Ongoing numbers for the Glengarriff and Castlehaven parkruns

Following on from the post about the second anniversary of the Bere Island parkrun, I had a look at the numbers for the other two parkruns in West Cork...Glengarriff and Castlehaven. Both began in January of 2016 and the numbers are shown below.

Glengarriff 5k parkrun...

As you can see from the chart above, it started off with the usual surge that accompanies most new parkruns but it took quite a while for the numbers to drop off. In June, they were pretty poor before recovering somewhat during the tourist season in August.

I'm not exactly sure why the numbers were reasonable in March & April and so poor in June when the weather might be a bit nicer?

As the winter approaches, it'll be even more challenging for the numbers to hold up. One of the issues with Glengarriff is that it is pretty remote. The local population of Glengarriff is only about 800 and the nearest large town is Bantry (pop 3300) which is a 20 min drive away. Add in a return trip and that's 40 mins of driving for a 5k run.

Castlehaven 5k parkrun...

The numbers in Castlehaven have been more consistent than Glengarriff and this is probably due to the fact that it is only a 10 minute drive from the town of Skibbereen (pop 2500). It has been averaging about 40-50 per week for the last few weeks and shows no sign of dropping.

This was set up by a local GAA club so that may well be another source of local support.

If you are thinking of trying a new parkrun then both these ones are pretty nice. They are set in woodland and are worth the trip especially if it's a nice sunny day.

Results of the Bay Run Half-Marathon and 10k...Sun 15th May 2016

The annual Bay Run Half-Marathon in Bantry was held on Sunday the 15th of May 2016. As can be seen from the chart below, the numbers in the half were down 24% this year while the 10k numbers showed a bounce of 19%. The overall total was down 3% this year.

There were 183 in the half this year which is a long way from the nearly 1200 which turned up in 2011.

One of the most unusual features again this year is the numbr of women taking part in the 10k. At 69%, it's way higher than the usual 45% or so in most 10k races.

Half-Marathon...
1 Alan O'Shea (242)    01:12:38    All Ages  (1)    Male  (1)
2 Michael Morgan (236)    01:17:18    All Ages  (2)    Male  (2)
3 Michael Harrington (229)    01:17:27    All Ages  (3)    Male  (3)
9 Sarah HARTNETT (75)    01:32:59    All Ages  (1)    Female  (1)
10 Geraldine O SHEA (159)    01:33:55    All Ages  (2)    Female  (2)
19 Esther MURPHY      01:38:42    All Ages  (3)    Female  (3)

10k...
1 Frank QUINLAN (693)    00:33:09    All Ages  (1)    Male  (1)
2 Mark CRONIN (533)    00:34:03    All Ages  (2)    Male  (2)
3 Alan LEHANE (605)    00:35:28    All Ages  (3)    Male  (3)
14 Aoife COUGHLAN (529)    00:43:34    All Ages  (1)    Female  (1)
17 Marie CONDON (523)    00:45:44    All Ages  (2)    Female  (2)
18 Maria HURLEY (584)    00:45:57    All Ages  (3)    Female  (3)

The full results can be seen HERE

...

Reminder...Mealagh Valley 10 mile & 5k next Sunday 22nd Feb 2015

Just a reminder that the Mealagh Valley 10 mile road race near Bantry in West Cork is coming up next Sunday the 22nd of February. While it is certainly one of the most challenging 10 mile courses out there, it is really a well organised event with all the local community getting involved.

There is also a 5k run if someone wants to run the shorter distance. It's a small bit hilly ;o) ......but it's almost impossible to find a flat course in this area.

You can pre-enter or enter on the day.

More info including previews of both courses in this earlier post.

The race website is... http://mealaghvalley.wordpress.com/

Bay Run Half-Marathon...€3000 donation to Bantry Hospice & post race interview

The Bay Run Half-Marathon takes place at the start of May every year on the Bank Holiday weekend. It was run by a commercial company for several years until they announced that the 2013 would be the last one. In 2014, it was taken over by the Maritime Hotel in Bantry from the old owners with the intention that any profits made would go to the local Bantry Hospice.

Back in late April of 2014 before the race, I had an interview on the website with James Cleary, race director of the Bay Run Half-Marathon & 10k in Bantry in West Cork.

In this follow up interview, I asked James some follow up questions about the 2014 race, the donation and some of the issues raised in the original interview.

1) ok James, first off lets look back at the 2014 Bay Run Half-Marathon & 10k. Some people complained afterwards about the car rally and the reckless antics of some of those drivers. Would you like to elaborate on that?..........Hi John, Thanks very much for the opportunity to chat again. We had a very successful year 1 but as with all events there is always room to improve – we did have a few comments mentioning the rally- in our defence we were informed by the rally director months in advance of the Bay Run events that the 10Km race would not be affected in anyway, yet their drivers and crew came booming towards runners and our event team. Some of them were very abusive towards our water station crews and we addressed this with them after the races. Having contacted the local rally representative we have been assured that the rally will not be using our route for the 10Km and we have assurances from them that their drivers will be more courteous towards other road users.

2) Now that you essentially have what is the first Bay Run Half for you under your belt as race director, what changes would you like to see happen? Is there anything that didn't work so well in 2014 and what will you change?...........I think we as a team pulled off a very enjoyable event and we have some phenomenally positive comments, feedback around Cork City and County was tremendous and we feel we have done enough to grow the event.

Some feedback given was on the below topics:
Water- there were comments on running out of water but we reviewed this and found it to be a minor issue- we didn’t run out; we did however have Powerbar branded cups available with both water and Powerbar energy drinks but people assumed that it was just energy drink and that we ran out of water we will have clear plastic cups as well as the bottled water for 2015.

Post event- We are investigating the cost of throwing on a spread of tea/ coffee, biscuits for after the race so there’s always room for improvement and we will always take on board people’s suggestions for due consideration.

Measurements: There were some comments about the course length; we have looked into this and after consultation with other event directors we will have all courses measured for next years event. This of course will be fully registered and measured with a Jones counter.

James Cleary (R) of the Maritime Hotel presenting a cheque for €3000 to the Bantry Hospice

3) In the previous interview, you mentioned that the Bay Run would raise funds for Bantry Hospice. I understand that a donation was made recently. Can you give me some details of that?...........Yes we were very pleased to be able to donate €3,000 to the hospice- see picture attached with Chairman Damien Moloney Bantry Hospice Receiving our cheque. It was a testament to all runners that took part and helped us raise valuable money for the Bantry Hospice but not only that; other charities benefited as well, Bru Colmbanus received cheques for various amounts all raised from runners on the Half Marathon & The Bay10Km; the Donal Walsh Live Life Foundation received donations and many more benefited from our events.

4) You also mentioned that you would publish a profit and loss account for the race so as to show where the funds are going. Can you show this?..........Absolutely - I’ve attached the P&L for the event year 1, the sole aim of the Bay Run events is to be as transparent as possible and hopefully people will recognise this gesture. Many other events throughout the country should provide a P&L for their events so people can see where the charity goes after covering the costs to run the events.

5) Now that the 2015 Bay Run Half-Marathon is just over 6 months away, what are your plans for it? Any big changes?..........Yes John, we announced our first ever Bay Marathon last month and we have 30 entries already so its going to be great to have Bantry’s first ever Marathon; there is a really good atmosphere around the town about the first marathon and it will allow us to raise more money for the Hospice thus providing a very good platform for other charities to benefit from people taking up the marathon challenge and helping their own charity that might be personal to them. I'd like to especially thank our sponsors Rowa Pharm., PowerBar, Red FM, O’Keeffe’s SuperValu Bantry and of course The Maritime Hotel & Leisure Club Maritime. Without their support the event wouldn’t exist.

Pleasure chatting with you as always John.

Results of the Bay Run Half-Marathon & 10k...Sun 4th May 2014

The Bay Run Half-Marathon & 10k was held in Bantry, West Cork on Sunday the 4th of May. The Half-Marathon attracted a field of 331 runners of which 43.8% were women. In the 10k, there were 241 taking part and an amazing 73% were women.

Half-Marathon...
1    Alan O'Shea 1:13:04 Senior Male
2    Eugene MCCARTHY 1:19:07 Ages 45-54 Male
3    Dermot RYAN 1:20:34 Ages 35-44 Male 
4    Mark CRONIN 1:23:01 Senior  (2)     Male
5    Michael BYRNE 1:23:06 Senior  (3)     Male
6    Nollaigh HUNTER 1:24:08 Ages 35-44 Female
34    Charlene WILEY 1:36:15 Senior Female
51    Noreen CROWLEY 1:39:10 Senior Female
52    Brigid HARTNETT 1:39:30 Ages 35-44 Female
53    Evelyn MULLINS 1:39:32 Ages 45-54 Female

10k results...
1    Denis Coughlen 35:34     Senior Male
2    Cillian Mchugh 41:05     Senior Male 
3    Niall HAYDEN 41:22     Senior Male 
4    Annemarie POWER 42:18     Ages 35-44 Female
11    Siobhan O CALLAGHAN 46:44     Ages 35-44 Female 
13    Lauren NOLAN 46:59     Senior Female

The full results can be seen HERE

Event notice...Bay Run Half-Marathon and 10k - Sun 4th May 2014

The Bay Run half-marathon in Bantry in West Cork started back in 2007 and has been held on the May Bank Holiday weekend since. Last year, it was announced that the 2013 race would be the last one. The event itself has traditionally attracted large numbers of people to the town of Bantry that weekend and the loss of the race would have meant a big fall off in trade for local hotels, B&B's and businesses.

To keep the race going, the local Maritime Hotel in Bantry took over the organising of the event with the aim of continuing to attract people to the town for that weekend. As well as the usual half-marathon, they have also added a 10k and a family 3k run in order to widen the appeal. They also changed the end of the race to make it more attractive

In terms of location, it's a stunning spot for the race and it would probably ideally suit people that want a weekend away as Bantry is central to the Beara, Mizen and Sheeps Head peninsulas.

The half-marathon is slightly unusual in that it is a point to point event as opposed to a loop. Runners are taken by bus from the town of Bantry to the start line in Glengarriff. The route itself takes in a loop through some woods near Glengarriff and then heading towards the finish line in Bantry.

This parts of Ireland is of course well known for it's hills and mountains and this is relected in the course. There are a few pulls along the route but of course, the advantage of this is the scenic view....

The photo above shows Garnish Island nestled in Bantry Bay with the mountains of the Beara Peninsula in the background. Sugarloaf mounatin with it's sharp sides looks very impressive  from here. It's a stunning part of west Cork with some of the best views in Ireland.

It's probably not the fastest of courses but for anyone who wants to make it part of a long weekend away, it's hard to beat. Entry to the race includes bus transfer and a dry fit t-shirt. The 10k option uses most of the same route and has a bus transfer and dry fit top as well.

The race website is http://www.bayrun.ie

More info in later posts...

Results of the Mealagh Valley 10 mile road race...Sun 9th Feb 2014

The annual Mealagh Valley 10 mile road race near Bantry in West Cork was held on Sunday the 9th of February.

Place Time Name Team Race Age Category min/mile
1 0:54:12 O'SHEA, Alan Bantry AC M 05:25.1
2 1:00:19 MARSHALL, Con St. Finbarrs AC M 06:01.8
3 1:03:05 LAFFAN, Tom Bandon AC M45 06:18.4
25 1:14:46 REGAN, Maura Eagle AC F35 07:28.5
27 1:16:00 HARRINGTON, Deirdre West Muskerry AC F40 07:35.9
32 1:17:22 CONWAY, Col unatt/Cork F40 07:44.1

The full results can be seen HERE

Updated...Reace report from Bantry AC...
Another great day with Bantry AthleticClub and the Mealagh Valley Community
Fantastic day today in the Mealagh - great buzz, great competition and great grub  Well done to all involved - both organisers and participants.As usual we got lucky with the weather and had some lovely sunshine after a bitter start to the day. We were delighted to welcome all those who travelled to compete in what has been described as the toughest 10 miler in the country but of course we are especially proud of our home winner Alan O'Shea, Bantry AC. It was great to see all the young people from Coláiste Pobal Bheanntraí out and active, remembering their friend Rachel along with the footballers from St Colums taking on a very tough cross valley 5k. The treasure hunt was a big hit with the u12s. It appears that between the three events, the catering, stewarding and general supporting almost everyone from the Mealagh took part today.What a great community. Go raibh fada buan sibh!

Rose Uí Shúilleabháin

Event notice...Mealagh Valley Ring 10 mile road race, Bantry - Sun 9th Feb 2014

This 10 mile road race is coming up in the Mealagh Valley near Bantry on Sunday the 9th of February 2014. Organised by Bantry AC, it has been measured accurately by Jones Counter and has an Athletics Ireland licence.

It's probably best described as a small but well organised 10 mile race in a small secluded valley near Bantry in West Cork.

Funds raised from the race go towards The Mealagh Valley Community and the Build4Life Cystic Fibrosis charity.

You can pre-enter HERE for €15 or on the day for €20.

Preview...You can see a preview of the route with maps, directions, photos, etc HERE

5 k Fun Run......For those who may find the thought of a hilly 10 mile race too tough then there is also a 5 km fun run on offer for runners, joggers and walkers.

Results of the Bay Run Half-Marathon...Sun 5th May 2013

A total of 518 runners and 75 walkers turned out for this year's Bay Run Half-Marathon in West Cork. The numbers were well down on last year with a 37% reduction in the number of runners (2012 = 827).

1 Sandis BRALITIS    01:09:32    01:09:30    Senior    Male    1
2 Alan O SHEA    01:12:12    01:12:10    Senior    Male    2
3 Gavin SWEENEY    01:12:23    01:12:21    Senior    Male    3
4 Claire GIBBONS-MCCARTHY    01:21:04    01:21:00    3544    Female    1
12 Nollaigh O'NEILL    01:25:36    01:25:31    3544    Female    2
1 Ann Marie HOLLAND    01:27:05    01:27:01    3544    Female    3

The full results can be seen HERE

Video...

Did you take part in this event? What did you think of it??? Click on the comment link below to leave your opinion.

Raising sponsorship for the Bay Run Half-Marathon....

For anyone interested in raising funds or running for a charity in the up and coming Bay Run Half-Marathon on the 6th of May, here is a message from the organisers...

Bay Run - Half Marathon is now in its 7th year and to date has helped raise in excess of EUR70,000 for local charities and organisations. On top of this amount many locals take part in the event in order to raise money for their chosen local charities which has proven invaluable to these organisations. Each year the water stations and finish line are marshaled by persons representing the various charities and organisations and each station receives EUR1000 directly from the event. Bay Run - Half Marathon has 5 stations that it contributes to annually. Clubs and societies that have benefitted through the years include: The Bantry Hospice Project, Co-Action, Glengarrif National School, Derrycreha National School (2nd water station annually), Bay Rovers FC, Atlantic Challenge and the National Training and Development Centre in Bantry. The organisers of Bay Run – Half Marathon have shown their commitment to the event by investing all surplus monies back into the half marathon each year and declared this is not a ‘for-profit’ event.

The sense of local involvement is reinforced by the local Bantry businesses that support the Bay Run, with chairman of the BBA Mr.Gearoid O Leary describing the Bay Run as a great kick start to a busy summer of festivals in Bantry in this particularly tough economic environment. The Mayor of Bantry Rory O’Callaghan, who will also be participating in the event, commented on the importance of the Bay Run as a great community event that encourages people to be active and healthy. He also welcomed the fact that the run brings significant business to the area early in the tourist season. This local encouragement for fitness can not be over stated with the growth of the Fit4Life group which now attracts 350 people and is catering for all levels of runners and walkers which will hope to participate in Bay Run ’12.

As Bay Run - Half Marathon continues to grow and be recognised by past participants by being voted as the best half marathon in Munster for 2011 on the Running in Cork blog, it has continued to increase its work with charities. This year the event is offering a 20% discount code to several national charities. Therefore anyone interested in taking part in Bay Run '12 and raising money for worthy causes can contact anyone of the following charities to avail of their discount:
MS Ireland
Irish Heart Foundation
Irish Cancer Society

If you represent a charity or know of a charity that would also like to work with Bay Run '12 please get in touch with Ronan by dropping an email to info@bayrun.ie. Bay Run '12 will take place on May 6th 2012 and you can enter via the website www.bayrun.ie. Each participant receives an Under Armour tech t-shirt, finishers medal and goodie bag.

Results of the Mealagh Valley 10 mile road race...Sun 12th Feb 2012

 Race director Geraldine O'Sullivan of Bantry AC with the race winners Alan O'Shea of Bantry AC and Maura Regan of Eagle AC. Proceeds from the race went towards local community projects and a Cystic Fibrosis unit in CUH.

Blue skies and sunshine greeted the runners to the Mealagh Valley and this 10 mile road race in west Cork. At times in the sun, it felt more like mid-April rather than mid February and a complete contrast to all of the snow and ice in the east of England just a few hundred kms to the east.

This was the third running of this particular event and it has re-affirmed it's status of the hardest 10 mile road race in the country! The first year I did this race, the hills were a complete shock ;o) The second year, I kind of remembered some of them but forgot that there were so many. This year, I knew exactly what lay ahead but it didn't make it any easier! Up and down and up and down.....certainly not a course for personal best times but it is what it say's it is...a challenge. A lot of the faces that were there last year were back again this year so they must be doing something right! ;o) It really is a unique race with a great community spirit set in a hidden corner of west Cork.

Results......The winner of the men's race was Alan O'Shea of Bantry AC in a time of 53:28, about three minutes slower than his time in Dungarvan two weeks earlier which shows just how tough the course was. In the ladies race, the winner was local Maura Regan of Eagle AC in a time of 69:25

The full results are HERE

Preview of the Mealagh Valley 10 Mile Road Race - Sun 12th Feb 2012

If you haven't entered this race then you can still enter on the day for €20. Proceeds from the race are going to local schools in the community and towards a Cystic Fibrosis unit in CUH in Cork City.

Getting there...The Mealagh Valley is a secluded area a few kms to the north-east of Bantry in west Cork. If you are travelling from say near Cork City then you need to allow plenty of time to get to Bantry....say 1h 30m and then another 15 mins or so to get to the parking area.

The easiest way to get there is probably via Bandon....Enniskeane....Dunmanway....Drimoleague....Bantry.

Directions from Cork : When you arrive in Bantry, follow the road for Glengarriff to the outskirts of the town and past Caseys filling station. Take next right at Donemark bridge...

Once you turn off right, you stay on this narrow road for about 8 kms. Just keep going straight.

Directions from Kerry : As you approach the outskirts of Bantry, follow N71 passing the golf club on the right. After a long bend in the road, take the next left and follow the road as above.

Parking........They will have special areas set aside for parking. Follow the stewards instructions on the day.

Please note! There is no need to go to the Community centre before the race. They will be taking entries at Cronin's Yard which is approx 200 metres from the start line. The entry fee is €20 and the last time for entries is 11:30am. If you have pre-entered then you can collect your race number at Cronin's Yard from 10am on. The race will start at 12 noon.

Note that walkers and wheelchairs will start at 11am!

Bag drop........They will also have van at the start line if you want to leave your warm up top or a bag in it. This will be waiting at the Community Centre when you finish.

Course...The Mealagh Valley is a lovely quiet scenic spot for a race. It does however come at a price in that the course is very hilly. It's certainly not a race to set a 10 mile PB but it should be considered as more of a challenge.

The start is on a narrow road as shown above but with the reasonable small numbers, that's not really an issue. You're straight into a hill from the start as you run up a slight hill and past the entrance to Cronins Farm.

From there, the road drops rapidly on the other side into a long downhill section. At the end, the road twists and turns in a series of short uphill and downhill sections until you come to the community centre.

Note that the finish line is just outside the centre. When you are finishing the race, you will be covering this part of the course again.

But first time around, you keep going! Past where the finish line will be and into another downhill section until you get to a narrow bridge over the Mealagh River which gives the valley it's name.

This is the lowest part of the course and just after the bridge, you come to the 1 mile mark. From here, the next 600 metres or so are really tough. It's all uphill but it changes from gradual to short steep secions and back again. The hardest part of the course is just before you reach the local primary school.....

If it looks steep then that's because it is! This is a really steep section but it's pretty short. At the top, you join another road...

The road now changes into a relatively flat section which will give you a chance to recover from all of that climbing. You are basically running along a road above the valley floor with a nice view of the surrounding area. It's not that the road is dead flat or anything like it but it is easier than the initial two miles. As you head up the valley, the road climbs but starts to drop after the 5 mile mark as you come to the next road junction...

From here, you are heading back down the valley again with views of the mountains of the Beara Peninsula way off in the distance. You might think at this stage that since you are heading back down the valley, it might get easier. Dream on! You get to around 7 miles and there is another long hill. Nothing drastic but still slow going.

Eventually, you get some fast downhill sections...

...and you eventually turn left and retrace your footsteps from the start towards the finish line.

Overall.....probably the toughest 10 mile road race in the country but it's a great spot when the weather is nice. As the organisers say, it's got everything except flat sections ;o)

The race director is Geraldine O'Sullivan and she can be contacted on 087 6173376 if you have any questions.

Bay Run Half-Marathon.....Please note that if you are interested in doing the Bay Run Half-Marathon from Glengarriff to Bantry on the 6th of May, there is a 20% discount to anyone taking part in the Mealagh Valley race by use of a special discount code.

Race notice...Mealagh Valley 10 mile road race - Sun 12th Feb 2012

This 10 mile road race is coming up on Sunday, the 12th of February at 12 noon. Located near Bantry in west Cork, the Mealagh Valley is a scenic location for this challenging 10 mile course.

The entry fee is €15 or €20 on the day. You can enter online HERE. For more information, call Geraldine on 087 6173376 or bantryac@gmail.com

Proceeds from the race go towards local schools in the valley and towards Build4life4kids, a Cystic Fibrosis fundraising group aiming to raise €2 million to provide a specialised kids unit within Cork University Hospital (CUH) in Cork City.

Please note that if you are interested in doing the Bay Run Half-Marathon from Glengarriff to Bantry on the 6th of May, there is a 20% discount to anyone taking part in the Mealagh Valley race by use of a special discount code.

Full preview of the race closer to the date...

Results of the Bantry 4 mile race - Mon 1st Aug 2011

This new 4 mile race in Bantry in west Cork attracted 39 entrants. The results were as follows....

West Cork Series/Bantry Hospice Project...6.4km/4 miles race
Place          Name                                  Number           Time
1              John Collins                        726                   23.57
2              Maura Regan                      730                   26.37
3              Frantisek Neupauer              728                   27.12
4              Stephen Holland                  719                   28.32
5              Donal McGrath                    816                   29.19
6              Paul Rogers                        805                   30.20
7              Eoin Fegan                         810                   30.40
8              Mark O’Neill                        713                   31.24
9              Andy Collins                        725                   31.33
10             Batt Keane                        722                   32.27
11             Padraig O’Sullivan                837                   33.02
12             Pauline Collins                     732                   33.42
13             Ciaran Browne                    839                   33.49
14             Niall O’Driscoll                     718                   33.50
15             Claire Rogers                      838                   33.57
16             Kathy O’Sullivan                  830                   34.26
17             Helen Carr                          811                   34.31
18             Denise Kelleher                    812                   35.34
19             Gerard O’Donovan                715                   35.47
20             Eileen O’Donoghue               709                   36.08
21             Mary B McCarthy                 734                   36.34
22             Cora Regan                        714                   36.35
23             Mary McCarthy                   708                   38.12
24             Pauline Holland                   720                   39.52
25             Lyndsey O’Sullivan               835                   40.24
26             Trish Cremin                       724                   40.51
27             Sean Lawton                      809                   40.56
28             Caroline Barry                     833                   42.26
29             Bernadette O’Riordan           723                   43.00
30             Anne Collins                       721                   43.32
31             Dolores Downey                  741                   45.51
32             Sean U Sullivan                   739                   46.55
33             Karen Galvin                       717                   46.56
34             Sarah Gottschall                  700                   46.58
35             Keith Moyner                       813                   47.56
36             Jamie Kent                          703                   48.29
37             Geraldine O’Mahony              706                   48.29
38             Mai O’Sullivan                      729                   48.40
39             John Rigney                        742                   55.19

Results of the Mealagh Valley 10 Mile Road Race - Sun 13th Feb 2011

This was the 2nd year of this challenging 10 mile road race. It looked a bit ominous for a while before the race when a heavy 20 minute rain and hail shower drenched the valley but by the time of the start, the sun had re-appeared and conditions for the race were fine.

In total, there were 180 finishers which is down on last years figure of 217 but considering that there was a BHAA cross country race in the city and a Munster Senior cross country race in Co.Clare today as well, perhaps a bit of a drop was to be expected.

Having done this race last year, I had remembered where all of those tough hilly sections were. This year, I got re-acquainted with all of the smaller ones in between that I had forgotton about! What a course...up...down...up...down.....If you had to compare it to say the Dungarvan 10 then you would have to say that the Dungarvan course is as flat as a pancake in comparison. The Mealagh Valley isn't a course for setting PB's or fast times but what a spot for a race! It's a really nice secluded valley in the heart of west Cork.

Considering how hilly it was, some fine times were still posted. The winner of the mens race was George Waugh who ran a time of 55:46. George is in training for the busy racing season ahead having had a very successful 2010 season by winning the Limerick City Marathon, the Great Island 10 Mile road race in Cobh and the Clonakilty Marathon in December.

The ladies winner was Maureen Harrington of Riocht AC who made the trip from Co.Kerry to run 70:14 and retain her title.

Video.....
Around the 1 mile mark.....(with thanks to John O'Driscoll)


Photos...(updated 10am Tues 15th Feb 2011)
There is a slideshow of photos from John O'Driscoll available HERE

There is another gallery HERE

Results...
Bantry AC MEALAGH VALLEY RING '10'...Sunday 13 February 2011. 12:00 pm
Provisional Results for All Competitors in finish order. Pace Race Race


Place Time Name Team Race Age Category min/mile
1 0:55:46 WAUGH, George unatt/Bandon M 05:34.5
2 0:58:56 WILMOT, Kevin Bandon AC M 05:53.5
3 0:59:44 DE BURCA, Cosmas unatt/Bandon M 05:58.3
4 0:59:50 LAFFAN, Tom Bandon AC M40 05:58.9
5 1:01:29 MANGAN, Simon Gneeveguilla AC M 06:08.8
6 1:02:49 SMITH, Kevin Midleton AC M 06:16.8
7 1:03:00 DULLEA, Mike unatt/Drimoleague M 06:17.9
8 1:03:09 MURPHY, Paddy Bandon AC M 06:18.8
9 1:03:26 LYONS, Dennis St. Finbarrs AC M 06:20.5
10 1:05:54 O'SHEA, Jerry unatt/Kenmare M35 06:35.3
11 1:06:07 O'MAHONY, Stephen Skibbereen AC M45 06:36.6
12 1:06:16 O'CONNOR, Pat Eagle AC M40 06:37.5
13 1:07:14 O'SULLIVAN, Joe Bandon AC M45 06:43.3
14 1:07:30 DESMOND, John Eagle AC M45 06:44.9
15 1:07:45 BULMAN, Mark Donoughmore AC M45 06:46.4
16 1:08:37 HARRINGTON, John Bantry AC MJ 06:51.6
17 1:09:09 FITZGERALD, Kevin unatt/Carrigrohane M35 06:54.8
18 1:09:12 O'HERLIHY, Colin Eagle AC M40 06:55.1
19 1:09:20 O'BRIEN, Donncha Skibbereen AC M 06:55.9
20 1:09:25 DESMOND, Andrew unatt/Bantry M35 06:56.4
21 1:09:48 SARGENT, Fergal unatt/Carrigtwohill M 06:58.7
22 1:10:00 CORNFORTH, Anthony unatt/Bantry M45 06:59.9
23 1:10:14 HARRINGTON, Maureen Riocht AC F40 07:01.3
24 1:10:16 BARRY, Killian unatt/Bandon M 07:01.5
25 1:10:27 O'BRIEN, Gerard unatt/Bantry M35 07:02.6
26 1:10:34 O'SULLIVAN, Flor unatt/Kenmare M45 07:03.3
27 1:10:38 BUSTON, Jackie unatt/Bandon M 07:03.7
28 1:11:00 CAREY, Ken unatt/Cork M50 07:05.9
29 1:11:10 MCCARTHY, Dan Tralee Harriers M50 07:06.9
30 1:11:18 HOGAN, John Mallow AC M35 07:07.7
31 1:11:26 KELLEHER, Denis Midleton AC M45 07:08.5
32 1:11:53 KELLEHER, Brian unatt/Innishannon M 07:11.2
33 1:11:55 KOCSIS, Balazs unatt/Cork M 07:11.4
34 1:11:58 PRENDERGAST, Karen unatt/Cork F 07:11.7
35 1:12:09 PALMER, Tom Kenmare AC M40 07:12.8
36 1:12:10 DONEGAN, Kevin unatt/Portlaoise M 07:12.9
37 1:12:40 REGAN, Maura Eagle AC F 07:15.9
38 1:13:03 CARR, Jean Clonliffe Harriers F50 07:18.2
39 1:13:13 LEHANE, Donnacha Eagle AC M 07:19.2
40 1:13:24 WIENEKE, Peter Bantry AC M50 07:20.3
41 1:13:40 O'HALLORAN, Declan Bandon AC M50 07:21.9
42 1:13:52 BYRD, Charlie unatt/Cork M45 07:23.1
43 1:13:55 O'LEARY, Andrew unatt/Clonakilty M 07:23.4
44 1:14:00 CREAN, Gerard unatt/Bandon M 07:23.9
45 1:14:09 LEE, Kenneth unatt/Rochestown M35 07:24.8
46 1:15:01 DORGAN, Ian unatt/Carrigaline M35 07:30.0
47 1:15:16 O'KEEFFE, Pat unatt/Cork M40 07:31.5
48 1:15:33 O'SULLIVAN, Denis unatt/Midleton M45 07:33.2
49 1:15:40 WOOTTON, Hannah Eagle AC F 07:33.9
50 1:15:45 WILMOT, Eddie Bandon AC M40 07:34.4
51 1:16:27 MCEVOY, Angela St. Finbarrs AC F45 07:38.6
52 1:16:50 O'SULLIVAN, Stephen unatt/Bantry M40 07:40.9
53 1:17:07 GILMORE, Neil Carbery Harriers M50 07:42.6
54 1:17:14 HENRY, Aiden St. Finbarrs AC M40 07:43.3
55 1:17:25 BUCKLEY, Michael unatt/Coachford M 07:44.4
56 1:17:31 FOLEY, Stephen unatt/Blarney M 07:45.0
57 1:17:52 CASEY, Michael Yankee Runners (Chicago) M40 07:47.1
58 1:18:12 DEASY, Killian unatt/Clonakilty M35 07:49.1
59 1:19:03 MOLONEY, Bob unatt/Cobh M 07:54.2
60 1:19:20 MCGRATH, Donal unatt/Bantry M 07:55.9
61 1:19:47 COLLINS, Clare unatt/Timoleague F40 07:58.6
62 1:19:51 MCNULTY, Hugh unatt/Union Hall M40 07:59.0
63 1:20:30 BARRY, Eamon unatt/Bandon M 08:02.9
64 1:20:33 WALSHE, John East Cork AC M55 08:03.2
65 1:20:41 KIERANS, Paul Midleton AC M45 08:04.0
66 1:20:47 O'DONNELL, Brian unatt/Clonakilty M35 08:04.6
67 1:20:58 SCANNELL, Dan unatt/Rylane M 08:05.7
68 1:21:01 MURPHY, Alma Skibbereen AC F35 08:06.0
69 1:21:04 O'BRIEN, Gerard unatt/Rylane M45 08:06.3
70 1:21:06 HAYES, Cormac unatt/Cork M 08:06.5
71 1:21:10 MOLNAR, Gabor unatt/Cork M 08:06.9
72 1:21:22 MURPHY, Julie Bantry AC F 08:08.1
73 1:21:30 FLYNN, Maire unatt/Timoleague F35 08:08.9
74 1:21:36 COUGHLAN, Anthony Bantry AC M40 08:09.5
75 1:21:51 SANTRY, John unatt/Clonakilty M 08:11.0
76 1:22:42 O'LEARY, Ted West Waterford AC M40 08:16.1
77 1:22:43 RIORDAN, Niall unatt/Curraglass M 08:16.2
78 1:22:59 MURPHY, Sean unatt/Killorglin M35 08:17.8
79 1:23:00 MCNULTY, Ailise Skibbereen AC F 08:17.9
80 1:23:04 DEASY, Richard unatt/Waterfall M35 08:18.3
81 1:23:07 VAUGHAN, Emmett unatt/Bantry M 08:18.6
82 1:23:29 MURPHY, Christy unatt/Kealkill M 08:20.8
83 1:23:30 KINGSTON, Eddie unatt/Waterfall M35 08:20.9
84 1:23:31 HEFFERNAN, Alan unatt/Watergrasshill M 08:21.0
85 1:23:45 QUIGG, Damian unatt/Killorglin M 08:22.4
86 1:24:05 O'SHEA, Denis Kenmare AC M40 08:24.4
87 1:24:18 O'MEARA, Patrick unatt/Clonakilty M 08:25.7
88 1:24:31 HURLEY, Diarmuid Bantry AC M50 08:27.0
89 1:25:08 MURPHY, Liam unatt/Timoleague M35 08:30.7
90 1:25:09 DONEGAN, John Bandon AC M50 08:30.8
91 1:25:26 HILLIARD, Mark unatt/Clonakilty M 08:32.5
92 1:25:47 BRADY, Adam unatt/Clonakilty M35 08:34.6
93 1:26:36 COLLINS, Patrick Kilfinane AC M70 08:39.5
94 1:27:29 O'SULLIVAN, Padraig Bantry AC M45 08:44.8
95 1:27:51 WYNMAN, Ken Eagle AC M40 08:47.0
96 1:27:53 COTTER, Mary Eagle AC F45 08:47.2
97 1:27:58 MCGRATH, Donal Eagle AC M45 08:47.7
98 1:28:22 HARRINGTON-BUCKLEY, Kitty St. Finbarrs AC F45 08:50.1
99 1:31:18 SMITH, Danny unatt/Bantry M35 09:07.7
100 1:31:53 HINDLEY, Fleur unatt/Bantry F45 09:11.2
101 1:32:24 COLLINS, Pauline Bantry AC F35 09:14.3
102 1:32:25 MURPHY, Sinead unatt/Bantry F 09:14.4
103 1:33:03 LANE, Kevin unatt/Ballinhassig M 09:18.2
104 1:33:19 MCGRATH, Jane Eagle AC F45 09:19.8
105 1:33:58 O'NEILL, Ronan unatt/Carrigaline M40 09:23.6
106 1:35:15 O'RIORDAN, Fiona Eagle AC F40 09:31.3
107 1:35:47 BUCKLEY, Liz unatt/Drimoleague F35 09:34.5
108 1:35:57 O'SULLIVAN, Dominic Bantry AC M 09:35.5
109 1:36:06 O'SULLIVAN, Kathy Bantry AC F 09:36.4
110 1:36:07 MCCARTHY, Linda Bantry AC F 09:36.5 32 110
111 1:37:02 O'DONOGHUE, Donal unatt/Little Island M40 09:42.0
112 1:37:36 HILLIARD, Maria unatt/Clonakilty F45 09:45.4
113 1:37:41 CREEDON, Marie unatt/Ballinora F45 09:45.9
114 1:37:49 SMITH, Ursula unatt/Bantry F35 09:46.7
115 1:37:50 MURRAY, Patricia Bantry AC F45 09:46.8
116 1:38:12 COTTER, Marion Midleton AC F 09:49.0
117 1:38:29 FARELY, Tom unatt/Bantry M35 09:50.7
118 1:38:29 CRONIN, Dermot unatt/Bantry M 09:50.7
119 1:38:33 CRONIN, Brian unatt/Durrus M 09:51.1
120 1:40:42 MCCARTHY, Noreen unatt/Drimoleague F45 10:04.0
121 1:43:25 O'ROURKE, Sharon Bantry AC F 10:20.3
122 1:43:40 BYRD, Tom unatt/Cork M50 10:21.8
123 1:43:42 REGAN, Cora Ballincollig AC F40 10:22.0
124 1:45:25 O'MAHONY, Teddy unatt/Bantry M50 10:32.3
125 1:45:51 O'SHEA, Geraldine Bantry AC F35 10:34.9
126 1:49:54 MURPHY, Brian unatt/Bantry M 10:59.2
127 1:51:54 HEALY, Sean unatt/Lehenaghbeg M40 11:11.2
128 1:53:14 O'CONNOR, Marie Bantry AC F 11:19.2
129 1:53:53 O'DONOGHUE, Eileen unatt/Bantry F60 11:23.1
130 1:53:54 TRACEY, Maria unatt/Glanmire F 11:23.2
131 1:54:30 O'SULLIVAN, Helen Bantry AC F 11:26.8
132 1:54:31 O'DONOVAN, Gerard Bantry AC M 11:26.9
133 1:57:21 CONLON, Tara unatt/Kinsale F 11:43.9
134 2:03:05 O'SULLIVAN, Norma Bantry AC F 12:18.3
135 2:03:06 O'SULLIVAN, Irene Bantry AC F35 12:18.4
136 2:03:07 COFFEY, Bernadette Bantry AC F40 12:18.5
137 2:04:47 LEHANE, Marian unatt/Bantry F 12:28.5
138 2:05:35 O'LEARY, Maire unatt/Killarney F 12:33.3
139 2:05:36 MCCARTHY, Noreen unatt/Bantry F 12:33.4
140 2:06:05 O'BRIEN, Grainne unatt/Drinagh F 12:36.3
141 2:08:35 MCCARHY, Majella unatt/Bantry F40 12:51.3
142 2:08:35 MCCARTHY, Eamonn unatt/Bantry M40 12:51.3
143 2:08:36 O'DONOGHUE, John unatt/Bantry M40 12:51.4
144 2:11:32 KEANE, Una unatt/Bantry F 13:09.0
145 2:11:34 GRACE, Teresa unatt/Bantry F35 13:09.2
146 2:12:01 TRACEY, Anthony unatt/Glanmire M60 13:11.9
147 2:12:03 TRACEY, Anne unatt/Glanmire F65 13:12.1
148 2:12:13 O'SULLIVAN, Bridget unatt/Glengarriff F50 13:13.1
149 2:12:24 MURRAY, Martin unatt/Bantry M45 13:14.2
150 2:14:18 O'SULLIVAN, Sinead Bantry AC F 13:25.6
151 2:14:24 O'DRISCOLL, Anita unatt/Bantry F 13:26.2
152 2:14:25 O'SHEA, Michelle unatt/Bantry F 13:26.3
153 2:17:04 CAMERON, Kate unatt/Bantry F45 13:42.2
154 2:17:05 PYBURN, Frances unatt/Durrus F35 13:42.3
155 2:18:41 MINEHANE, Ursula unatt/Bantry F50 13:51.9
156 2:20:39 EVANS, Lauren Bantry AC F 14:03.7
157 2:26:14 O'LEARY, Fiona unatt/Bantry F 14:37.2
158 2:26:19 O'SULLIVAN, Gerard unatt/Killarney M 14:37.7
159 2:26:21 KAVANAGH-O'SULLIVAN, Mary unatt/Beara F50 14:37.9
160 2:26:58 HARRINGTON, Amy unatt/Bantry F 14:41.6
161 2:26:59 HARRINGTON, Tim unatt/Bantry M50 14:41.7
162 2:27:00 HARRINGTON, Nora unatt/Bantry F45 14:41.8
163 2:27:02 HARRINGTON, Lydia unatt/Bantry F 14:42.0
164 2:27:03 O'SHEA, Mary unatt/Bantry F40 14:42.1
165 2:27:04 O'BRIEN, Helen unatt/Bantry F35 14:42.2
166 2:27:58 O'SULLIVAN, Mairead unatt/Wexford F35 14:47.6
167 2:27:59 O'SHEA, Noreen unatt/Bantry F35 14:47.7
168 2:29:13 COOMBES, Margaret unatt/Skibbereen F50 14:55.1
169 2:29:15 CADOGAN, Marian unatt/Clonakilty F55 14:55.3
170 2:43:13 MURPHY, Megan unatt/Bantry F 16:19.1
171 2:43:16 MCCARTHY, Claire unatt/Bantry F 16:19.4
172 2:43:27 CRONIN, Sheila unatt/Bantry F45 16:20.5
173 2:43:31 O'MAHONY, Mary unatt/Blarney F 16:20.9
174 O'SHEA, Mary-Ann (waker) unatt/Beara F60
175 MCSWEENEY, Helen (walker) unatt/Macroom F40
176 MURPHY, Tony (walker) unatt/Bantry M 209
176 177 DUGGAN, Siobhan (walker) unatt/Killarney F60
178 O'SULLIVAN, Maura (walker) unatt/Beara F55
179 Unknown (walker)

WHEELCHAIR: FORDE, Jerry Blarney-Inniscarra AC M55 2:56:45

Results produced by John Walshe of Ballycotton Running Promotions.

Preview of the Mealagh Valley 10 Mile Road Race, Bantry...Sun 13th Feb 2011

There are 2 races on next Sunday, the 13th of Feb. You have a choice of a 10 mile road race near Bantry in West Cork or the Cork BHAA Cross Country race in Beaumont, Blackrock in Cork City.

Preview of the Mealagh Valley 10 Mile Road Race...

First of all, the main thing is that you can still enter this race. Due to the narrow roads and restricted parking, the organisers had intended to set a limit of 300 runners. With that in mind, they were taking postal entries only. As of Wednesday, they had got almost 170 entries. They have decided now to take entries on the day up to 11:30am at the latest.

Getting there...

The Mealagh Valley is a secluded area a few kms to the north-east of Bantry in west Cork. If you are travelling from say near Cork City then you need to allow plenty of time to get to Bantry....say 1h 30m and then another 15 mins or so to get to the parking area.

The easiest way to get there is probably via Bandon....Enniskeane....Dunmanway....Drimoleague....Bantry.

Directions from Cork : When you arrive in Bantry, follow the road for Glengarriff to the outskirts of the town and past Caseys filling station. Take next right at Donemark bridge...

Once you turn off right, you stay on this narrow road for about 8 kms. Just keep going straight.
Directions from Kerry : As you approach the outskirts of Bantry, follow N71 passing the golf club on the right. Take the next left and follow road as above to race start and parking.

They will have special areas set aside for parking. Follow the stewards instructions on the day.

Please note! There is no need to go to the Community centre before the race. They will be taking entries at Cronin's Yard which is approx 50 metres from the start line. The entry fee is €15 and the last time for entries is 11:30am. If you have pre-entered then you can collect your race number at Cronin's Yard from 10am on. The race will start at 12 noon.

Map...Approach from Bantry (Red arrow)....Reg near Start....Community Hall near Finish

Course...
The Mealagh Valley is a lovely quiet scenic spot for a race. It does however come at a price in that the course is very hilly. It's certainly not a race to set a 10 mile PB but it should be considered as more of a challenge.

The start is on a narrow road as shown above. There is a slight climb before the road drops rapidly and then levels out. Soon it drops again and you reach the 1 mile mark. After that, you start to climb again and it seems to get steeper and steeper until the worst section just before the t-junction. It's probably no exaggeration to say that some people will walk this section!

The only way is up...

After that, the going is easier. There are plenty of small drags but nothing major. You pass the 5 mile mark...then the junction at the eastern most point of the course and head west for home.

You might think at this stage that since you are heading back down the valley, it might get easier. Dream on! You get to around 7 miles and there is another long hill. Nothing drastic but still slow going. Eventually, you get some fast downhill sections and you eventually turn left and retrace your footsteps from the start towards the finish line.

Overall.....probably the toughest 10 mile road race in the country but it's a great spot when the weather is nice. As the organisers say, it's got everything except flat sections ;o)

The race director is Geraldine O'Sullivan and she can be contacted on 087 6173376 if you have any questions.

The route can be seen in closer detail on MapMyRun

By the way...watch out for the plane in the field!

Photos from the 2010 race website HERE

Results of the 'Bay Run' Half Marathon - Sun 4th May 2008
It looks like 629 runners turned out for this half-marathon in West Cork which went from Glengarriff to Bantry over a hilly course.

Results...
Mens Results
Womens Results

Photos...
There are some photos of this race at this LINK.

Comments...
Did you run in this race? What did you think of it?

"Published results seem about 30 seconds too slow. Hills were something else!! Well organised. Great setting for a race....Anonymous"

"Very well organised and friendly race....Anonymous"

"Hi John. Great event, lovely course, great scenery, well organized, plenty of choc bars, drinks, fruit afterwards, lovely medals and T-shirts for all finisher's. One tough climb that lasted one mile but it was early in the race so did not bother me at all. The rest of the course was pretty flat with some small drags here and there. The finish was very well done with the right hand side of the road was closed off with tape and cones. I'm guessing a half a mile to the finish line so you had no obstructions in the way, runners warming down were kept well out of the way from the guys finishing their race which of course is always good. Over all, well worth the journey and the entry fee. Will hope to do this race for many years to come. Has to go down as one of my favourite events. Well done to all the organizer's and stewards for a wonderful half marathon.........Kind Regards, John Dunphy, Rising Sun AC"

"The official results are bizarre, they added 30 seconds to everyone's time. The race itself was great, and those hills are still as tough as ever. I know the entry fee is steep, but as long as they keep the race so well organised. I'll keep coming back....Thomas"

"Well organised, parked at Bantry and bused to start. The hills made for interesting pacing. Early start meant plenty of time for well desrved lunch and time to take in scenic drive/walk afterwards. Great day out!......Anonymous"

"It was a great race and well organised but it's very strange that the official results were so far out. I thought chip timing was suppose to be bang on.....Anonymous"

"My guess is there was a false start, then around 30sec later the race began. It was well organised with plenty of water stations and great support along the course. Well done keep up the good work.......N O'Mahony"

"Hi John. The team at Bayrun 08 have now gone back on the results and have changed the times for each athlete by 30 seconds. The new results of Bayrun 08 are now on www.bayrun.ie ,just click on results....John Dunphy, Rising Sun AC "