Brandon hill Half (Kilkenny)
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Deirdre Galvin | Feb 17 2025, 7:07pm | GPX file is on the way! But, here is the route description for 2025. 21.17km. 921 metres Brandon Hill is the little lump that keeps on giving! Don't be fooled into thinking that a race around Kilkenny's highest point is anything less than challenging. And, boy do we know this mountain well, and we have planned a route that will put it up to even the hardiest of mountain goats. This year's race will see competitors summit Brandon Hill twice, from opposite sides. Your first summit is very early on in the race, and is followed by a flowy, fast descent. Fortunately, your final summit of the hill is also your last climb of the race, so grind out those gears knowing that the sweet relief of a fast 3km descent awaits. In between these summit efforts, you will be faced with rolling trail, epic views, and a brand new climb through the forestry, which tops out with a 30% incline! This new climb is deserving of its local status as the Leg Destroyer. You have been warned!! And this gnarly climb comes smack bang, halfway through the race, and isn't even one of your summit efforts! You won't need to be told when you hit it. Just look up through the tree line, and watch all light (and hope!) disappear for the next 15 minutes of steep uphill. Grunting, cursing and questioning of life choices are absolutely encouraged! Brandon Hill is a happy hunting ground for Strava Segment enthusiasts, and we will put signs up at the start and end of the more popular ones. You know, just to take your mind off things! And, to finish things off in fine fashion, local runner and burger meister extraordinaire, Dara O'Brien will be cooking up a feast at the finish line. This race got super feedback in 2024, and we are confident that the route for 2025 is going to blow your minds (and maybe your glutes, but in a good way!). |
| Lonan O Farrell | Feb 17 2025, 7:14pm | https://strava.app.link/fs9fIvpi4Qb |
| Gavan Doherty | Feb 17 2025, 10:02pm | Might be of interest to those contemplating doing Brandon Hill (this year or in the future). Limited run of EastWest A3 maps of the hill (not waterproof, but the price seems really good): https://eastwestmapping.ie/brandon-hill-map/ |
| Lonan O Farrell | Mar 16 2025, 11:44am | Hi All Just a quick note to say that the Brandon Half course will be open all day on the 19th of April to those participating who wish to hike or take their time out there. I live within 3 minutes of the course and will be available to clear the flags later in the day. It wont be long now before entries are open. Thanks Lonan |
| Lonan O Farrell | Mar 28 2025, 10:54am | Entries open today |
| Katie Mullan | Apr 7 2025, 9:00pm | Is it likely to have a cut off on entries? |
| Lonan O Farrell | Apr 7 2025, 9:07pm | Entries close to 70. If they keep flowing in we will probably look at a closing date of early next week. Thanks all. |
| Lonan O Farrell | Apr 7 2025, 9:12pm | Sorry folks, I just meant entries were currently approaching 70. We will revisit over weekend and depending on numbers by then, look at possibly closing entries on Monday or Tuesday. |
| Lonan O Farrell | Apr 13 2025, 5:13pm | Entries closing at noon on Wednesday 16th. At moment forecast looking good for the views. Looking forward to seeing you all in the South East. |
| Caroline Fahy | Apr 13 2025, 6:42pm | Any recommendations for overnight campervan parking nearby please. Thanks. |
| Lonan O Farrell | Apr 13 2025, 7:24pm | The hub graiguenamanagh is open all year but book in asap. Brandon hill campsite is the other site nearby. I expect they are open too. Both less than 10 mins from Raheenadore carpark. If bringing camper up to start come early as parking will be tight otherwise. Thank you. |
| Dara O'Brien | Apr 13 2025, 8:47pm | Hi Caroline, As Lonan said, the Barrow Activities hub is 10 mins from the start line. Great facilities with showers and kitchens etc. I think it is €15 for the night with electric hook up but it is usually very busy especially at Easter weekend so contact them ASAP. I’m not sure if Brandon Hill camping is still open these days. Apart from that, you can just pull up the night before at the raheendonore car park - the race starts there but you will have no facilities- just a place to park. Graiguenamanagh is 10 mins from the start and you can park up at the rowing club car park for the night, again, no facilities but you’re in the town and can walk to the shops etc Also, there’s the hotbox sauna in the town so at least you can grab a hot sauna and a dip in the river before or after the race |
| Lonan O Farrell | Apr 13 2025, 9:17pm | Hi Caroline. As per Coillte bye laws overnight camping is prohibited at Raheenadore carpark. As Dara said the local campsite and the Hub are centrally located in Graiguenamanagh and closer to town facilities anyhow. Thanks Lonan |
| Caroline Fahy | Apr 13 2025, 10:35pm | Thanks so much, I’ll definitely get something sorted with those options. |
| Patrick Browne | Apr 14 2025, 9:13am | There is a train from Dublin that arrives at Thomastown station at 9:20 on Saturday morning. Is there anyone driving through Thomastown at that time?. Alternatively if anyone is taking that train we could share a taxi to the race start. |
| Patrick Browne | Apr 14 2025, 2:50pm | I have inadvertently with double a carpool seat. I do not see an option to delete the double booking. Any advise? |
| Patrick Browne | Apr 14 2025, 2:55pm | I have inadvertently with double booked a carpool seat. I do not see an option to delete the double booking. Any advise? |
| Patrick Browne | Apr 14 2025, 3:31pm | I have successfully deleted the carpool booking. Sorry for all the bother. |
| Andy Keeling | Apr 14 2025, 3:52pm | Does anyone have a non Strava gpx file that can be downloaded for the course? I'm not a Strava premium user so can't download the one in the thread above it would seem. Cheers. |
| Shane Furlong | Apr 14 2025, 4:30pm | https://hiiker.app/maps/planned-trails/brandon-half--378252 |
| Rory Leadbetter | Apr 14 2025, 4:32pm | http://hiiker.app/maps/planned-trails/brandon-half--378252 This is this years route but we will have it marked pretty well. If a few of you could it and report back that it has worked for you that would be great. |
| Andy Keeling | Apr 14 2025, 8:42pm | It didn't work for me unfortunately (don't have the hiiker app either :/) but I got forwarded a gpx from Alan Kennedy there which worked with my Coros app and watch. Cheers Alan. See you all down there on Saturday! Looking forward to the post race food :p |
| Deirdre Galvin | Apr 14 2025, 8:42pm | Carpooling from Graiguenamanagh would help with parking on the day, and it would leave some spaces free for day hikers. The Aldi carpark has plenty of spaces, and is an easy 5 minutes drive from the race start. I see that someone already offered as such in the carpool option, and I would encourage runners to avail of this. |
| Rory Leadbetter | Apr 16 2025, 4:30pm | Great to see all the carpooling options on the Race page. Thanks for the offers And please avail of it if you can folks as parking will be tight. 90 minutes left until entries close. If you’re not in, you can’t… have a burger ;-) |
| Helen Wallace | Apr 16 2025, 9:49pm | Missed that entries were closing any chance of a late entry? Have a lift sorted form Wexford already |
| Lonan O Farrell | Apr 16 2025, 10:02pm | I'm afraid there are no late entries and we are not in a position to re open. Hopefully see you at another race soon. |
| Kate Flynn | Apr 17 2025, 3:43pm | Hi all, Thanks for the thorough email and organizing the event. On an off chance there might be, is there any water stations during the race? See you Saturday! |
| Deirdre Galvin | Apr 17 2025, 4:15pm | Hi Kate, There will be a water station approx halfway. However, I would advise you to run with the amount you think you require, and just rely on the station for a top up if needed. Deirdre |
| Ian Synnott | Apr 18 2025, 2:03pm | Delighted I am going to be able to make this after missing it last year. I love Brandon! Raheenadonore is very tight for parking. 15-20 cars max. Looking forward to the leg killer. 30% is the sweet spot between awful and brutal. |
| Deirdre Galvin | Apr 18 2025, 2:14pm | Hi Ian, There was a relatively recent extension done on the carpark, so definitely more space than you might remember. That said, there is certainly a limit and carpooling would be appreciated. As previously mentioned, carpooling from the Aldi in Graiguenamanagh is a smart option. Deirdre |
| Conor Nolan | Apr 19 2025, 3:32pm | If you dropped a phone on the course today, and haven't recovered it yet, I picked it up and handed it in at the finish line. Hopefully finds its owner again |
| Conor Nolan | Apr 19 2025, 3:36pm | Great race today, maybe even better than last year's. Many thanks to the cheerful marshalls, really helps. On reflection, I think I prefer this year's awful climb, over last year's :) |
| Alan Kennedy | Apr 19 2025, 4:26pm | Great race today, that is if you like running most of it thru flowing water. Loved it myself and the conditions turned out to be ok in the end and it even got warm at times. A shame to miss what I’m sure are spectacular views but was so technical in places you could hardly take your eyes off the track. Fantastic job by Lonan his stellar team of Marshalls. A nice today to run but awful to be out there so long to make our life easier. Excellent marking throughout and the big arrows are always welcome. Not so sure about the segment signs when your legs are gone but gave me a laugh anyway. And the burgers at the end were as good as everyone had been talking about. Glad I made the trip down. |
| Mick Hanney | Apr 19 2025, 5:56pm | First time for me running on Brandon hill. As Arne said, I'll be back. Lonan was not wrong when he said this hill keeps on giving. On a fair weather day the course would have been tough. Running it today after the rain in the last couple of days added a particular aquatic nature to the course. Water flowing or sitting on most trails. Weather for the race wasn't too bad. The marking was exceptional given the conditions. The marshalling ace. Can't thank the summit marshal enough, that was a lonely station! Fantastic spread of food afternoons. A memorable day. Thanks Lonan and crew. Its obvious that huge work has gone into this event. |
| Patrick Browne | Apr 19 2025, 6:08pm | Fantastic race. Excellent route marking. The burgers were delicious. Special thanks to the volunteers who had to wait for very slow runners like me. Also, a big "thank you" to Carlos who got to and from the race. Long live car pooling. |
| Philip Nolan | Apr 19 2025, 6:15pm | Conor, huge thanks for finding my phone (didn’t realise I had lost it until I finished!!). Well done to Lonan and the rest of the team for putting on a great event. |
| Eiviltas Evan Radavicius | Apr 19 2025, 6:33pm | Huge thanks to Race Director, Marshall's and the chef!! A great race and a great memory. Hope to see ye again! |
| Dara O'Brien | Apr 19 2025, 9:30pm | Hi all, Huge thanks to all for taking the trip to Kilkenny and taking on the fantastic little hill that is Brandon especially given the ‘slightly moist’ weather conditions! We’re delighted to see so many of you make the journey and take on the race and it was great to see so many happy faces at the finish line. Last year was the first and to see the numbers grow this year was a real endorsement of the race and the effort that the team put in - looking forward to seeing even more of you make the trip next year (although I think I’ll need more charcoal!) Great course laid out by Lonan, great effort by all the Marshalls and a really great atmosphere at the finish line. If any of you develop food poisoning - the name you need for the lawsuits is ‘John Murphy’ … Rest up and enjoy the well earned eggs tomorrow! |
| Catherine Ryan | Apr 19 2025, 10:42pm | Thanks to all the volunteers today. The course was very well marked and great to see the volunteers on route. Well done to the race director. The burgers and curry were delicious. Very enjoyable. Catherine |
| Catherine Ryan | Apr 19 2025, 10:47pm | Thanks to the race director for organising a well marked route today. It was great to see so many volunteers on route. The burgers and curry cooked to order were delicious. Enjoyable run despite the weather. Catherine |
| Brian Mullins | Apr 20 2025, 2:15am | Report up. Thanks to Lonan, Rory, Deirdre and all the volunteers for a fantastic day out, a massive amount of work went into this one and the word around the campfire from last years race has spread, this one is a must do for any self respecting mountain runner. And I know what you are saying, Kilkenny doesn’t have mountains! Come back to me when you have run up that 30% incline! Burgers and curry and the end by Dara made it all seem like a dream. Onwards to the next one! |
| Ian Synnott | Apr 20 2025, 12:15pm | Many thanks to the crew for hosting a great event. Conditions were tough, but I myself loved it. I didn't find the Leg Destroyer to be toooo bad. I guess all that Konckmealdown climbing a couple weeks ago put the strength in the legs. But I was power hiking it, if anybody ran all the way up, I salute you. So great to have an IMRA race in my home county, and for it to be Brandon is even sweeter. And we have a Comeraghs race this year too. That should be fun. Thanks to all again for a fabulous event. |
| Dawn O Dowd | Apr 20 2025, 3:22pm | Fantastic race, really really enjoyed it. Thanks to all involved in the organising. |
| Stephen Lavelle | Apr 22 2025, 12:02pm | Thanks to Lonan and his team for putting on a great race. The weather really wasn't great, but the route more than made up for it. Will definitely be spreading the word about the run and advising people to travel down next year. Well done all, and thanks again. |
| Catherine Ryan | Apr 23 2025, 10:16am | Hi guy's. Any results yet? Just wondering. Catherine |
| Deirdre Galvin | Apr 23 2025, 10:52am | Hi Catherine, They should be up very soon. I think the Easter weekend just delayed things slightly. Well done on racing, and look forward to seeing you again in 2026. Deirdre |
| Karl Richards | Apr 24 2025, 10:37am | Thanks again for a super race on Brandon Hill. The new route was really great and challenging. Thanks to all the volunteers who made the race both possible and so enjoyable. A big shout out for the fantastic post race food - the burger topped off the great event. Looking forward to seeing the results and how far behind the winners! |
| Jeff Swords | Apr 24 2025, 12:12pm | You can see them now Karl, they've been published. Any issues email IMRAResults at Gmail dot com |
