers held an invitational schools cross country event, won that year by St. Malachy’s College, Belfast. The event continued right through to the 1990s but in 1994, when coincidently St. Malachy’s again prevailed, with ongoing development work at Santry Woods the absence of a venue meant that the event was largely consigned to history.
Enter, however, Brother ten years ago when in 2008 Brother sponsored the Morton Memorial Meet which was an international Track and Field Meet held in the Morton Stadium to mark the 50th anniversary of Herb Elliot’s world record set in 1958 in Santry. By an extraordinary coincidence 1958 was also the year Brother came to Ireland so both the 1958 Herb Elliot mile and Brother in Ireland were marking 50 years.
Brother most generously commenced sponsoring the revived Clonliffe Schools Cross Country from 2009 and the Brother Schools XC was born.
In two week`s time, October 10th for the 10th successive time Brother will sponsor this fantastic event. This will also mark Brother’s 60th year in Ireland.
Santry Demesne Park, rear of Morton Stadium, Swords Road, Dublin 9 is the venue. Invitations have issued to schools. If you did not receive an Invitation but would like one please contact us now clonliffeschoolsxc@gmail.com
Since 2009 the event has grown from 800 competing to last year when almost 2000 young athletes from schools all over Ireland competed in the Brother Schools Cross Country.
In these last ten years the event has seen many of Ireland’s up and coming young athletes compete in that event many of whom have gone on to represent Ireland at the highest level including Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner who has competed for Ireland in both the European and World Championships.
This is an invitation only event and only schools who have been invited and who have confirmed their participation may compete, schools please note that entries must be with us by October 3rd (this day next week). Please note, however, that individuals, who are not part of a schools team, may enter on the day.
The Brother Schools XC is the first big schools invitational of the year and always provides top class entertainment within the beautiful surroundings of Santry Demesne Park which was the venue for the 2009 European Cross Country Championships. The course features the iconic finish through the avenue of trees, all of which remain standing having stood up to the best that storm Ali could muster.
Action will get underway at 12 noon with the 5th class primary schools girls race. There will be four primary schools races to be followed by the secondary school programme commencing at 1 p.m. with minor girls and in the schools programme there will be a total of eight races in all age groupings for both boys and girls. The iconic “Brother at Your Side” t shirt awaits all finishers.
Finally any club member or parent of a club member we need you! Please if you can come on the day text Noel 0879599888.
Permalink
Ulrik Nyberg reports from Somewhere in Ireland: Very excited about what the destination of the Magical Mystery Tour might be, about 40 young Clonliffe athletes entered the team bus early yesterday, Sunday, morning together with their coaches. After a long and adventurous journey through the beautiful countryside around Naul, which included race bicycle counting, singing and many “are we there yet?”-questions, we reached our destination Stamullen, Co. Meath where Star Of The Sea AC held their 30th annual cross-country meeting.
We had runners in all the youngest age groups from U/9s and upwards. Some of our athletes ran their first cross country race ever and everybody really put in great efforts. Before getting back on the bus for some more singing and a “treat stop”, we enjoyed a picnic lunch together in the autumn sunshine.
All together it was a great day out with lots of fun and bonding between athletes and coaches. Gladys is planning more Magical Mystery Tours so: Roll up! Roll up!
Permalink
So the busy weekend continued today with a number of Clonliffe athletes in action again. After Dave Flynn`s fast half marathon yesterday Sergiu Ciobanu put in a fast one today. Sergiu was 4th in a red hot Charleville Half Marathon won by John Travers (Donore) Sergiu running 66.47.
On the country Sean Doran was 4th in the Star of the Sea 6k cross country (20.35). In the USA Hope Saunders was 233rd for Wichita State in the Chile Pepper XC Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
No news yet from the juveniles Magical Mystery Tour today. Is no news good news?
To complete a great day`s running for Clonliffe today a troop of Harriers headed to the Wee County for the annual Blackrock 4 Mile Road Race this evening. It was another extremely successful exercise.
In a completive field the Black `n`Amber were very much to the fore with Colm Rooney, Aaron Hanlon, Sean O`Leary, Cathal Doyle and Efrem Gidey in the lead pack at the end of the first 2 mile lap. Coming back into the ain street on the sea front Rooney had bolted and won in a very pace 19.13. 3rd was Aaron Hanlon 19.27, in an excellent 4th was Sean O`Leary 19.29 with Cathal Doyle next in 19.39.
The rest of the crew: Efrem Gidey recorded 20.13, Aaron Cullen an impressive 20.58, Jordan Byrne 21.26, Daniel Lacey 22.17, Ryan Sheridan 22.18, Thomas Baltzar 22.28, Ben Guiden 22.43, Greg Hossenny 22.47 and Ian McAlweeney 23.01.
Permalink
David Flynn was a class apart in this morning`s Airtricity Dublin Half Marathon in the Phoenix Park. Flynner put in an outstanding run to win in 66.21, over three and a half minutes clear. This was a 10 second pb and with the Dublin Marathon only some five weeks away he`s looking good to be well in the mix.
The top 3 from the 50 plus Clonliffe Harriers in the race were: David Flynn 66.21, Dermot Faughnan 80.52 and Stephen Tracey 82.39. First Clonliffe woman was Rachel Eustace 6th and 2nd F35 in 87.07.
Full results use link: https://www.tdleventservices.co.uk/event-results/events
The Clonliffe girls took in the St. Anne`s Parkrun this morning. There was a wonderful turnout of athletes all suitably attired in their Clonliffe club colours. All were having their first runs of the season so it was a most worthwhile outing with all putting in fine efforts.
“Star Baker” today was Sarah Bateson going sub 20 for the first time, 19.59, with another star performancer being Ella Cooley who ran almost a minute faster today than her fastest over this route in March going from 23.50 to 22.59! Special mention also of former Harrier Kate Hession back in the fold(?), Ale Hernandez back in her real home after her Summer in Madrid, Katie Halpin running her first race after injury for 2018 and the Special One Abbie Sheehy. Well done also the Newbies Lara, Naoise, Hollie, Amy and Amy.
Results: Sarah Bateson 19.59, Ale Hernandez 20.06, Aoife Hession 20.30, Hannah Browne 22.01, Ella Brown 22.11, Naoise Cullen 22.35, Lara Gallagher 22.38, Katie Halpin 22.41, Vicki McDonnell 22.47, Ella Cooley 22.59, Tess Loftus 23.48, Amy Sheehy 24.32, Cara Curren Beggs 25.12, Amy Daly 25.32, Kate Hession 25.40, Hollie Foy 26.28.
Permalink
Gladys has cancelled training for the younger juvenile athletes tonight due to on going weather issues. Training for others continues as normal.
Permalink
The phenomenal world marathon record set last Sunday by Eliud Kipchog of 2.01.39 would not have been possible without the involvement of former Clonliffe Harrier Josphat Boit. Boit was one of the team of pacemakers put in place for the record attack, however, at 15km things were looking a little uncertain as two of the three pacemakers had gone leaving Boit as the sole pacemaker. Undeterred, however, Boit stuck to the task taking Kipchog through 20 km in 57.56 and then to halfway in 61.06, a mere 6 seconds off the hoped for split.
All of ten years ago now Boit, who was a training partner of Alistair Cragg arrived in Dublin and joined Clonliffe Harriers. Throughout that summer of 2008 and indeed into 2009 he was the dominant athlete on the roads of Dublin winning road race after road race including notably the Dublin 10 mile in the Phoenix Park in 49.22. An impressive time for ten miles in the best of venues but in Dublin’s hilly Phoenix Park was sheer class.
At the National senior track and field championships in 2008 he became the 3rd Clonliffe athlete to win the national 10,000 winning in Morton Stadium in 29.44.55.
Also that year at the Morton Memorial Meet (later to become the Morton Games) he won the 3 mile, as Clonliffe marked the 50th anniversary of the World Mile and Three Mile records set in Santry back in 1958.
The Kenyan athlete became a US citizen in 2012 boasts times in his armoury for 3000 of 7.43.30, 5000: 13.17.12 and 10,000 of 27.40.64. He moved up to the marathon and in 2014 recorded a time in Boston of 2.12.52.
(2008, National 10,000 Champion Josphat Boit, Clonliffe Harriers)
