Athletics tracks in Ireland

RayCun

How many tracks are there in Ireland, and where?

In Dublin, there's Santry, Tallaght, Irishtown, Donore's 300m track, and the cinder? tarmac? track in Kilbogget. (Does any club 'own' that track?)

County by county, where are the other tracks?

ecoli

RayCun wrote: »

How many tracks are there in Ireland, and where?

In Dublin, there's Santry, Tallaght, Irishtown, Donore's 300m track, and the cinder? tarmac? track in Kilbogget. (Does any club 'own' that track?)

County by county, where are the other tracks?

Off the top of my head others that come to mind

Dublin
Lucan, ALSAA, Sundrive (I think?),

Meath
Navan

Kildare
Newbridge

Wicklow:
Greystones

Sligo:
IT

Cork:
CIT
UCC Mardyke

Limerick:
UL

Kilkenny:
KCH track

Tipperary:
Nenagh (Indoor)
Templemore

Donegal:
Finn Valley track

Offaly:
Tullamore

Westmeath:
Athlone

Kerry:
Castleisland

Clare
Ennis: Lees Road & Fairgreen

Galway
NUIG

Waterford
RSC Track

Cavan
Shercock AC Track

Antrim:
Mary Peters
Antrim Forum

Westmeath:
Athlone IT (indoor and outdoor)

overpronator

There's a cinder track in Gormanston College, Co. Meath. I think Dunleer AC in Louth have a 400m track, it could be tarmac though so that probably doesn't count.

NiallG4

Louth (2)
Bush Track - Cooley, Co. Louth
Drogheda Track
Both 400M tracks

Good thread. I have often been asked how many 400M tartan tracks there are in Ireland.
The track In Shercock, Co. Cavan is a 300M track

RayCun

ecoli wrote: »

Sundrive (I think?),

This is a cycle track, but afaik Dublin Striders train on it sometimes

RayCun

overpronator wrote: »

There's a cinder track in Gormanston College, Co. Meath. I think Dunleer AC in Louth have a 400m track, it could be tarmac though so that probably doesn't count.

I'm interested in cinder and tarmac tracks too. They're the larval stage of tartan tracks

ecoli

RayCun wrote: »

I'm interested in cinder and tarmac tracks too. They're the larval stage of tartan tracks

You wouldn't have a smiley face training on them in the winter months absolutely destroying clothes with the grit kick back in wet weather.

Think I had to throw out more t shirts growing up than most people go through in a running career

overpronator

RayCun wrote: »

I'm interested in cinder and tarmac tracks too. They're the larval stage of tartan tracks

As far as I'm aware the track in Gormanston is the (very) old cinder track that once was in the Morton stadium before it got upgraded years ago.

spurscormac

Galway has Dangan, there is also a grit/cinder track at the pitches in Westside, not sure what length, but think it's 400m.
Not sure outside of that as anything in the county tends to focus on use of Dangan.
Mayo has Claremorris, and there used to be a grit track in Westport around the soccer pitch - don't think its full 400m though. A similar grit track used to exist in Ballina when I was younger, no idea what currently exists.

Jnealon

Cinder tracks in Lucan and Dunboyne. I agree the cinder is a nightmare to train on in the winter with clothes getting destroyed. The track turns to mush after a heavy shower and if it freezes you're left with a hard lumpy surface thats dangerous to train on.

RayCun

Jnealon wrote: »

Cinder tracks in Lucan and Dunboyne. I agree the cinder is a nightmare to train on in the winter with clothes getting destroyed. The track turns to mush after a heavy shower and if it freezes you're left with a hard lumpy surface thats dangerous to train on.

So, cinder or tarmac, what are the pros and cons?

(no, I didn't just win the lottery )

average_runner

ecoli wrote: »

You wouldn't have a smiley face training on them in the winter months absolutely destroying clothes with the grit kick back in wet weather.

Think I had to throw out more t shirts growing up than most people go through in a running career

Its lovely training on the cinder tracks, do that all winter. Clothes in a lovely mess afterwards.

Wouldnt train on a cinder in the summer though.

Think Le Cheile might have their new track now?

average_runner

Jnealon wrote: »

Cinder tracks in Lucan and Dunboyne. I agree the cinder is a nightmare to train on in the winter with clothes getting destroyed. The track turns to mush after a heavy shower and if it freezes you're left with a hard lumpy surface thats dangerous to train on.

Sure you do be out front so you have no spray coming at you:D

plodder

Kilbarack in Dublin, though not in great condition. There's also one near Ashbourne Co Meath.

simon255

ecoli wrote: »

Off the top of my head others that come to mind

Dublin
Lucan, ALSAA, Sundrive (I think?),

Meath
Navan

Kildare
Newbridge

Wicklow:
Greystones

Sligo:
IT

Cork:
CIT
UCC Mardyke

Limerick:
UL

Kilkenny:
KCH track

Tipperary:
Nenagh (Indoor)
Templemore

Donegal:
Finn Valley track

Offaly:
Tullamore

Westmeath:
Athlone

Kerry:
Castleisland

Clare
Ennis: Lees Road & Fairgreen

Galway
NUIG

Waterford
RSC Track

Cavan
Shercock AC Track

Antrim:
Mary Peters
Antrim Forum

Westmeath:
Athlone IT (indoor and outdoor)

Donegal has a second track in Letterkenny too

snailsong

spurscormac wrote: »

Galway has Dangan, there is also a grit/cinder track at the pitches in Westside, not sure what length, but think it's 400m.
Not sure outside of that as anything in the county tends to focus on use of Dangan.
Mayo has Claremorris, and there used to be a grit track in Westport around the soccer pitch - don't think its full 400m though. A similar grit track used to exist in Ballina when I was younger, no idea what currently exists.

In Mayo there's an excellent tartan track in Claremorris, newly done up with new flood lights, parking etc. They also have an indoor 60 metre track. In Castlebar there's a tartan track around the soccer pitch. I don't know the length. In Westport we have a 320 metre grit track, much used. Don't know what's in Ballina or elsewhere.

Krusty_Clown

ecoli wrote: »

You wouldn't have a smiley face training on them in the winter months absolutely destroying clothes with the grit kick back in wet weather. Think I had to throw out more t shirts growing up than most people go through in a running career

I prefer the cinder in winter to summer, as there is less dust and more grip. Simple solution for you: don't wear a t-shirt!

To get back to your question Ray: The grit track isn't very forgiving/yielding, whereas a tarmac surface would at least have some 'give'. A tarmac track would of course be more costly, harder to maintain, and less hard-wearing (it's hard to destroy grit!). Another problem with tarmac tracks is that they melt, when a burning car or wheelie-bin is set alight on top of them. The cinder seems to survive better.

meathcountysec

Meath Tracks

Navan (Navan AC)
Bohermeen (Bohermeen AC)
Ratoath (Ratoath AC)
Dunboyne (Duboyne AC)
Athboy (Fr. Murphy AC)
Cushinstown (Cushinstown AC)
Skryne (Tara AC)
Ashbourne (St. Andrews AC)
Gormanston (Star of the Sea AC)

Krusty_Clown

meathcountysec wrote: »

Meath Tracks

Navan (Navan AC)
Bohermeen (Bohermeen AC)
Ratoath (Ratoath AC)
Dunboyne (Duboyne AC)
Athboy (Fr. Murphy AC)
Cushinstown (Cushinstown AC)
Skryne (Tara AC)
Ashbourne (St. Andrews AC)
Gormanston (Star of the Sea AC)

Meath wins! One track for every 20,459 people will be hard to beat.

Chivito550

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Meath wins! One track for every 20,459 people will be hard to beat.

Build one in Leitrim and you won't be far off!

Jnealon

RayCun wrote: »

So, cinder or tarmac, what are the pros and cons?

(no, I didn't just win the lottery )

I’d think I’d rather a proper tarmac/asphalt track over a cinder one, with a proper tarmac track it’s easier to upgrade to tartan or mondo track
Tarmac is more responsive, easier to keep clean and much more durable
The guys in Leixlip would know more about this as they trained on a tarmac track for close to a year

During the dry summer months the cinder gets very dusty, this can be a challenge when you are doing drills with a group of 30 kids
Also after a shower this fine dust gets washed in to the ground and over time clogs the drainage and also causes the ground to become very compact/hard, I’m not sure if this happens on all cinder tracks or is just unique to ours

Kids Falling on cinder can be quite nasty especially when they are only wearing shorts and t-shirts,

A freshly brushed, slightly damp cinder track is great to train on but given our climate and our ability to maintain it, these days are quite rare

menoscemo

I think there is a grass track in knocklyon too. The only thing is the grass us so long it's hard to spot the markings.

RayCun

menoscemo wrote: »

I think there is a grass track in knocklyon too. The only thing is the grass us so long it's hard to spot the markings.

“Mud is a cleansing and sanctifying thing, and the runner that regards it as the final horror has lost his manhood... there are many things more horrible than mud, and the Tallaght singlet is one of them!”

Rogue Runner

Wicklow

Kilcoole AC, Greystones AC, Sli Cualann - Shoreline Sports Centre, Greystones

ecoli

RayCun wrote: »

“Mud is a cleansing and sanctifying thing, and the runner that regards it as the final horror has lost his manhood... there are many things more horrible than mud, and the Tallaght singlet is one of them!”

Damn your edit. You just lost a thanks for that one.

Kurt Godel

Rogue Runner wrote: »

Wicklow

Kilcoole AC, Greystones AC, Sli Cualann - Shoreline Sports Centre, Greystones

+Arklow (cinder track)

RayCun

I have a screenshot, which I will be blowing up to poster size and pasting up around the Tallaght clubhouse :pac:

ecoli

RayCun wrote: »

I have a screenshot, which I will be blowing up to poster size and pasting up around the Tallaght clubhouse :pac:

Careful, you could cause a boycott. At this rate you may never get that lawnmower/track resurfaced

RayCun

I'm going to go round each of the tracks listed above and steal a bit from each of them. I figure if I take from lane 8 no-one will ever know

tHE vAGGABOND

Originally Posted by ecoli
Sundrive (I think?),
This is a cycle track, but afaik Dublin Striders train on it sometimes

I've been running in that park for a few years at least once a week and never seen anything like a session from that club, only runners in 1's and 2's, nor anything but bikes on that track [...its a really steep track, for Track Cycling, so with really high/steep banks, cant see how you could do a half decent running session on it?

conseng

snailsong wrote: »

In Mayo there's an excellent tartan track in Claremorris, newly done up with new flood lights, parking etc. They also have an indoor 60 metre track. In Castlebar there's a tartan track around the soccer pitch. I don't know the length. In Westport we have a 320 metre grit track, much used. Don't know what's in Ballina or elsewhere.

Grit track in Ballina also, 400m.

conseng

snailsong wrote: »

In Mayo there's an excellent tartan track in Claremorris, newly done up with new flood lights, parking etc. They also have an indoor 60 metre track. In Castlebar there's a tartan track around the soccer pitch. I don't know the length. In Westport we have a 320 metre grit track, much used. Don't know what's in Ballina or elsewhere.

Grit track in Ballina also, 400m.

pconn062

At Dunleer AC we actually have a 557m (believe it or not!) grit track that runs around the outside of a football pitch, although we also have weekly access to a proper 400m tartan track in Drogheda.

RoyMcC

conseng wrote: »

Grit track in Ballina also, 400m.

The time I was there (admittedly some years back) nature had reclaimed the outside lanes as well as shot circle, long jump pit etc. Maybe it's had a face lift.

Oiriallach

There are a lot of tracks around the country, but not too many of them would be able to host a full track and field competition including events such as the PV, Hammer and Steeplechase. The tracks which seem to be regularly used for full-scale competitions include:

Antrim;
Mary Peters Track;
Sligo;
Santry;
Tullamore;
Athlone;
Cork IT.

Are there many others which would be capable of hosting say a qualifying round of the National League?

conseng

RoyMcC wrote: »

The time I was there (admittedly some years back) nature had reclaimed the outside lanes as well as shot circle, long jump pit etc. Maybe it's had a face lift.

Well used now especially by juveniles the past number of years, long jump area used now is fairly new on the far side of the track.

conseng

RoyMcC wrote: »

The time I was there (admittedly some years back) nature had reclaimed the outside lanes as well as shot circle, long jump pit etc. Maybe it's had a face lift.

Well used now especially by juveniles the past number of years, long jump area used now is fairly new on the far side of the track.

ecoli

Oiriallach wrote: »

There are a lot of tracks around the country, but not too many of them would be able to host a full track and field competition including events such as the PV, Hammer and Steeplechase. The tracks which seem to be regularly used for full-scale competitions include:

Antrim;
Mary Peters Track;
Sligo;
Santry;
Tullamore;
Athlone;
Cork IT.

Are there many others which would be capable of hosting say a qualifying round of the National League?

Castleisland have hosted League rounds, Tallaght have hosted Gradeds as well as having competition standard throwing cage. Irishtown would be another and Navan have hosted leagues, not to mention Finn Valley hosting an international meet.

ger664

Oiriallach wrote: »

There are a lot of tracks around the country, but not too many of them would be able to host a full track and field competition including events such as the PV, Hammer and Steeplechase. The tracks which seem to be regularly used for full-scale competitions include:

Antrim;
Mary Peters Track;
Sligo;
Santry;
Tullamore;
Athlone;
Cork IT.

Are there many others which would be capable of hosting say a qualifying round of the National League?

Clare
Lees Road Ennis

pointer28

Tartan track in Rosslare, Wexford as well. 200m I think

notsofast

St Laurence O'Toole Track in Carlow
St Abbans in Crettyard, Co Laois
both cinder tracks.

Enduro

Tartan 400m track in Bangor Co Down.

longjump67

simon255 wrote: »

Donegal has a second track in Letterkenny too

Donegal has more than 2 tracks, Finn Valley, Letterkenny, Lifford (new mondo track only 7 lanes mind) and there was a cinder track in Newtowncunningham not sure if it is still in use.

flazio

Sorry to dig up an old thread but this might interest some of you, there is an athletic track that is free access to the public in Ballinasloe Co. Galway. It's in the Brackernagh area of town beside the Soccer club. It's not bad for a bit of training if you're from the area.