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When did the Marathon Race Series Start

  • 17-09-2015 11:52am
    #1
    ArgieExile
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40 ✭


    Question that I have been asked as to how long the Dublin Half Marathon (The Race Series one that is) has been going on. I know the Full Marathon has been 30 odd years, but I ran the Half marathon in 2003, and not sure when the series kicked off. Anyone got the info? Cheers....


Comments

  • #2
    TRR_the_turd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 928 ✭✭✭TRR_the_turd


    ArgieExile wrote: »
    Question that I have been asked as to how long the Dublin Half Marathon (The Race Series one that is) has been going on. I know the Full Marathon has been 30 odd years, but I ran the Half marathon in 2003, and not sure when the series kicked off. Anyone got the info? Cheers....

    I think 2003 was actually the first year of the series.


  • #3
    ArgieExile
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40 ✭ArgieExile


    Cheers -


  • #4
    Murph_D
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,595 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    There was a Dublin Millenium Road Race Series in 1988, sponsored by Telecom Eireann. Four races:

    - Streets of Dublin 10k (Mar 17)
    - 10 miles in Phoenix Park (April 17)
    - 5 miles in Kilmainham and The Liberties (June 6)
    - 10k from Stephens Green (Sep 25)

    Not sure whether these were all annual events at the time. The 10-mile race was inaugurated in May 1984, won by Roy Dooney of Dublin City Harriers. The Dublin half marathon dates back to the 1980s at least - Gerry Kiernan (Clonliffe) led home a field of 500 in June 1984. Course mostly on the Northside, I think (went through Kilbarrack). The Kilmainham 5 miler sounds similar to the present day Liberties Run.


  • #5
    Murph_D
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,595 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    The Race Series Half could well date back to the 1960s or earlier - the Donore Harriers Half Marathon used to start at the Cricket Grounds in the Park and end at Islandbridge. Dates back to at least 1965, when Guinness started sponsoring it. The BHAA got involved in running it in the 1980s. Maybe someone from Donore Harriers would know more - the club seems quite involved in the Race Series still? Guinness also sponsored a Half organised by Inchicore Athletic Club, the Liffey Valley Half Marathon, run from O'Connell Bridge to Celbridge from at least 1967, possibly earlier. The route was changed to an Islandbridge-Chapelizod circuit from 1983 (you could register in McBirney's department store the day before the race). I suspect this race might have merged with the Donore half soon after and eventually become the race we know today.

    All of the above, and previous post, from various articles in Irish Times archives.

    Some very interesting old material in the BHAA archive too.


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