Church Mountain
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| John Molloy | Jun 14 2024, 11:48am | Hi all Just looking ahead and opened forum map of Church mountain. Are the white lines across the map and Russian script proof of "Chem tails"? I always thought this kind of thing was just part of Conspiracy theory but this looks like proof! John molloy |
| Pól Ó Murchú | Jun 14 2024, 1:28pm | Hmmm that’s mad alright… |
| Charlie Johnston | Jun 14 2024, 3:06pm | Looks like it will be a Cold War theme in light of recent geopolitical events. Looking for volunteers to build a wall between East and West Wicklow? |
| Kevin O'Riordan | Jun 14 2024, 3:30pm | Or a cycle lane partitioning the two halves of Wicklow "Berlin Wall" style. |
| Liam Mooney | Jul 8 2024, 9:09pm | Hi All Just a few short weeks left to the premiere running of the 2024 Church Mountain Leinster League race. Thanks for all who have volunteered. I'm all good for volunteers now and don't require anymore. Some other upcoming races still require volunteers, so if you haven't volunteered in a while, please have a look and volunteer at them if able. See you in a few weeks. |
| Liam Mooney | Jul 24 2024, 1:33pm | Hi All, One week to go until we welcome you over to the Hollywood Hills for the premiere running of the Church Mountain Leinster League race. As with any Hollywood blockbuster, expect plenty of spills and trills, twists and turns, and high drama. The big question is, will this course be of a nice happy fairytale or feel good romcom genre, or will it be take more of a high action, gritty drama, horror, or Tarantinoesque bloodbath variety?! Maybe a bit of all...only time will tell. And like all the great blockbusters, this one of course comes with its own soundtrack, curated by our Musical Director Niall McHugh. It contains as an eclectic mix of songs as the terrains on the course, and is designed to reflect the various range emotions you may go through when progressing around the course! No, listening to music during the race, so as you carpool to Glen of the Downs tonight, have a listen to whet the appetite. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6BfNhYu5Dvqay6SgKvCi2m?si=ffb9dd8dfaaa4985 Tickets for the main event go on sale at 9am on Monday morning. |
| Mick Hanney | Jul 24 2024, 9:58pm | Fair play Liam. Opening a door into a strange place with the prospect of music playlists for races. <Goes searching for songs on spotify...> |
| Brian Furey | Jul 24 2024, 10:18pm | My Sweet Lord - George Harrison I could have had religion - Rory Gallagher Goddess on a highway - Mercury Rev There's 3 more :) |
| Brian Kitson | Jul 25 2024, 6:36am | Keeping with the ecclesiastical theme, you better add Songs of Love from The Divine Comedy to the list, Liam. Fear not the inevitable thrills and spills, we might have some fallers but as the protagonist himself once said, “So there he is. Risen from the dead. Like that fella.... E.T." |
| Alan Ayling | Jul 25 2024, 4:50pm | Sadly a church organ isn't as portable as a tin whistle or banjo when it comes to some trailside tunes How lonely on the mountains are the feet of Him? Who hath taken a wrong turn, not following the tape... |
| Liam Mooney | Jul 25 2024, 6:09pm | Some top suggestions there lads. I'll have to consult with our musical director later to see can he incorporate them into this masterpiece or whether he feels they would dilute his artistic vision for the compilation too much. They may have to wait until the second Church Mountain anthology. |
| Mikey Fry | Jul 25 2024, 7:15pm | I could just run with a boom box playing good tunes:))) |
| Elaine Casey | Jul 25 2024, 9:32pm | loveing thhis playlist, currently wandering the streets of Vienna blasting it :) |
| Elaine Casey | Jul 25 2024, 9:32pm | loving thhis playlist, currently wandering the streets of Vienna blasting it :) |
| Liam Mooney | Jul 29 2024, 9:59am | Morning All, The shop is now open for this race. A few reminders in advance of the race: Getting There As with all IMRA races, please try to carpool where possible. There is no parking available at the start / finish line location. The field for parking (https://maps.app.goo.gl/MiRf1y15K6SHr7S56) is located approximately 700m from the start / finish line. Please approach from the Hollywood side so that you are not meeting runners along the road. Parking Charges The landowner has generously requested that the proceeds from the parking be donated to Friends of Saint Lukes Hospital for Cancer Care & Research. Standard IMRA parking charges are in effect for those without a full car: €4 for a single person car €3 for two people €2 for three people FREE for a full car (4+) Registration Registration will open at 6.15pm. Everyone must first sign in at the Registration Sign in desk, and then proceed to the Laptop Operators desk to get your chip on your number scanned. All runners must go to BOTH desks. New runners for 2024 will also need to get their number at New Numbers desk. Registration will finish at 7.10pm to allow time to get to the start location. Trail Criu Collection Andy Keeling and Alice Clancy will be collecting kit donations for Trail Criu at the registration location. Please support this initiative if you can to help make mountain and trail running more inclusive for all. Public Road The road up to the start/finish location is a tight road with two blind bends on it. There will be two marshals slowing traffic, but please walk on the left on the way to the start line, and on the right on the way back, and ensure children are accompanied. Early Start There is an early start for runners who regularly finish above 160% of the winner’s time. The early start will be at 7.00pm sharp, so ensure you give yourself time to get to the start location. Junior / Short Course The junior / short course will start 5 minutes after the main race at 7.35pm. The start for the junior / short course will take place about 300m further up the track from the main start location. Private Landowners – Fences & Gates This race would not be possible without the goodwill of private landowners allowing us to pass over their lands. There are three kissing gates along the route. Runners must go through each of the kissing gates. ***N.B. Under no circumstances are runners to climb over gates or fences along the route.*** Refreshments & Prize Giving Refreshments and prizegiving will be at the start / finish line. We will have a gazebo set up at the start / finish line for people to leave some warm clothes in for after the race. Volunteers Thanks for all who have volunteered for this event. IMRA would not be possible without everyone doing their fair share of volunteering. I will email you later today with further details on your roles etc. Looking forward to seeing you all at Church Mountain on Wednesday. |
| Lillian Deegan | Jul 30 2024, 2:44am | Bumping this one back up for RD Liam ahead of tomorrow. Also wish to repeat that car parking charges apply for field use at Church Mt. With IMRA being totally cashless these days, it is card payments only via the SumUp device. One of our volunteers will be at the gate. Please work with them to keep the traffic flowing. “Standard IMRA parking charges are in effect for those without a full car: €4 for a single person car €3 for two people €2 for three people FREE for a full car (4+)” |
| Anna-May Woods | Jul 30 2024, 9:58pm | Looking forward to a great race and seeing those views on a clear evening!! |
| Liam Mooney | Jul 31 2024, 9:16am | LIGHTS. CAMERA. ACTION. Buckle up boys and girls...it's SHOWTIME!! Entries close at noon today. If you're on the fence, get off it...everyday is a great day to be up the hills and you'll regret it if you miss out. This race is so good, the Soviets didn't want you to know about it! To mentally prepare yourselves for the emotional roller coaster you're about to embark on, I recommend you have a listen to the unofficial official Church Mountain IMRA Race soundtrack when you're carpooling down. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6BfNhYu5Dvqay6SgKvCi2m?si=ffb9dd8dfaaa4985 Please take the turn off the N81 500m south of Hollywood cross onto the Hollywood Glen road and approach the parking field from the north, so that you are not encountering runners as they make their way to the start line. Prizegiving and refreshments will be at the finish line which is about 700m away from the parking field. I recommend that you bring up some warm clothing and leave it in the gazebo we'll have set up there for after the race. I'm pretty sure you'll want to hang around post race for a bit to try process and analyze what just happened...so best to have something warm there to hop into. Other than that...best of luck, and see you all later. |
| Mick Hanney | Jul 31 2024, 9:26am | "Please take the turn off the N81 500m south of Hollywood cross onto the Hollywood Glen road and approach the parking field from the north, so that you are not encountering runners as they make their way to the start line." For those unfamiliar with the location, will there be a sign at the turn to help? |
| Liam Mooney | Jul 31 2024, 9:39am | Take the turn off that has the sign for 'Athgreaney' Mick. Coming from the south, Google maps will probably try to direct you to take the turn off 2km before this for 'Drumreagh'. Do not take this turn please as you will meet runners along the road. Thanks |
| Jean O'Neill | Jul 31 2024, 12:16pm | How do I accept a seat in Car pooling? I'd like to meet Kevin O'Riordan at Ahearns pub car park. Its near Firehouse. I'm coming from Swords. |
| Kevin O'Riordan | Jul 31 2024, 1:18pm | Hi Jean, assuming no drop outs, my car is fully booked at the moment. |
| Jean O'Neill | Jul 31 2024, 2:44pm | OK, thanks! |
| Jean O'Neill | Jul 31 2024, 2:48pm | I didn't scroll across the page to see you were booked out! I kearn something new every day! |
| Kevin O'Riordan | Jul 31 2024, 3:03pm | Hey Jean, I've had a drop out so can meet you at Firhouse if you want. Old Mill pub is probably better than Ahearne's as it's on the way if coming from the M50. |
| Jean O'Neill | Jul 31 2024, 3:09pm | Kevin, that's super! Thanks! I'm sure I'll find the Old Mill. What time? |
| Kevin O'Riordan | Jul 31 2024, 3:28pm | 17:45ish. |
| Laura Flynn | Jul 31 2024, 4:27pm | Jean, I’ll be passing Old Mill around 5.30 with space if you want to go a bit earlier. I’m hoping to make early start Let me know here or by text o eight seven 74two0795 |
| Jean O'Neill | Jul 31 2024, 4:54pm | Kevin I just sw your tine now. I'm just leaving hope M50 not vad |
| Jean O'Neill | Jul 31 2024, 5:46pm | I'm here! 11d 514 Yaris |
| Jean O'Neill | Jul 31 2024, 5:58pm | Where are you? I just moved my car ' ,can't find you |
| Jean O'Neill | Jul 31 2024, 6:00pm | O860559509 |
| Jean O'Neill | Jul 31 2024, 6:04pm | Could,anyone pick me up at The Old Mill Pub NOW? I dontcwhere my lift has gone! Thanks, Jean Sent |
| Laura Flynn | Jul 31 2024, 10:24pm | That was a brilliant route. Thanks Liam and your lovely team of volunteers. Results are up already and Mikey’s even had time to write a report. Amazing all round!!! |
| Alan Kennedy | Jul 31 2024, 11:04pm | Congrats Liam and team for a great event. The opening sermon was brilliant and hopefully everyone gets to see the video as it was IFTA award level. And he who is not of this parish and is from the family Borg must have had a very bad day a few weeks ago as this was far from unrelenting and far from grim, great course. Food and drinks after were most welcome as were the selection of chairs too!! |
| Caroline Reid | Aug 1 2024, 7:51am | Thanks to Liam and the team from lakeshore striders for a great race! It was like a master class in race organisation in such a lovely part of wicklow. Great route, tough, great views, just magic! Thanks again to all involved! |
| Miriam Maher | Aug 1 2024, 8:04am | Thanks Liam and all, great fun and a great night! Super routes and set up. I had the fortune of slipping when coming down the bouncy green downhill and it was quite simply the best fall I've had (and I've had a few...), I nearly bounced back up as quickly as I fell down. Great to see and experience a new route. |
| Caoimhe O Brien | Aug 1 2024, 8:35am | Hi Liam, Just want to say congratulations on such a great race. The event was so well organised and the route, while very challenging, was my favourite race yet. The views at the top were amazing and we even got lucky with the weather. Such a great race and I’ll definitely be back visiting church mountain again! Caoimhe |
| Sean Forsyth | Aug 1 2024, 8:48am | Thanks to Liam and crew for the race last night .it was absolutely top drawer stuff. Great route and atmosphere before and after.. Also the best registration set up for any race I've done |
| Brian Kitson | Aug 1 2024, 8:59am | Liam, you put on a brilliant event from start to finish. A spicy and beautiful course I look forward to racing again. A special shout-out for the most entertaining race briefings ever. Great to see innovation and creativity being applied to create such a great new event. Thanks also to the Prophet Vines and the other disciples who made it all happen. |
| David Power | Aug 1 2024, 9:12am | For all those who's foot touched the boggy ground... BOGLAND - Seamus Heaney We have no prairies To slice a big sun at evening-- Everywhere the eye concedes to Encrouching horizon, Is wooed into the cyclops' eye Of a tarn. Our unfenced country Is bog that keeps crusting Between the sights of the sun. They've taken the skeleton Of the Great Irish Elk Out of the peat, set it up An astounding crate full of air. Butter sunk under More than a hundred years Was recovered salty and white. The ground itself is kind, black butter Melting and opening underfoot, Missing its last definition By millions of years. They'll never dig coal here, Only the waterlogged trunks Of great firs, soft as pulp. Our pioneers keep striking Inwards and downwards, Every layer they strip Seems camped on before. The bogholes might be Atlantic seepage. The wet centre is bottomless. |
| Gareth Neville | Aug 1 2024, 9:17am | Think that was my favourite race of the season! Super route with a bit of everything thrown in (although I didn't expect to be going home so muddy!!). Great registration set up that even had a red carpet and probably the nicest (and flattest) car parking field I've bounced the car over!! A big thanks and well done to all involved - the bar has been raised! :-) |
| Brendan Lawlor | Aug 1 2024, 9:50am | This was Father Liam Mooneys first go at being Race Director and he’s already a hot favorite for RD of the year ! My only small complaint was that us early starters missed his very memorable sermon Below the Mount but Facebook has obliged with a video ( on the Unofficial IMRA FB page) which needs repeated viewing as its an instant classic. Liam, assisted by Lillian and their volunteer team put exceptional work into last nights race .. parking, marking, route, marshals, cow bell start, food and drinks at finish - all superb. Thanks also to the Prophet Vines for his work in the background. And the landowners who provided parking and access. My heart goes out to Alice Clancy who has to follow that next week! Last league race of the season.. where did that summer go.. |
| Anna-May Woods | Aug 1 2024, 10:20am | Super night, fantastic race. Really enjoyed it! Liam and crew pulled off a superb night, from start to finish! Immaculately executed, hope to see it on next years line up! |
| Brian Smyth | Aug 1 2024, 10:28am | Well done and big thanks to Liam and his crew of volunteers. Really enjoyed the route! The race briefing alone was worth the entry fee. Great organisation all round . |
| Joe Lalor | Aug 1 2024, 10:51am | The earliest race on Church Mountain I can find was held on 9/8/81. There was 11 runners. It was won by S Costelloe in time of 49.10. Unfortunately I can't trace a set of full results. I have been able to get a set of results for last Church Race 26/6/91, see below 25/6/91 Church Mountain 1. Pat Corcoran 42.15 2. Noel McCarron 43.21 3. John Joe Murphy 43.41 4. Brendan Doyle 43.44 5. Patsy Fahan 46.19 6. Paul Smith 46.42 7. Brian Yorke 46.48 8. John Hatton 47.33 9. William Rock 47.33 10. Nick Russell 48.21 11. Jim Twohig 48.57 12. J Mulcahy 49.15 13. Gavan Doherty 50.23 14. Pat Moloney 50.44 15. John Barnwell 50.56 16. P. McKiernan 51.12 17. David Proger51.27 18. Frank Murphy 52.05 19. Alan Young 52.08 20. Ciaran Young 52.44 21. Senan O’Boyle 53.27 22. Declan Swords 53.22 23. Myles Murphy 54.07 24. Joyce Mitchell 54.10 25. Vivian O’Gorman 54.44 26. Andrew O’Mullane 55.23 27. J Flanagan 55.31 28. Peadar Dempsey 55.49 29. Michael McNamara 56.08 30. Philip Butler 56.24 31. Liam Byrne 57.18 32. John O’Reilly 60.10 33. Jane Watt 60.26 34. Cormac Corrigan 60.34 35. Danny Toye 60.54 36. Eddy Niland 62.25 37. David Watt 63.05 38. Jimmy O’Brien 66.57 39. Jeff Butler 68.13 40. Felicity Keane 68.26 41. Brian O’Reilly 69.30 42. Bryan Fitzgerald 69.55 43. Catherine Caslin 83.32 44. Maurice O Gorman 83.32 45. Jocelyn Cathalan 83.32 U14 Eric Forde 9.14 Of note Runners still active in IMRA Paul Symth Gavan Doherty Vivian O'Gorman Joan Flanagan A special mention of Danny Toye who passed away 2 weeks ago RIP |
| Elva Donnelly | Aug 1 2024, 11:27am | I admit I logged in a couple of months ago to volunteer for Church as it's local to me. I discovered more than a full house of volunteers and thought wow, need to get in earlier for volunteering. It only clicked last night on arrival that a real group effort was planned for this one. From setup to negotiating with landowners for some really clever and fun ways to get off the usual beaten tracks of Church. There was great energy for a penultimate league event. Thanks to all involved. A quiet corner of Wicklow came alive last night in the best way possible. Will await the inevitable Best Dressed rankings from the Red Carpet paparazzi shoot. Can't believe I forgot my heels! |
| Alan Kennedy | Aug 1 2024, 11:40am | Thanks to @AliceClancy and all the other photographers for the super pics. But particularly love the idea of the using the tent as a photo wall to catch everyone at check in. And as someone mentioned above this coral layout needs to be copied going forward as it does not allow for people to miss the second table as happened at GotD last week. |
| Alice Clancy | Aug 1 2024, 11:58am | Aaand the red carpet photographs are up! Happy Tagging! I'll leave the prizes to the RD, but here are my nominations: Best Pose: Maike Juergens, Stuart Scott, Michael Gygax, Niall McEvoy Best Photo Bombing: Alan Ayling, Connie Dottino Best Styling: Valentina Olaya + Stivens Sanchez, Iosac Coleman, Vivian O'Gorman + Joe Lalor, Ger Power, the man in the suit (no number, couldn't tag him!) For anyone who would like a high-res version, they are available here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/883k22q927wiykt1opg5u/AM3SxzfuV_-Sv4p-fLFcjtA?rlkey=46kpoh2s58tyate91x1xqbpxl&st=wyji93y1&dl=0 A huge well done to Father Mooney and his Lakeshore Disciples on a meticulously organized, dramatically briefed and simply hellish race!!! The PTSD is real this morning....Liam is up there with Mick Hanney for RD's who receive curses on the finish line, and definitely also for RD of the year!!! I hope this race continues - the entire Leinster League couldn't prepare us for this and we'll need to look at some advance training for next year. Brendan, there's no way we could attempt to top the class act that Liam and the Striders put on next week! (But having soundly beaten the RD formerly known as Lost Mooney in the Glacier Lakes, I'm happy enough to concede victory!) What we can offer next week in East Wicklow is a soothing balm of a race, where one can bound through heather, tickled lightly by ferns, listening to the dulcet tones of marshalls playing us out of the Lenister League...more of a Body and Soul vibe to counterpoint the Berghain-like crescendo of Church Mountain! |
| Jeff Swords | Aug 1 2024, 12:31pm | Excellent photos from everyone. Some found time for a sit down break mid race https://imra.ie/photos/view/id/237612/ |
| Stuart Scott | Aug 1 2024, 12:58pm | Thanks Father Liam and your disciples for last night. It was about as flawless a race I've ever seen. The route was thoroughly enjoyable, one of the best (just a pity I had flagellated myself a bit too much beforehand and the legs wouldn't let me enjoy it properly!). The reg queue set up is something we should probably copy for all races. Parking, food and chats all excellent. The pre-race brief was inspired. Poor Alice next week...I think she'll have to set her brief to music to top that! Finally I just hope whoever won the bag of manure carpooled in a full car! |
| Eimear Deegan | Aug 1 2024, 1:32pm | An exceptionally fun race to volunteer at, not just on the night but also in Brother Mooney's build up to the Ceremony. Reports of machete wielding cult members, sorry Lakeshore Striders, running around Church Mountain over the past 2 months are not rural legend but true. Alice I have tagged, our ever dapper suit wearing, Charlie Johnston in the photos. Liam Óg (as he s known in these parts) must have given him a heads up the paparazzi were descending on West Wicklow. A fantastic addition to the racing calendar, I hope the IMRA Synod make it an annual pilgrimage. Looking forward to the grand finale in Trooperstown next week. |
| Liam Mooney | Aug 1 2024, 11:40pm | Thank you all for coming to the race last night. It’s rare to get such a fine congregation of wonderful people in the one place these days! Great to hear the positive feedback that so many of you enjoyed the race and the evening’s entertainment. Good to hear ye were impressed with the registration arrangements. Who knew the herding skills honed on the farm at such an early age would be so useful later in life in IMRA! I can’t take all the credit evening, however. The weather Gods certainly played their part, and it’s easy to look good when you have as a phenomenal team as I have had supporting me the past few months. From the trojan work of Liam V (I think we’ve said enough about him last night!), to all the Lakeshore Striders crew who have done everything from being crash test dummies on route options, some loosing eyes and limbs in the process, some sadly not making it out alive, to brash and branch clearing etc. to ensure we at least got the route to reach some kind of unrelentingly grim standard before the race, to compiling a race playlist, to getting trained up for operating the laptop and race marking especially, to the outrageous and ridiculous brainstorming of ideas, and the tremendous work done on the night along with the other volunteers who joined the team to help out. Special thanks to Alice who helped add a bit of panache to proceedings when she answered the late call to be the red-carpet photographer. And even with all that machine of team behind me, the night could have so easily turned out very differently without the tour de force that is Lillian being there to support and help paper over the many cracks in my organising! Thanks all. Your support was very much appreciated. I think someone who deserves particular praise is Steven Byrne. I have a theory that any race where Mark McAddan doesn’t go astray, is a route well marked, because you can nearly be guaranteed that if there is a weakness in the marking, he will find it! It was no mean feat then that Steven managed to mark a path out, often where there was no path, to get everyone around the course successfully, including the victorious Mark! Fair play Steven. Delighted for our winners Mark and the irrepressible Becky, that the names of McAddan and Quinn now join the pantheon of Church Mountain greats, including Costelloe, Corcoran, Mitchell, Devaney, Jennings and Palladius! Well deserved. Huge congratulations too to Conal Finn on being the other big winner on the night, bringing home the much-coveted inaugural Church Mountain Race horse manure bouquet! Happy growing Conal. Brendan, apologies for that oversight, but you’ll be delighted to hear that Eimear has taken a solemn oath that she will give the sermon to the early starters next time around. And finally, thanks to all ye running folk. Reports from the marshals said you were all very well behaved and mannerly, and there was no breaking of the 11th commandment! Hopefully we’ll maintain a good relationship with the landowners on Church Mountain for many years to come. Thanks Other than that, looking forward to seeing what Alice has in store for us next week in Trooperstown. See you all then. |
| Niall McEvoy | Aug 2 2024, 3:52pm | Thanks to everyone involved. Had a blast, super fun route!! |
| Joan Ryan | Aug 2 2024, 5:43pm | Thanks Liam and all the crew for a great painful race! |
| Gerry McGuinness | Aug 2 2024, 11:16pm | Thanks to the high priest Liam and desiples for a great night on the mountains |
| Louis Mullee | Sep 26 2024, 9:24pm | Hi Everyone, as a follow up, at the request of the landowner a donation of 285 euro from car park fees collected on the night was made to Friends of Saint Lukes Hospital for Cancer Care & Research. |
