We had six members running in the Ratoath Half Marathon on Saturday 13th September, which finished on Fairyhouse Racecourse. We had a number of pbs to boot as well. Dave Power got that elusive sub 73 with a time of 1:12:54 which is a personal best. Dave was 7th overall and 3rd M40. Micheal Murphy also ran a lifetime best of 1:22:12. Martin Kitson was home just behind Micheal in 1:22:25, another lifetime best. Gavin Murphy knocks minutes off every race he does and once again ran a personal best of 1:25:23. Ronan Byrne is starting to get his fitness back, so he’ll be glad to knock out a 1:27:51. Finally, Esther Lawlor ran 1:36:36, best HM time in a while, so all in all a great day for all of our athletes. Well done to you all.

The Dublin 5-mile championships, hosted by Lucan Harriers took place on Sunday 7th September, with Rathfarnham WSAF taking home a number of medals. Patrick MacGabhann finished fourth overall in a time of 25:08. Aisling O’Connor picked up a senior bronze medal in 31:31. Clare Shiels collected a silver in the F45 category. Paul Fleming won gold in the M50 category. Sean Doyle strolled home to win M65 category. Lian Brady, Clare Shiels and Aisling O’Connor took the bronze in the F Open team event. Club times for the 5 mile race were: Patrick 25:08, Paul 28:14, Aisling 31:31, Clare 34.40, Sean 34:44 and Lian 37:48. Great medal haul - well done to you all.

DSD Masters Track and Field - Saturday 30th August. We had a great group of masters athletes take to the track and field in blustery conditions. Vanessa Sallier kicked us off in great style with a superb win in the One Mile walk. She also won the three-legged race with Clare Shiels. Our brilliant juvenile coach Orla Murray carried the club on her shoulders in the field events, throwing 7.15 metres in the shot put and jumping 2.75 metres in the long jump. We then jumped to the middle distance runs where Caitriona Dowling had her best run of the year running 2:25 in the 800m. Louise Gaffney was up next in a really competitive 1500m where the wind had really picked up and still ran 5 mins on the nose. Dave Reidy ran the 1500 guest race in 4:56 as well. Then to the relay: 4x400 where Clare took the team off on the first leg, passing over to John McCauley who handed over to Gráinne Black. Pearse Coyle took anchor leg and got the team a third-place finish in 4:48. Great running overall. National Half Marathon, Tullamore: Saturday 30th August - We had the Half marathon National Championships today down in Tullamore with a sensational performance by Matt Kane to finish third overall (1:10:48) and a national bronze medal to boot. Colm Murray was next up finishing 9th in a competitive M55 field with a time of 1:24:51. A superb 1-2 Gold, Silver finish in the National M65 for the evergreen Tom Cuddy and Gerry Boyle (1:26:57, 1:27:03 respectively). Martin Kelly finished fifth in the same age category with a time of 1:34. Serious time considering Martin has had some real injuries this year. Donal Murphy also had a great run and finished 7th in same age category with 1:36:07. 4th overall in the M50 Team category which is amazing considering 3 of our athletes are in the M65 category and our only M55 is 59.9999 I’ve been told. Catherine Kelly who won the F60 in 1:55:21. Greenway Half Marathon, Waterford, Saturday 30th August. Dave Power finished 8th overall (1:15:56). Denis Daly also ran with a super fourth place finish in the M50 age category in a time of 1:28:24. The weather down south wasn’t any better than Tullamore. Oylegate Half Marathon Wexford, Sunday 31 st August - Well done to Ross Griffin who was our soul occupant of the undulating Oylegate Half Marathon. Ross finished 16th overall in a time of 1:25:33 in windy conditions. Paul Fleming finished second in the BHAA Abbotstown 5k last Wednesday 27th August.

On Saturday 16th August we had the Frank Duffy 10 miler. Gavin Murphy going from strength to strength took nearly one minute off his pb with a time of 1:03:49. Mick Stuart also ran a great time of 1:11:20.  Sunday 17th August, we had the Kilcock 10 from 10 with some smashing times. Alexey Marchenko was fourth overall with a time of 54:03 (and €50 for his troubles). Gael Hernandez donning the new pink Rathfarnham singlet he’s trying outran 58:37 which was a new pb. Micheal Murphy ran 1:02:46. Ross Griffin ran 102:59 and Denis Daly ran 1:06:52 Across the way in Athy, Edwin Keville won the 050 RunAthy 10k in 39:52. Brilliant performance after a tough year with illness and injury. Dave Power ran up the Galtymore mountain in the latest IMRA. Dave finished 6th in a race with a total elevation gain here of over 1100 metres. Having made his first 400m national final this year, Stephen Gaffney took over half a second off his club record and PB at the most recent Stratford Speed meet on 17 th August at the London Olympics campus running 46.94s. Former Irish national 100m champion, Stephen has made fantastic progress this season over the 400m not having competed much in this event previously. Stephen also ran the 100m event at Stratford running a season’s best of 10.66s. One man who will not want the season to end. Stephen trains with an elite sprint group at UCD alongside fellow club members Cillian McCabe and Isabelle Doyle all of whom have done the club proud in sprint events over recent seasons. We had the Celbridge AC 5k on 21st August. Eoin Flynn back home finished 9th overall in a time of 15:24. Pearse Coyle finished in 18:44. Richard Deeney had a great run with a time of 18:49. Clare Shiels in her own competition with husband Dermot to see who can run the most races in a calendar year ran 20:35. Esther Lawler wearing those V (1980s miniseries) like sunglasses finished in 21:16. Well done to all who ran.

Well done to all our Club members who competed at the Dublin Graded Meeting 8 at Morton Stadium on Wednesday 30th July 2025. In the 1,500m Louise Gaffney ran 4.58, Caitriona Dowling 5.03, Aisling O'Connor 5.14 and Sophie McGrath 5.34. In the mens 1,500m Aiden O'Connor ran 4.15 and Richard Deeney 5.21. In the discus Vanessa Sallier threw 14.20m. The full results are on http://live.dublinathletics.com/graded25-8/menu.htm l.

A great day was had on Saturday July 26th down on the track in Tullamore by Rathfarnham WSAF athletes. Caitriona Dowling won the F35 in the 800m. Louise Gaffney then won the F35 1500m. Sheelagh Jones won Gold and SIlver in the 3000m and 1500m respectively in the F65. Serious going. Dermot Shiels won M50 silver in the 5000m and Tom Cuddy was just pipped at the post to finish fourth in an unbelievably competitive M65. Away from the track and over to the field, Vanessa Sallier nailed down a bronze in the F50 at the High jump and Hammer.  Pipped at the post on Thursday 24 th July was our Kevin Donagher in the Liberties 4 mile in the south inner city, who finished second in 22.06. Super results everyone.

At the BHAA DCC 5k in Irishtown/Ringsend on Thursday 17 th July our own Matt Kane won the overall race in 15.55 and we had several category wins and places. Sheelagh Jones won the F65 category, Sean McCreery won the M55 category, Vanessa Sallier was second F50 and Donal Murphy was second M65. We also had Alex Fraser, Terry Clarke and Catherine Kelly running well. Another great run from Colm Murray in torrential rain in the National 10-mile road championships in the Phoenix Park on Sunday 20th July. Colm was 5th in his age category in 64.25. Tom Cuddy won the M65 age category in 65.16. Other notable runs were had by Donal Murphy, 74.12, was 7th in M65, Nunzio Perrone ran 72:20 and Martin Kelly ran 93.39. The M50+ team were fourth. Also on Sunday 20 th July Kevin Donagher won the Nurney 5k in Kildare in 16.48. At the AAI Games in Carlow on Sunday 20 th July Alexey Marchensko was third in the National 10,000m track championships in 34:26.51.

Well done to all our athletes who took part in the Dublin Graded Meeting No. 7 on the Lucan track on Wednesday 16th July 2025. They competed over 3,000m (Dermot Shiels 10.01, Michael Murphy 10.08, Tom Cuddy 11.03, Richard Deeney 11.32; Aisling O'Connor 10.50 and Sophie McGrath 12.01), 800m (Caitriona Dowling 2.25) and in the shot put (1st Isabel Mullarney 8.79m, Orla Murray 6.89m and Vanessa Sallier 5.44m). The full results are on the Dublin Athletics Live site at http://live.dublinathletics.com/graded-25-7/menu.htm l.

Docklands 5k - We had a number of Rathfarnham WSAF Athletes running in the Docklands 5k on Thursday 10 th July 2025, with some age category wins and podium finishes, coupled with the return to racing of our rebel county man Donagh Powell. On a very hot sunny evening, the race went off at a blistering 24deg with the evergreen Dave Power won the M40 category in a time of 16:30. Marc Fitzachary was 3rd M45 in a time of 17:37. Denis Daly won the M55 category in a time of 19:41. Sophie McGrath was 24th female home in a time of 20:53. Micheal Murphy ran 17:50, John McCauley ran 17:52, Donagh Powell ran 18:06. Richard Deeney ran 19:17 and Sean McCarron back from injury ran 22:25.  At the Morton Games on Friday 11 th July Ryan O’Neill ran well in the Under 20 mile. Denis Daly has only gone and done it again creating more work for the admin team here at Rathfarnham WSAF. The race was Le Mike Bishop Agonac 10k, Dordogne, Bastille day run on 14 th July 2025. In his own words ‘I seem to be less slow than everybody else in 35°C, 85% humidity and 220m climb!’ Great experience for our under 14 girls (Siún Broderick, Rosie Shields, Alice Wilson and Siobhan Murray) getting to the nationals juvenile Track and Field Championships on Sunday 13 th July in the 4x100m relay. There was very tough competition out there and they did the club proud. Two of the team are also eligible to run U.13s as well. Another big shout out to Ciara MacDonnacha who was 12 th in the U17 long jump in 4.44 metres.

Races in Clontarf always advertised as flat and fast. They forget to mention the wind. It didn’t stop Colm Murray rocking up in the Clontarf Half Marathon on 5 th July 2025, the man who loves to race every week. Punishing conditions however, with a strong head wind from 9k home coupled with high humidity. Not a great mix. Still another age category podium finish in second place and a sub 90 (1:29:28). Very impressive stuff. NATIONAL U20 and U23 track and field Championships took place in Tullamore on Saturday 5 th July and Rathfarnham had 2 representatives. Ryan O Neill ran the U20 1500m and it was a tactical race from the off. The Tallaght athlete and eventual winner Cormac Dixon made a decisive break half way through and field did not go with the move which meant that the other medal spots would be decided in the final 300m. Ryan bravely took on the lead at that point but was narrowly edged out of the medals in the final strides to finish a commendable 5th in 4.02.5. Jared Murray took to the start in a very strong heat including eventual winner Nick Griggs in the U23 800m and just missed out on the final finishing 9th overall in 1.57.17. Ryan will compete in the Morton Games on Friday whilst Jared will aim for national seniors’ championship in a few weeks’ time. Well done to speedster Ellie Oldrey who came third in the U16 80m hurdles in the national championships in June. 11.98 is a serious time. Very unlucky to clip the hurdle towards the end. She also romped home to victory in the rain in the schools 200m in an insane time of 25.65. Well done to all who ran. 

Another busy week is of summer activities. Thursday 26th June we had Liam Dunne, 12th., run a find time of 34.38 at the Clonee 10k. Friday 27th June we had the usual large participation seeking PBs in always fast St Cocas 5k with honourable mention to first home busy Dad of 3 Gaël Hernandez running his first ever sub 17m. in 16.57. Great runs were also had by Dermot Shiels 17.23, David Reidy 17.36, Michael Murphy 17.53, Gavin Murphy 18.42, Michael Steward 19.28, Claire Shiels 19.59, Ester Lawlor 21.31, Paul Stephenson, Lian Brady 22.15, and John McCabe 22.51. Saturday 28th June saw action switch to ultra fast track Irish Milers event in Santry stadium with Ryan O Neill again running 1500m sub 3.54 and Jared Murray lowering his 1500m mark sub 4.02, fast running lads. Today Sunday 29th June saw more runners take to start for national 5m road in Phoenix Park with David Power first thru in a remarkable fine PB time of 26.40. Also category wins for Tom Cuddy 31.33 and Shellagh Jones 36.19. Great runs were also had by Paul Fleming 28.58, Colm Murray 30.54, Tom Cuddy 31.33, Terry Clarke 39.30, and Richard Deasy 32.55. Meanwhile we had no less than 7 juveniles make the trip to the prestigious annual National Championship in Tullamore on Sunday 29th June where Ellie Oldrey again came away with medal taking bronze in U16m 80m . Also we had Lucy Blessington run the 800 metres in 2.25, Callum Kelly ran in the U17 110 metres hurdles. Aoibheann Nic Mathuna was 8th, throwing 9.25 metres in the U15 shot put. Euan Bale U15 ran the 80 metres hurdles in 13.80 seconds. Well done to all.

Well done to all our athletes who competed at the Dublin Graded Meeting 6 at Morton Stadium on Wednesday 25th June 2025. In the 1,500m Tom Cuddy ran 5.18. Aisling O'Conner ran 5.18 as well in her 1,500m and Sophie McGrath ran 5.31. In the womens Javelin Isabel Mullarney was 5th and threw the javelin 26.55m. In the shot she was 3rd with a 8.65m throw. Well done to all. The full results are on Dublin Athletics live website at http://live.dublinathletics.com/graded-25-6/menu.htm l

Some great results for Rathfarnham WSAF AC athletes in the Michael Manning Memorial Dunshaughlin 10k 2025 on Saturday 21st June in very hot conditions with Gerry Boyle (M65) and Colm Murray (M55) both winning their age categories, Dov Kremer (M60) 2nd in his, Dermot Shiels 4th in M50, Alexy Marchenko 5th in M40, and David Reidy 19th in M45. Results and times are: Alexey MARCHENKO – M40 - 0:33:36 David REIDY - M45 - 0:37:50 Dermot SHIELS – M50 - 0:38:03 Dov KREMER – M60 - 0:38:28 Colm MURRAY – M55 - 0:39:06 Gerry BOYLE – M65 - 0:40:16. At the Viking Half Marathon in Waterford on Sunday 22nd June David Power placed 5th in 1:14 and Donal Murphy 114th in 1:38. At the UCD track meeting on Wednesday 18th June Jared Murray took 2nd place in 800m lowering his PB to 1.55. Good luck to club juvenile athletes taking part in the national championships in Tullamore over the next 2 weekends.

Well done to all our athletes who ran at the Dublin Graded Meeting 5 at the DSD Track on Saturday 14th June 2025. We had some excellent performances over 3000m and 800m. Aisling O'Connor and Caitriona Dowling (11.22) ran in the 3000m. In the mens 3000m A race Aiden O'Connor ran 9.20, while in the C 3000m race Gael Hernandez ran, along with Dermot Shiels (10.06) and David Reidy (10.22). In the 800m Sophie McGrath ran 2.43. In the mens 800m Ryan O'Nelll ran 1.55 and Jared Murray 1.57. At a track meeting in Malta over the weekend Lee Byrne ran 1.58 to come second in an 800m. Over the weekend (14 - 15 June 2025) we had several Juveniles competing in the Dublin Championships on the DSD track. Full results on the Dublin Athletics Live website at http://live.dublinathletics.com/menu.html . Well done to all who competed. 

All-Ireland Schools Track & Field Championships A fruitful weekend for Rathfarnham WSAF AC sprint and middle distance athletes at the All-Ireland Schools Track and Field Championships in Tullamore on Saturday. In the 200m Junior Girls race Ellie Oldrey was fast away from the blocks leading around the turn and powered down the home straight away from the field to claim a clear win and brilliant gold medal in a PB run of 25.65s, likely a club record. Ryan O Neill took to the start for the concluding race of the day in the senior boys 1500m. In a tactically run race Ryan lead through the opening 800m and signed off on his schools career in a hard fought final lap taking 2nd place and silver medal in a time of 3.59. Aoibheann NicMhathuna also competed in thd Junior girls shot out throwing 9.15. A fantastic showing of young talent from these young athletes and great credit to sprint coach John Hayes, endurance coach Paul Fleming and throws coach Angela Mac Mhathuna. Other races: Sprint club athletes competed at the Stratford Speed meet in London with Stephen Gaffney running a blistering 10.69s over 100m and Isabella Doyle 26.14 in 200m. The Slieve Donard. Rathfarnham runners took on the oldest mountain race in Ireland. Slieve Donard celebrated its 80th edition this year, with an up and down race from Newcastle up to the summit at 853m, a total of 9.5km. this race forms part of the IMRA Irish championships. David Power 12th M Peter O'Farrell 23rd M Laura Flynn 27th F Matt Kane finished 2nd in Howth IMRA on Wednesday too.