All of 15 years ago today, October 31st 2005 the Clonliffe women’s team were the ones to beat in the National marathon on the streets of Dublin. That Holloween the women’s team successfully defended their National title and it must be said with some ease.
It was an awful day for that year’s race, lashing rain from the start with the rain only abating at half way. It had been blowing a gale all weekend but by Monday morning the wind had thankfully eased. The club’s women’s section had enjoyed a revival in the marathon around those years and came into the race confident of a good showing. Newly minted Clonliffe Harrier Carolyn Dobbyn in her debut for Clonliffe was superb finishing 6th woman in the race and 3rd in the National to win bronze with a 2.51.35 run. Next in was Aisling Coppinger 3.15.57 and then Bronagh Ni Bhrian 3.23.43 those three combining to win National team gold, ahead of Tallaght AC and Donore Harriers. As an aside at the club AGM, the following month Bronagh was elected ladies captain!
Even more impressive was the performance of Patrice Dockery who once again won the women’s wheelchair race, burning rubber on the capital’s streets despite the terrible conditions (2.34.26) Patrice was one of the country’s top Paralympic athletes who represented Ireland at an unbelievable 6 Paralympic Games, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
1st Clonliffe man home that day was Eddie Coughlan 2.39.38.