The inaugural Glengarriff 5k parkrun was held on Saturday 2nd January 2016 and it celebrated its 10th birthday on the 3rd of January 2026!
This event like the other parkruns in Ireland is a community based free event and it has been a huge success in that it has allowed a huge number of people to get some exercise in a safe environment on a Saturday morning.
The most recent event on the 3rd of January 2026 was the 419th edition and this is what the weekly numbers look like for the last 10-years...
You can see the initial surge in 2016 due to the novelty factor and then it settled down to a lower figure.
It looks as if 2020 was on track to be a good year for numbers but of course, that came to a halt with the pandemic restrictions in March of that year.
It's a bit hard to see any trends with all the 'noise' from the data so let's look at the average weekly numbers on a calendar year basis...
This chart shows the initial surge in 2016, the decline in 2017 and then a steady growth in numbers up to 2019.
I wouldn't read too much into the 2020 spike as it was largely due to the usual surge in numbers in January and February as people set out new years resolutions to get fitter. The lower numbers from all the events later in the year are missing and that would have brought down the 2020 average.
Post pandemic, the event restarted in September of 2021 and again, that figure is a bit on the low side as the January / February surge is missing. The steady recovery from 2022 onwards can be seen up to 2024.
It's interesting to note that the weekly average for 2025 was down by about 3 on the figure for 2024. It's not a big drop but it does suggest that the era of annual growth in numbers is over.
Why the drop in 2025??? Some possible reasons...
a) Tourist numbers from the UK to Ireland dropped 4% in 2025 compared to 2024. Considering how popular parkrun is in the UK, many tourists might take in a local parkrun while they're vising west Cork.
b) Glengarriff itself is quite small and a number of people from towns like Kenmare and Bantry probably visit most weeks. Is the higher cost of fuel and travel a factor?
c) Or is it just natural variability? Is an average of about 75 participants per week the natural number that an event like this in west Cork will attract?
Do parkrun numbers really matter??? For road races and the like with online entries, chip timing, prizes, refreshments, etc, a certain number of people need to enter before the race breaks even. For 5k parkruns which are free, that's not the case.
Perhaps the one possible benefit is that there is a larger pool of people which might make getting volunteers every week easier?
Link... If you're thinking of visiting the Glengarriff parkrun then you can find all the details here... https://www.parkrun.ie/glengarriff/
I picked Glengarriff to do my 100th parkrun and it certainly didn't disappoint. Glengarriff Woods is a lovely location for a run and the course is one big 5k loop as opposed to multiple laps. Recommended.
Addendum: The old course had quite a tough hill. The new 'flatter' course was introduced on the 5th of October 2019. Looking at the results back then, it doesn't seem to have had any immediate impact in terms of numbers.
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