Results of the Rosscarbery Surf, Turf n Tar Half-Marathon & 10k - Sat 25th Apr 2026

The annual Rosscarbery Surf, Turf n Tar Half-Marathon & 10k was held on Sat 25th Apr 2026 on what was a fine dry day.

There were 220 finishers in the half-marathon which is down a bit on last year while the 10k seems to be growing in popularity with 739 this year.

Half-Marathon - Top 3 men & women...

1 Conor O'Leary Clonakilty M40   1:25:05 1381
2 Jerome O'Brien Drimoleague MS   1:27:39 1114
3 Barry Kelly Cork MS   1:28:11 172
8 Julie O'Brien Durrus AC F40   1:33:10 1325
10 Karen Walsh Cork F45   1:34:03 1398
15 Emer Perkins Castlefreke FS   1:37:47 1150

Half results HERE

10k - top 3 men & women...

1 Liam Cotter UCC AC MS     35:37 819
2 Michael Dullea Skibbereen AC MS     35:51 895
3 Thomas Heising MS     39:09 959
12 Rachael O'Shea Cork Track Club AC FS     44:49 620
20 Genevieve Collins Beara AC FS     45:38 796
24 Nicole Harrington FS     46:19 996

10k results HERE

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 25th Apr 2026

Results of the 5k parkruns around the county on Saturday 25th April 2026. Approximately 1274 runners and walkers took part in the 11 events in Co Cork.

Report... The overnight rain had cleared in plenty of time for this weeks 5k parkruns in Co Cork. The satellite photo shows blue skies and sunshine in Cork City, Mallow and in the east of the county while it cloudier in west Cork.

Tramore Valley Park... Tramore Valley turned out to be the largest parkrun this week with 302 finishers. This is the 4th time this year it has passed the 300 mark.

Glen River... 

Ballincollig... Wow! Well done to Maretta Brennan who becomes the first person in Cork to earn 500 parkrun volunteer credits! Maretta has been volunteering at the 5k parkrun and 2k junior parkrun events to amass this total.

Midleton... There was a huge jump in numbers for the Midleton parkrun this week with friends of the late Ann Kelleher taking part in memory of her. This was the third highest turnout ever for this event and the Midleton event was the second highest in Cork this weekend.

Sonia O'Sullivan with friends of the late Ann Kelleher

Macroom... 

Bere Island... 

If I missed anyone who passed a notable milestone like 100, 200, 250 or above parkruns then let me know.

Upcoming milestones....

a) Tramore Valley Park - 200th event - 2nd May 2026

***

Ballincollig Regional Park:  292 this week, 290 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Brian COLLINS Male SM25-29 18:46

2 Jack CONNOR Male SM25-29 19:41

3 Jure ZECEVIC Male SM30-34 19:52

11 Patricia VICARIO Female VW45-49 21:24

18 Helen CRONIN Female VW45-49 Eagle A.C. 22:01

21 Rhea TUMMON Female SW30-34 22:14

Ballincollig results... https://www.parkrun.ie/ballincollig/results/421/

Tramore Valley Park: 302 this week, 286 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Darren MCCANN Male VM35-39 17:21

2 John MULVIHILL Male VM45-49 18:45

3 Unknown

18 Jean O'DRISCOLL Female SW30-34 21:19

22 Alice O REGAN Female SW20-24 21:48

31 Helen WALSH Female VW50-54 Togher AC 22:19

Tramore Valley Park results... https://www.parkrun.ie/tramorevalley/results/199/

Glen River: 45 this week, 80 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Colin MORRISON Male VM50-54 20:12

2 Glen HOARE Male VM45-49 21:06

3 Donal FALLON Male VM40-44 Mt. Hillary AC 21:47

14 Eileen KENNY Female VW75-79 25:16 

17 Amanda HARRIS Female VW50-54 Nuneaton Triathlon Club 27:06

19 Helen LEONARD Female VW50-54 Leevale AC 27:17

Glen River results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glenriver/results/308/

Midleton Greenway: 301 this week, 154 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Michael BRUTON Male SM30-34 17:43

2 Chris MINTERN Male SM30-34 17:50

3 Brendan MAGUIRE Male VM45-49 18:39

35 Sonia O'SULLIVAN Female VW55-59 22:55

52 Jessica BRUTON Female VW35-39 Leevale AC 24:21

58 Frances RING Female VW55-59 Millstreet Athletic Club 24:41

Midleton Greenway... https://www.parkrun.ie/midletongreenway/results/63/

Mallow Castle: 76 this week, 95 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Thomas BROWNE Male SM20-24 17:29

2 Tobi GRAB Male VM45-49 Úlla ag Rith 18:56

3 Vinny GRIMES Male VM35-39 19:19

10 Edel BUCKLEY Female VW40-44 22:58

13 Doireann FRAWLEY Female JW15-17 23:07

17 Lisa GRIMES Female SW30-34 24:32

Mallow results... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowcastle/results/226/

Youghal (Pobalscoil na Tríonóide) : 42 this week, 43 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Ciaran MITCHELL Male VM35-39 21:05

2 Conor SHEEHAN Male JM15-17 21:52

3 Brendan COLEMAN Male VM45-49 21:57

8 Laura BEAUSANG Female JW11-14 22:56

11 Cait DELANEY Female SW25-29 23:34

13 Josephine O SULLIVAN Female VW45-49 24:02

Youghal results... https://www.parkrun.ie/pobalscoilnatrionoide/results/207/

Macroom Castle Demense: 49 this week, 55 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Conor LUCEY Male VM40-44 19:03

2 Jude MURPHY Male SM18-19 20:35

3 David BRADLEY Male JM15-17 20:40

22 Meena VERMA Female VW35-39 28:40

24 Mary ODONOGHUE Female VW50-54 28:49

25 Marian O SULLIVAN Female VW45-49 29:57

Macroom results... https://www.parkrun.ie/macroomcastledemesne/results/574/

Clonakilty:  35 this week, 53 last week. 

First 3 men & women...

1 Lennart LINDENFELD Male JM15-17 20:33

2 Barry KIRBY Male SM25-29 20:42

3 John HEFFERNAN Male VM50-54 21:15

6 Kate WHELTON Female JW15-17 24:10

8 Eibhlín MURPHY Female JW15-17 24:18

9 Luisne DÉISEACH Female JW15-17 24:20

Clonakilty results... https://www.parkrun.ie/clonakilty/results/529/

Glengarriff Woods: 89 this week, 86 last week.

Top 3 men & women...

1 Finn CONNER Male JM15-17 22:23

3 Gareth THOMAS Male VM70-74 23:21

5 Michael O'CALLAGHAN Male SM20-24 25:45

2 Lorraine O SULLIVAN Female VW45-49 22:51

4 Pippa O SULLIVAN Female JW15-17 25:38

9 Sheelagh O DONOVAN Female SW18-19 26:31

Glengarriff results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glengarriff/results/451/

Bere Island: 24 this week, 55 last week. 

First 3 men & women...

1 Breeda O SULLIVAN Female VW55-59 Beara AC 24:17

3 Nina MURPHY Female VW35-39 25:05

4 Mags O NEILL Female VW45-49 Beara AC 26:14

2 Colin GLEESON Male VM70-74 Beara AC 24:45 

5 Alfie HARRINGTON Male JM10 26:50

6 Michael O'DRISCOLL Male VM70-74 27:27

Bere Island results... https://www.parkrun.ie/bereisland/results/542/

Castlehaven (Rineen Woods): 19 finishers this week, 15 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Patrick GEARY Male SM25-29 20:30

2 Niall O'CONNOR Male VM50-54 West Cork Triathlon Club (WCTC) 22:28

3 Aaron ROSS Male SM25-29 22:50

11 Frances LYNCH Female VW60-64 Sanctuary Runners 29:53

12 Celine BUCKLEY Female VW55-59 Castlehaven GAA 31:08

16 Catherine BAILEY Female VW45-49 34:16

Castlehaven results... https://www.parkrun.ie/castlehaven/results/462/

For more information about the weekly 5k parkruns in Co Cork, go to this page HERE.

Guest Post: Well earned ...by Pat Walsh

 * Well earned *

Beautiful spring weather and great to be alive and outdoors. I dug some of the vegetable patch today to get the plot ready for the onions and courgettes. I need to rake it next before I plant. Then weeding, watering, harvesting and drying just to have a few onions for winter. A bit of physical effort in the fresh air. Working with our hands in the soil, a time to think and be free from the world. A chat with the robin who thanked me for opening a free takeaway of worms with such a glorious song. 

If I had a literary bone I could invoke the spirit of Heaney, McGahern or Kavanagh and wax lyrical about the loamy brown fertile soil of East Cork crumbling in my fingertips but I can’t. It would be easier and cheaper to go to the supermarket and buy a few onions. But where is the satisfaction in that. 

What has all this to do with running you ask? Everything really.

We train, we plan, we start something and bring it to a conclusion by finishing a race and all you might get is a banana. But it isn’t any banana. It is one you have earned and cannot be bought. 

It isn’t the intrinsic value of whatever we are handed, it is the joy and self satisfaction that you accomplished something worthwhile. Cherish that moment, you did it. In team sports it can be an overall effort that determines winning or losing but in running it is your win and you alone. 

The greater the effort, the longer time from inception to finish the more you should value the moment. Think of the physical and mental benefits the entire process has brought to you. The fresh air, the friendships, the laughs. We forget the tears. You cannot quantify the value of that.

In a world where we think we can buy everything then it is important to appreciate the things you can’t purchase. The next time a small child, who is helping at a race, hands you the banana, then know it is a special one. My banana. When I’m having steak and onions for dinner in the depths of winter I will still hear the robin singing his beautiful refrain.

‘Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests.
I’ll dig with it.’….. Heaney

Take care and be kind in a world of turmoil. No fossil fuels were burned in the garden today. 

#pwr

Friday jigsaw: Tramore Valley Park parkrun - 18th Apr 2026

For this weeks online jigsaw, we have a photo of some of early runners to turn up to the Tramore Valley 5k parkrun last Saturday.

This one has 176-pieces so it might take a bit longer than usual.

You can find it online HERE

First 500 Volunteer Milestone coming up on Sat 25th Apr 2026

A little bit of local parkrun history will be made on Saturday the 25th of April 2026 when Maretta Brennan becomes the first person in Cork to reach the 500 volunteer milestone mark at the Ballincollig 5k parkrun!

Notice: Bandon AC 5k road race - Thurs 30th Apr 2026

Update: The Bandon 5k is now sold out with six days to go.

Results of the Shandrum 4-mile road race - Thurs 23rd Apr 2026

The Shandrum 4-mile road race in N Cork was held on Thursday 24th of April 2026 on a dry evening. There was a recovery in numbers this year with 128 finishers.

Top 3 men & women...

1 Killian Lynch West Limerick AC   20:43 MS 348
2 Declan Guina West Limerick AC   21:09 MS 274
3 Padraig O'Donnell West Limerick AC  21:42 MS 398
5 Carol Finn Leevale AC  23:36 FS 460
19 Fiona Boyce North Cork AC     27:12 FS 297
20 Norma O'Sullivan Shandrum AC     27:45 FS 251

Full results HERE

Results of the Ballinotois 4-mile road race - Thurs 23rd Apr 2026

The 2026 edition of the Ballintotis 4-mile road race was held on Thurs 23rd of April in almost perfect conditions. 

A total of six athletes managed to break 20 minutes which shows the quality of the field including Niamh Allen pictured above who set a new national record for the distance.

There were almost 1200 finishers this year and almost identical to 2025. As the chart below shows, it was the third highest ever and the last three years have been very good with pretty much 1200 every year.

A typical club race might get something like 300 runners so the Ballintotis numbers just show how exceptional it is.

Top 3 men & women...

1 Jeremiah SHEEHAN #1145  MS North Cork A.C. M MS 19:18 
2 Sean DOYLE #673 M35 Cork City A.C. M MS 19:29 
3 David CARTER #583 MS Galway City Harriers A.C. M MS 19:36 
4 Niamh ALLEN #2 FS Leevale A.C. F FS 19:50 
22 Jessica COYNE #72 FS Leevale A.C. F FS 21:47 
24 Hannah STEEDS #1166 FS Leevale A.C. F FS 22:01 

Full results HERE

Photos...

1) Mick Dooley has some pre-races photos HERE and post race photos HERE

First 3 men (L-R)... Sean Doyle 2nd, Jeremiah Sheehan 1st & David Carter 3rd

First 3 women (L-R)... Jessica Coyne 2nd, Niamh Allen 1st & Hannah Steeds 3rd

Vivian Foley finishes 2nd M55 in 2026 Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon is one of the most prestigious marathons in the world with many runners needing to achieve a certain qualifying time for their age group before they can enter.

The 2026 event was held last Monday the 20th of April and there were approximately 29,000 finishers.

Cork runner Dr Vivian Foley managed to get on the podium in the very competitive M55 category with a second place finish and a time of 2h 37m 57s.

In 2025, Vivian managed to secure four national titles in the various Irish Championships from 5-miles to the marathon. See previous post.

Notice: Karen Fenton Memorial 5k in Ballinora - Sun 26th April 2026

The Karen Fenton 5K Memorial Run is scheduled to take place this year on Sunday 26th of April 2026 @ 11:30am. The location is for the 5k is in Ballinora which is just to the south of Ballincollig in the western part of Cork City.

Entries...You can enter online HERE

Update: Please note that the start time has been changed from 12:30pm to 11:30am.

Entries will also be taken on the day for the same price.

Lost & Found: Headphones at the Great Railway Run - Apr 2026

 "Message from EdFitzAgRith.... Hi Folks,did anyone leave a pair of headphones in the back of my jeep (the pacer jeep) at the Great Railway Run last Sunday?

If you did please email me at weerunaz1 AT gmail DOT com "

Notice: Cork BHAA Stryker 4 mile race in Carrigtwohill - Tues 28th Apr 2026

This 4 mile race in Carrigtwohill in East Cork is coming up on Tuesday the 28th of April at 7:30pm. 

Notice: Ballintotis 4-mile road race - Thurs 23rd April 2026

As the evenings gradually begin to get brighter, it's good to look forward to the Ballintotis 4-mile road race in east Cork. The race is on Thurs 23rd April 2026 at 7:45pm.

Enter HERE

Update from the organisers... Ballintotis 4 Mile Race - Thursday April 23rd - IMPORTANT TRAFFIC UPDATES

Please note - the race begins at 7.45pm

Due to very heavy traffic eastbound from Cork City, delays have built up on a daily basis on the approach to the Lakeview Roundabout in Midleton - As a result we are asking all participants travelling from this direction to please ALLOW AN EXTRA 30  MINUTES  for your journey.

Also commuters from the east should  note that there will be a stop and go system in operation either side of Castlemartyr from 7pm onwards.

Please follow the advice of the gardai and race stewards at all times.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Ballintotis -- resurfacing om the N25, between Midleton and Ballintotis -- 22/23/24 April

Results of the Bantry Flying 5-mile - Sun 19th Apr 2026

 Results HERE

Results of the Great Railway Run from Cork to Carrigaline - Sun 19th Apr 2026

Tadhg O'Sullivan of Glanmire AC managed to  stay ahead of the chasing pack to win by a 49s margin

After all the rain of recent weeks, it was a stunning day for this years Great Railway Run from Cork City to Carrigaline with blue skies and sunshine.

Top 5 men & women...

1 Tadhg O'Sullivan Glanmire AC 1:25:05 MS 664  
2 Brian Murphy Iveragh AC 1:25:54 MS 837  
3 Barry Twohig St Finbarrs AC 1:25:56 M45 751  
4 Donal Coakley Glanmire AC 1:28:03 MS 760  
5 Jean-Jacques Jordaan Togher AC 1:31:26 MS 487  
7 Michelle Finn Leevale AC   1:32:21 FS 798 Course Record
13 Niamh Moore Leevale AC 1:35:47 FS 474  
15 Andrea Aza Villamor Glanmire AC   1:36:13 FS 428  
48 Laura Noonan Tallow   1:43:55 F40 726  
53 Emma Noonan Crusaders AC   1:45:04 FS 536  

Full results HERE

As the chart shows above, it was also a record year for numbers as the event grows in popularity.

Photos... 

1) There are roughly 450 photos up on the Running in Cork Facebook page...
a) Album 1 b) Album 2 c) Album 3 d) Album 4 e) Album 5 f) Album 6 

2) Derek Costello has the following galleries...
part 1   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1514170244045442&type=3
part 2   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1514176150711518&type=3
part 3   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1514185267377273&type=3
part 4   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1514193330709800&type=3
part 5   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1514199770709156&type=3
part 6   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1514205920708541&type=3
part 7   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1514212997374500&type=3

Passage West with 13k to go...

The main man Jerry Forde stopped for a quick photo