Mick's Dream Race: Lugnaquilla 2025

12 May, 2025 - matthew mcconnell

The reason we do the Winter League.
The reason we train in the rain.
It’s for days like this.
In 2022, I ran a solo loop around Lugnaquilla on a sodden, grey day. Visibility was next to nothing. I remember uploading it to Strava, and Mick Hanney commented, “Love that Ballineddan Slievemann stretch” That idea stuck with him. For years now, he’s dreamt about turning that route into a race worthy of the IMRA Irish Championship Series, which tours the island’s most iconic peaks.
And so, on a perfect day in Wicklow, that dream became a reality. Around 70 of us lined up to race.
I was nervous, and not just in the usual pre-race way.
First, I hadn’t recced the route. I’d studied maps, but I was relying on good visibility and strong instincts. Thankfully, on a day like this, getting lost seemed unlikely.
Second, I was late. I’d misjudged the drive duration and had to rally my Škoda Octavia through country roads 49th & Main at full blast, stopping for a fuel top-up in Laragh, diesel for the car, Redbull for me. A pit stop that would’ve made an F1 team proud.
I arrived just in time, directed by a friendly marshal to wedge my car up a forest road, then jogged over to registration. Believe it or not, I wasn’t the last one to sign in. A quick warm-up, a shakeout of the legs, and then to the start line for Mick’s pre-race briefing.
3, 2, 1 — and we were off.
Some high-tech blocking tactics were employed by the juniors early on, unintentional of course, but it put a smile on my face to see them out here. I tucked in behind Ben Mangan before slipping past him just before the gate that marks the start of the first proper climb. The pull up to Ballineddan is steep, working-hard-but-moving-slow steep, how-long-is-this-gonna-go-on-for steep, am-I-going-forward-at-all steep. Legs burn. Lungs sear. Gradients touch vertical kilometre territory, 30% in places. Just what I need.
As it levelled off near the top, I spotted Liz Wheeler and her dog. A few words exchanged, then I dropped into the descent. A glance behind me, no sign of Ben.
I didn’t want to wreck myself yet, I thought as I made my way down the first descent. The climb up Slievemaan is runnable, which makes it deceptively hard. I settled into a tempo, knowing Lug was waiting just ahead. And there she was, Lugnaquilla. It reminded me of the last pitch in the World Skyrunning Championships, a steep mass of a hill.
I cut right off the main trail and head directly for the summit cairn. I couldn’t see it, but I trusted my gut. Through boulders and heather, my gamble paid off, I think. I spotted a group of hikers and knew I was back on track.
Frank Conroy stood watch at the top. Our incredible 82-year-old summit marshal, still out there doing the hard yards. I gave him a wave, looped the cairn, lapped my watch - 36:18 - and began my descent.
A few shouts of encouragement from familiar IMRA faces.
The second climb of Slievemaan was harder. I dug deep, pushed over the top, and opened up on the descent. One final drag to Ballineddan, runnable, but tough on tired legs. I glanced at my watch. The numbers looked good.
Then I saw Liz again, phone in hand, dog at her side.
“You’ve got about a five-minute gap, I think”, she said with a chuckle.
The words barely registered. My mind was elsewhere. I was in a group of some top guys, Killian, Ruairí, Jared, Tom, Enda, Luke, Zak, Tim, Aaron, could feel them chasing. Every step was a race against the names in my head.
On the way to O’Keeffe’s Bar post-race for the prize-giving, I stepped out of my car and saw Liz walking her dog. She smiled, recounting the moment I passed her near the summit. I don't tell her about what was going on in my head.
I focused my way down the final descent. Rounding the last bend, a few claps welcomed me in. I hit stop on my watch and shook Mick Hanney’s hand.
“That,” I told him, “was an absolutely incredible course. A true mountain running course.”

Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore

12 May, 2025 - Rónán Davison-Kernan

Glorious sunshine and bone dry conditions, no doubt these are typical Wicklow conditions, not all like the clabber and murk we're more used to in the Mournes??
Shirley Farnan and myself from BARF and Sinead-Marie McAllister from Larne AC met up outside Lisburn at 8.45 for the 'Battery powered eco-goodness" (aka cheap miles in the company car) 2.5 hour jaunt down to Wicklow. Despite the hard sell, Sinead declined the offer of running in a purple vest…for now. Shirley is an Irish Championship veteran, this was a first for Sinead and I, and a first race in Wicklow for me (apart from a mildly traumatic experience in the Maurice Mullins last year)
The 3 of us had made the noble sacrifice of avoiding being among the 314 running the Hen and Cock Hill & Dale race on Thursday because we are true athletes fully committed to the Irish Championship. And aren't recovering as well as we used to.
Upon spying the northern reg pulling in to the fire road, Peter pounced with bag of goodies to join the growing pile of IMRA prizes in my shed which are slowly being distributed (mostly to Andrew Tees). I'm considering applying to the Shared Island Unit for a grant for an extension.
My delicate comportment wasn't sure what to make of the heat and sun and several rounds of factor 50 were applied in the hope that enough would be absorbed before the sweat began in earnest.
Looking around at the start line I realised I was the only one I could see in Mudclaws, my go-to shoes for the Mournes, great for the steep stuff but no cushioning. What am I missing, sure isn't it a mountain race? I click my heels together three times, "There's no place like Wicklow"
Off we went at 1pm and sure enough the pace was furious. Things were going well enough as long as we were climbing steeply, but once there was actual running involved the legs lost interest and implemented work to rule. Nonetheless the descent off Lug was great fun and enough momentum was maintained to hold 16th the whole way down before collapsing in a gibbering heap at the finish.
So a great race, and a humbing experience out of the Mournes comfort zone. Thanks to Mick and all the marshals. The atmosphere, craic and of course value of IMRA races is second to none (can't believe that's only €7). Onward to Donard.

HUP! Irish Champs 2025 is a GO

11 May, 2025 - Peter O'Farrell

The 2025 Irish Championships are up and running and the running was a joy on this fine course, a new route up Lugnaquille for the Irish Champs after a trial run last year in the Leinster Champs. The creation of Mick Hanney, the able race director today ensuring a smooth operation which went very well.
Mick is great at the race promotion and we had runners from all 4 corners of the country in attendance today with the BARF* car-mobile from Belfast standing out for car-pooling and battery powered eco goodness as it pulled into the ample fireroad parking area.
It's a lovely grassy course with only 8m of fireroad in 10.6km of running and on a dry day the descents are very fast. Fast that is if you had paced yourself well and hadn't fallen into the trap of running too hard on the enticing firm ground on the way out.
From the off the likely contenders for the win were away and gone with great gusto and both Caroline Harney and Matthew McConnell held off strong competition today to emerge with the wins. Ben Mangan raced strongly for second place and Nick Hogan had relatively speaking the descent of the day to move into third place in the men's side. On the women's side the top 3 could see each other all the way and Becky Quinn had to fight hard for her second place over a strong Louise Murray and all 3 women finished in the top 20 overall.
Behind the top 3 the age grade racers were also fighting hard with former IMRA presidents continuing to show the way in the form of Laura Flynn and Joe Lalor and Patsy McCreanor racing at M80 the oldest runner of all. Summit marshall Francis Conroy showed volunteering lasts into the M80 category also, along with his superb photography.

It's not all about the older runners though with the innovation of a junior course proving popular and David Ayton, Jessica O'Meara, Malachi Ayton and Lochlyn Kenny all ran well.

After this well received change to tradition on a new route round 2 of the Irish Champs up Slieve Donard will make a welcome return to it's customary start on the main street of Newcastle for it's 80th anniversary. See you there!

*Belfast Association of Rockclimbers and Fellrunners