Fun running on Benbulben

23 June, 2025 - Mick Hanney

First the headlines. The race winners today were Alan Dunne and Becky Quinn and with that they both cemented the Connaught Championship for 2025.

We were all winners in the fun stakes for having a rare opportunity to run on Benbulben. I’ve only ever driven past on the way to Donegal and seen the spectacular images of it.

Aidan McMoreland and his team put on a great event. It attracted 89 entries over the long and short courses. A super turn-out and evidence of a growing hill running community in the north-west.

The fine weather of Saturday didn’t hang around and we were treated to a mild day with rain showers with cloud cover across the mountain which occasionally lifted to give dramatic views of the steep slopes and what we had in store for us.

Registration in Grange and transport to the start was smooth. There was a reluctance to get off the bus into the near wilderness of the start line with heavy showers of rain.

At 11 Aidan gave us the count-down and we were away up the rising tarmac lane which gave way to rougher trail then open hillside. .

Most of the climbing happens in the 3rd kilometre on a rough, slippery, cambered track that had us single-file playing follow the leader. I was in close proximity on the climb to Mike Jordan, running on home turf. At the short course turn we continued the climb up until it eventually levelled out to an undulating grassy and at times boggy plateau. On and out the mountain we ran, into the mist, seeking out the elusive trig point, and met some early starters then the leaders coming back towards us. This included Alan with Con Halpin in close attendance, both flying it. All the while following the frequent marking tape which was always there when you needed it.

Ran alongside Mari Johnston until the trig when Mike and her eased away from me on the return leg, like I was stuck in the bog.

The return section and downhill was a joy. At the short course turn we crossed the stream and played a game of trying to stay upright on the slippy mud single track. From strava it seems Daniel Toal had inadvertently inspected a section of the short course earlier before course correcting and re-tracing steps back to continue the correct long course route. An in-race recce of a section of the route perhaps? We await video confirmation.

Thanked the supportive marshals on route. The offroad section ended and it was a twisty turny tarmac track down to the finish all the while trying not be overtaken by a fast finishing competitor.

The rain held off and the buses took us back to Grange before the long trip back to Wicklow.

Well done to all the runners. Hopefully the event will be a regular one. Stick it on your calendars for next year lads.