Antonio and Lily on international duty

Mullingar Harriers notes

Faenol Estate in Bangor, Wales provided a dry, technical, undulating course for the SIAB Schools Cross Country Championships on a warm sunny day last Saturday, which was a welcome change from the wet, muddy season to date.

Mullingar Harriers was represented by Antonio Bertolo and Lily Walsh on the Irish Schools team.

Antonio (Coláiste Mhuire) was making his International debut racing in the Junior boys 4,000m race.

There are no easy races at this level of competition and from the gun the pace was fast throughout.

Opting for a steady approach over the long hilly course, Antonio sprinted to a good position and then worked his way through the field as the race progressed.

A great run saw Antonio finish fourth of the eight Irish athletes in 20th place overall.

Although it was a day to remember for Antonio, the Irish team was unfortunate to miss out on medals by the tiny margin of just four points.

Lily (Loreto Mullingar) ran the first leg in the 4 x 1,500m Mixed Intermediate Relay.

A sensible start put Lily on the shoulder of the leader for the first 500m and she went to the front on the most technical climb and descent.

Lily upped the tempo as the girls hit the last climb and opened a gap of 20m on second place to give the Irish team a great advantage going into the second leg.

Ireland dropped to third place before the second handover was complete but Lily’s teammate ran a strong third leg to regain second place.

It was there the Irish team would finish, winning a well-deserved set of silver medals.

This was Lily’s second SIAB cross country and matches the silver she won last year in Falkirk.

Congratulations to Antonio and Lily on a successful International trip with the Irish Schools team.

Having two members of the club on an international team is a huge achievement and a huge credit to the athletes, their coaches and the club.

Now that Antonio has made his international debut for Ireland, his name will be added to the International Roll of Honour in the Clubhouse, the 135th name on the marble wall plaque [CW].

Claire Fagan Runs European 10k Standard

A small group from Mullingar Harriers travelled to Dunboyne last Sunday morning to compete in the Dunboyne 10k Road Race.

The race attracted a field of 1,585 runners to the county Meath village and the course took the athletes from the centre of the village on a loop around local county road before returning through the village and into the Dunboyne AC track for the final 400m of the race on the track.

Claire Fagan set out at a fast pace covering the first mile in 5:13.

As she settled in to the race, she was able to hold a steady pace, clicking off each of the next five miles in an average of 5:25 per mile.

Claire was always in the mix with the leading women and only lost out to the winner and second placed athletes in the dash for the finish on the final 400m around the track, despite running a swift 76 seconds for the last 400m, to finish third woman in 33:35, a big improvement on the 34:06 time she posted on the same course in 2025, but more importantly, this time is also inside the qualifying standard of 33:48 for the European 10,000m Cup, which takes place in May in La Spezia, Italy.

Michael Moran made a return to competitive action for the first time this year and was pleased to finish well up in 14th place in 31:48, and his mother Nuala Moran was very pleased with her run coming home in 54:45 [DL/MO’S/GD].

Athletics Leinster Star Awards for 2025

The Athletics Leinster Star Awards for 2025 were presented at a Gala Lunch last Saturday at the Woodford Dolmen Hotel in Carlow.

These prestigious awards recognise one juvenile girl, one juvenile boy and one senior athlete from each county, based on their performances in Leinster competitions in 2025.

In addition to individual honours, awards were presented for best county and club in various categories.

Winning four Leinster titles in 2025 – 800m U15 indoors and 1,500m U15 outdoors (the 1,500m in a Championship Record) and U15 and U16 titles in cross country – there was no contest for Lily Walsh, who received the Award for Best Juvenile Girl in Westmeath.

Second place in the Leinster senior 3,000m was enough for Orlaith Flanagan to receive the award for Best Senior Athlete in Westmeath in 2025.

For the record, the award for Best Juvenile Boy in Westmeath went to Philip Offorjama (Athlone AC) on foot of the four Leinster titles he won in 2025.

In recognition of a brilliant year, which he capped by competing at the World Championships in Tokyo, the award for Outstanding Performance in Race Walk was made to Oisin Lane.

Honoured for his contribution to athletics at club, county, Leinster and national level was Greg Duggan, who was presented with an award for Outstanding Contribution.

Winning club team medals in 10 of the 18 juvenile races at Leinster cross country in 2025 meant it was little surprise that Mullingar Harriers retained the Morrissey Cup for Best Juvenile Cross Country Club in Leinster, a cup Mullingar has won every year since it was first presented in 2000.

The presentations were made by Catriona Duffy, chair of Athletics Leinster.

Congratulations to Lily and Orlaith (and to Philip), and to their coaches, their families and to all who contributed to their successes, and congratulations also to Oisin and Greg on their awards [GD].

Mullingar Half Marathon

A dry and overcast morning greeted the record number of nearly 2,100 runners who took part in this year’s Aon Mullingar Half Marathon on St Patrick’s Day.

The town and its surrounds were a sea of colour with an influx of athletes from all over the country and overseas, as runners converged on the town for this annual event, which supports the work of TEAM.

TEAM provide residential services for women and children from the midland region who are experiencing homelessness.

These services are provided at their hostel Teach Fáilte in Mullingar and provides for those needing the services from Westmeath, Laois, Longford and Offaly.

TEAM are a registered charity and receive funding from Westmeath County Council and the HSE – however, there is an annual shortfall, which must be raised from fundraising and donations.

Mullingar Harriers were again strongly represented this year with over 70 athletes taking part, along with 10 race pacers involved.

Entries sold out at 2,500 and on the day a total of 2,073 runners completed the race.

Headwinds in parts of the early sections of the course and strong cross winds on the return journey along the canal, tested the fitness and endurance of everyone.

It wasn’t a day for good times or personal bests, but the achievement of getting through the 21.1k with a beautiful finishers T-shirt and plenty of refreshments in the Town Park at the end proved a huge hit with all runners.

Dan Morris placed fourth overall, winning his master category in a time of 1:11.12.

He was followed home by Euan Lagan in seventh place overall with a time of 1:12.40, with Kris Foster next in 11th with 1:15.53.

James Keegan was 21st to cross the finish line in 1:17.37.

Eddie Newman continued his consistent performances with another win in his master category when posting a finishing time of 1:25.41.

In the women’s race, Ciara Foy was our first finisher with a time of 1:22.13 to place second woman, and Orlaith Flanagan ran 1:28.14 for an impressive ninth place overall.

Criona Reid ran 1:32.27 to take second place in her master category.

Mary Stuart running her second half marathon in 48 hours, having completed the Málaga Half on Sunday, ran a time of 1:35.22 to place second in her master category.

While the remainder of the Mullingar Harriers contingent did not feature on the podium in their categories, they were all pleased with their performances and full of praise for the organising committee who left no stone unturned with all aspects of the race organised and delivered to the highest standard.

Also competing was David Cahill (1:21.57), Andy Boyhan (1:23.27), Andrew Glennon (1:25.40), Dara O’Shea (1:26.01), Kieran Nolan (1:26.24), Conor Corcoran (1:29.03), Joe Doherty (1:29.00), Alan Coyne (1:29.03), Tom Byrne (1:29.43), Aaron Gallagher (1:31.05), Ger Feerick (1:33.03), Jacintha Reilly (1:33.10), Darren Carroll (1:34.57), Orla McLaughlin (1:34.58), Jason McKevitt (1:35.14), John Long (1:36.31), Orla Gillespie (1:36.23), Colm Walsh (1:37.20), Conor Collison (1:37.12), Joe Curley (1:37.35), Lee Bracken (1:38.08), Richard Carey (1:37.54), Murty Hanly (1:38.39), Mark Dunne (1:38.44), Mary Louise Johnston (1:40.07), Shaun Mills (1:40.13), Laura Fitzpatrick (1:40.26), Niamh Doherty (1:41.56), Zane Smukste (1:42.31), Fiona Fagan (1:42.59), Paul Plunkett (1:45.29), Alywn Thornton (1:43.37), Brendan Rice (1:45.29), Declan Claffey (1:46.26), Caroline Mullen (1:47.16), Kate Plunkett (1:46.38), Jane Creevy (1:47.02), John McNamara (1:47.57), Leona Behan (1:48.22), Michael Purdue (1:49.25), Sinead Spain (1:49.06), Matt Creagh (1:50.29), Martin Fitzpatrick (1:50.55), Thomas Gilligan (1:51.28), Megan Whiley (1:55.18), Matt Johnston (1:56.59), Kelly Dunne (1:56.56), Catherine Gavin (1:56.58), Eithne Spellman (1:56.56), Siobhan Farry (1:57.04), Rodney Farry (1:57.05), Claire Canavan (1:57.47), Avril Keane (1:59.24), Anna Redmond (2:01.11), Joan Mulvihill (2:03.16), Jessica Crowley (2:04.03), Martin Mullen (2:04.16), (2:11.43), Aoife Austin (2:12.46), Michael O’Sullivan (2:12.44), Caroline Boyle (2:16.50), Catherine Walsh (2:21.57), Kevin O’Brien (2:22.00), Tony McNerney (2:27.48) and Edel Marshall (2:33.49) [MO’S].

Banagher 5k

The second race in the Healthy Offaly 5k series, the Banagher 5k, took place last Sunday morning. Weather conditions were ideal with no wind and an overcast sky, which gave way to bright sunshine during the race.

Five hundred and eighty two athletes finished the race, including seven from Mullingar Harriers.

First home for the club in fifth place in a close race was Vinny Connolly in a time of 14:50.

Next was Mark Darby, who completed the distance in 15:55, followed by Mark Ronan with 16:40, just pipping Andrew Glennon, who recorded a time of 16:41.

The four combined to lead Mullingar Harriers to second club.

Enda Seery ran a personal best when recording a time of 17:31, followed home by Eddie Lynch on 17:58, which gave him victory in his master category, and Michael O’Sullivan returned a time of 23:59 [MO’S].

Streets of Portlaoise 5k

As part of the St Patrick’s Day festivities, the Streets of Portlaoise 5k road race was held around the streets of the town, with a town centre start and finish.

This year, a record field of 1,220 runners entertained large crowds who had gathered for various events on the national holiday.

Four athletes from Mullingar Harriers participated.

Eddie Lynch ran a time of 18:57 to win his master category, Tommy Byrne was next in from Mullingar with a time of 20:11, while Claire Ross crossed the finish line in 22:06, and Linda Cunningham was just behind her with a time of 22:16 [MO’S].

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