Celebrating 100 years of Irish Olympians
Jack Brennan (Newbridge) is flying at U14 level Photo: Perri Williams
It was one of those weeks in athletics where athletes get a break between Leinsters and the Nationals. As it is in the Athletics World, a break does not mean all things grind to a halt, it merely means there is another type of athletic activity underway.
One such activity was the unique gathering of over one thousand Olympians at a centennial celebration in Dublin. All surviving athletes across all sports were invited to indulge in a night of celebration, reminiscing and award giving at this once off prestigious event.
On Friday it was the annual IUAA road-relays, the most popular event on the University racing calendar, held in Maynooth. Athletes from Kildare took part donning their university colours.
In 1924 the Olympic Council of Ireland was established, confirming our individual affiliation with the International Olympic Council and our right to raise the Irish flag for Irish winners. It was a momentous occasion for both Irish sport and nationalism. One we have cherished and embraced every four years since then.
Last Saturday the Olympic Council of Ireland hosted a gala celebration to honour those privileged Olympians. The plush and memorable black-tie affair held in Dublin provided the unique opportunity to gather over 1,000 living Olympians in the same room, experiencing the uniqueness of their achievements. Representing all sports, it was for many the first time they got to meet their Olympic team colleagues since those glorious days of fielding the green and wearing that Olympic badge. The oldest surviving members took part in the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
Kildare has had their share of Olympic participants across multiple sports, with the Paris Canoe Salmon Olympian Noel Hendrick and Rugby sevens player Eve Higgins amongst those attending. Two well known Kildare Track and Field Olympians, David Matthews and Karen Shinkins unfortunately were unable to attend. It is, however, only fitting to mention them in the context of this prestigious event. Matthews, born in Leixlip started his career with the local NACA club. In a time where politics was very much a dividing line in athletics, NACA athletes could not compete in the Olympics. Thus Matthews joined the then BLE organization going on to reach the semi-final in the 1996 Olympics. Karen Shinkins started her athletics career with Newbridge AC and took part in the 400m and 4x400m relay in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Her personal best of 51.07 ensures she still occupies the top three 400m female spot in Ireland. She now resides in the USA. Special awards were presented to Sonia O’Sullivan for inspiring a nation of Track and Field athletes, her silver medal in Sydney being a seminal moment in Irish athletics. Terry McHugh was honour for competing in six Olympic Games. His Javelin record is still an Irish record.
The hallowed confines of the autumnal South Campus of Maynooth was once again host to the Inter-varsity Road Relays. One of the most exciting fixtures on the university athletics calendar since its inauguration in 1987, the relays have perpetually proved to be a popular winter event. The autumnal shades, the undulating muck free surfaces, the team concept and the variety of distances are perhaps the winning formula for college athletics participation.
It was Dublin City University (DCU) that took the men’s title this year after a three-year gold medal hiatus that saw University College Dublin (UCD) take three consecutive wins. UCD on the other hand retained the ladies title that they have now won for years in a row.
Alex Murphy (Suncroft) was unfortunate to miss a rare opportunity to take home a gold medal for her new University UCD. Murphy, who is on Erasmus in the UK could not get a flight home on time for the relays and had to forgo her place on the winning team. She will however be back home this coming weekend for the National u23 Cross-Country hoping to make a bid for a place on the Irish team for the European Cross Country.
Elsewhere former North Kildare athlete, Evelyn Coughlan made yet another appearance for Trinity College. Trinity started well finishing second after the first leg and slipping back to 6th on the second. Coughlan powered through the two-mile loop clawing back one place and handing the baton over to another Kildare athlete Hannah Woolmar-Foely. Foely, who normally represents Celbridge completed the final leg – a one-miler to bring Trinity across the finishing line in 6th place. Aoife Dempsey (Naas) was on the Trinity C team that finished in 17th place out of the 26 ladies teams that took part. Dempsey moved Trinity from 19th to 18th over the course of her two-mile leg. Another Kildare athlete Kirsten Monahan was the final runner on the Trinity E team that finished 22nd.
Forty teams contested the men’s relays – a total of two hundred athletes, five on each team. While DCU may have been lining out with golden accessories at the top of the table, there were some Kildare athletes taking part in other college teams. Maynooth University finished 18th with Johan Bugeja (Le Cheile) running the two-mile leg. The team was led out by the invincible Kevin McGrath on the one-mile leg. McGrath handed the baton over in first place. Alas such a position was not sustainable and by the end of the second leg, the team had drifted into seventeenth place. Bugeja maintained this position, closing the gap somewhat as he completed the two-mile leg in 11.31. Louth’s Sean Rielly brining the team home to 18th overall.
Keely Hogan (Le Cheile) was the leading athlete for the Technological University of Dublin (TUD). Hogan who is better known for this sprinting poweress, worked as hard as he could to get the baton to his TUD teammate Declan O’Meara in 38th place. The college improved over the remaining four legs taking 22nd overall, thanks to the pivotal role played by O’Meara on the two-mile leg. Another 400m athlete turning in for the middle-distance experience was Le Cheile’s Ooran Poole. Poole was competing a mixed university team who finished in 36th place. Poole ran the three-mile leg gaining thee places for the team.
This Sunday sees the fruits of a season’s hard work put to the test as Kildare athletes contest the Juvenile and Senior All-Irelands. In the u23 Alex Murphy (Suncroft) will go all out in an endeavor to make the Irish u23 team for the Euro Cross to be held in Turkey next month.
The u20 men’s race will be an interesting one. There are about ten athletes who could make those six spots on the Irish team. The first three across the line gain automatic selection with a further three places at the discretion of the selectors. This will allow for consideration of some American based athletes who will contest their Regional Cross-Country races this weekend. Amongst those who stand a very good chance of making the team are Cillian Gleeson (Celbridge AC). Gleeson has not yet raced this season, thus predicting his final position is somewhat arbitrary. However work from his Dublin Track Club base indicates that he is “flying” in training. If this proves to be true we could see the Celbridge man getting his first u20 call-up.
The Juvenile races have some exciting prospects for Kildare. Several athletes from various clubs have made county and Leinster teams with some clubs also making the cut for the Nationals. One of the favourites for a medal is Newbridge AC athletes Racheal Keaney. Keaney recently completed the double at the Leinster Championships, winning u16 and u17. Keaney will be flanked by her Newbridge AC teammates, who won the Leinster club title. While Newbridge did pull off a win in the boys u16, it will take the return of Ronan Keaney from injury to pull them into a national club medal position.
The boys u12 county team headed by Michael Brennan (Naas) could produce a medal if the team run to form. Brennan along with Charlie McCabe (Newbridge) made the Leinster team and are expected to for the backbone of this strong Leinster team.
Another individual prospect from Newbridge is Jack Brennan. Brennan won his u14 Leinsters in Dunboyne and finished second to the brilliant Ethan Bramwell when moving up an age in Wicklow last week. Newbridge and St Coca’s both have club teams in this race. Kildare have an excellent county team. As the Leinster winners they go forward as one of the favourites for county medals.
