HISTROY OF TULLAMORE HARRIERS NEW QUINLAN CUP HALF MARATHON THANKS TO KEVIN CORRIGAN. The largest readership in County Offaly Subscribe Tullamore Tribune ONLINE Jobs tab Motors tab Thu, June 19, 2014 About Us Advertising Contact Us Newspapers Subscriptions Home Contents News Sports Features Alpha Newspaper Group logo Advertise here Midland NG Tullamore Tribune Sports Quinlan Cup To Be Contested At Half Marathon Thursday, 19 June 2014 Quinlan Cup To Be Contested At Half Marathon thumbnailAt the launch of the Tullamore Harriers half marathon were Mary Daly (Harriers ladies captain), Gary OHanlon (Last years winner), Pauline Curley (Former Olympian), Mick Hayden (Tullamore Harriers) and Adrian Martin (Tullamore Harriers mens captain). A CUP synonymous with top class road and cross country running is being resurrected by the Tullamore Harriers this year and will be a much sought after prize for their half marathon at the end of August. The Quinlan Cup will be the team prize at the half marathon which takes place on Saturday, August 30 at 12 noon - taking in the same route as last year, leaving the Charleville Road just outside the Tullamore Harriers stadium, heading out to Screggan Cross, turning left there, going to Ballincanty cross, turning left, continuing to Killurin cross and back into Tullamore by the Golf Club before finishing with a lap of the renowned tartan track in the Tullamore Harriers. Last year, the inaugural half marathon took place and it was won by top marathon runner, Gary OHanlon from Clonliffe Harriers in Dublin in a great time of 1.12.50 while Mucklagh native, Ann Marie McGlynn (Nee Larkin), racing in the colours of Lifford AC was the first woman home in a time of 1.21.23. The Harriers were delighted with the success of their first half marathon and it is expected to attract a bigger entry this year, from all parts of the country. The Quinlan Cup will be on offer for highest placed club - The top four finishers from each club will count and there will also be a cash prize. The Quinlan Cup was once one of the most highly sought after prizes on the Irish athletics calendar and it was won by such legendary figure as Olympians, Eamon Coghlan and John Treacy, among many others. The Quinlan Cup was first ran for in 1958 and it was last staged in 2000 when declining numbers (Mainly because the quality of running was so good that it excluded many ordinary and fun runners) forced its cancellation. The Quinlan Cup was named after Ned Quinlan, a former garda detective in Tullamore and a top class middle distance runner who became involved in the Offaly Athletics County Board. The late Ned Quinlan was a fascinating character. Born in 1892, he grew up mainly in Coolanure, Killavilla, and was an active IRA member during the War of Independence - in 1917, he became the leader of the 7th Tipperary Brigade of the IRA. After the War of Independence and subsequent Civil War, he joined the new garda force and became a detective in Tullamore where he served until his retirement. He eventually moved to Waterford where he remained until his death. In 1958, the Quinlan Cup was a cross country race, taking in a one mile loop from what is currently Arden View through to Kearneys Field on the Clara Road. It was a six mile race at the time and the first winner was Michael Mulrooney from Moylough in Galway. In 1960 and 1961, it was won by a legendary Tullamore running figure, Mick Neville (An uncle of current Tullamore Harriers ladies captain, Mary Daly) - he was the only home winner of the race. Up to 400 runners from all over the country competed in it during the early years and it was a fiercely contested race with some fantastic times posted. In 1968, the foot and mouth crisis forced it off the field and it was ran on the road, where it remained until its end. Initially, it started in Henry Street at the old Library (Where Library Hall is now), over Whitehall bridge, down Convent Road, Arden Road, Collins Lane, Clara Road, Clontarf Road and back to the Arden Road. It covered two laps of that circuit and people still retain fond memories of the runners absolutely charging up Henry Street towards the Whitehall Bridge and being exhausted by the time they got to the Kilbeggan Bridge before settling into the rhythm of the race. The first road race in 1968 was won by Tom ORiordan, an Olympian and long time Irish Independent journalist. Over the years, the route changed a few times and the distance also changed, including 6, 7.5 and 4 mile races - It was a blistering four mile run by the time it was last staged in 2000. At its peak, it attracted 400 to 500 of the top runners in Ireland but it never had the mass appeal that the Harriers hope its half marathon will now have. There were a lot of famous past winners and memorable races. In addition to Eamon Coghlan and John Treacy, a former winner was another Olympian, Noel Berkeley, who won it six times in the last nine years and he was such a comprehensive winner on occasions that it reduced the competitive element of the race. Neil Cusack, famous as the winner of the Boston marathon in 1974, was also a past winner while other former winners included Gerry Deegan, Donie Walsh, Dave Taylor and English men, Tony Milovsorov and Steve Kenyon. On one memorable occasion there was a dead heat between Danny McDaid of Clonliffe Harriers and Pat ORiordain of Leevale, Cork after the runners couldnt shake each other off during the event and agreed to finish together as they tore down the Charleville Road towards the finish. Back in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, there was some great middle and long distance times recorded by Tullamore Harriers runners but it is an indication of the quality of the runners in the Quinlan Cup that they often finished down the field - John OToole, one of the Harriers most famous runners, was placed. There has been a great tradition of road running in the Harriers - Noel Gowran was the first Irish man to break 2 hours 30 minutes in the marathon when he ran 2.29 in the late 1950s while Mary Walsh was the first Irish born woman to break three hours in the early 1980s. There have been four winners of the national marathon title from Offaly - Harriers members, John OToole, Noel Gowran and Pauline Curley and Kilcormacs Jack Cox. For years, household goods such as televisions, kitchen appliances etc were supplied as the prizes, though there were attractive cash prizes by the end. The Quinlan Cup incorporated a festival of races with senior women, masters men and women, junior men and women in addition to the blue ribband, senior mens race - former winners of the senior womens race included Ann OBrien, Deirdre Foreman, Mary Treacy and Ailish OBrien. There was always a great turn of spectators for the races which were generally held in January as it was able to attract students on athletics scholarships in the USA who were home for the Christmas holidays. Clonliffe Harriers were the last winners of the Quinlan Cup in 2000, winning it for a fifth time and the famed Annadale Striders from Belfast also won it seven times - the Quinlan Cup was one of the rare events that they ventured south of the border to compete in. Donore Harriers also won the Quinlan Cup on seven occasions while the Tullamore Harriers won it in 1959 and 1960. The Tullamore Harriers was founded in 1953 (they celebrated their 60th anniversary last year) and one of their founding members and a long serving secretary, the late Paddy Larkin had a big input into the Quinlan Cup. Highlights of the event was also televised for years on RTEs Saturday Sports Stadium and news - the club had close links with RTE presenter, Brendan OReilly who was master of ceremonies at the Harriers sports stars awards which were an integral part of the Offaly sports calendar for years. Now the Quinlan Cup is being relaunched as the prize for the team event in the Tullamore Harriers half marathon. The Harriers like a lot of running clubs has witnessed a massive boom in members in recent years. There was over a 100 members training at a couple of sessions earlier this year - a lot of their members specialise in middle to long distance road running from 5k to the marathon and many are now focussing on the half marathon as one of their goal races for the year. At the front end of the field, there will be keen competition for the prizes - there are prizes for the first three senior males and females, first male and female over 40, 50 and 60 and first relay team (Teams of two can run half the race each). However, there will also be a huge entry of runners of all standards - While the distance of 13.1 miles might seem daunting, it is very achievable with a structured training programme. The Tullamore Harriers will assist any one wishing to compete the distance for the first time with training programmes and more details about the race can be obtained by phoning: 086 8727311 or 087 6188818. The entry fee is very good value at 25 euros and online entry is available at: tullamoreharriers. Subscribe to read full newspaper » Send this page to a friend » Send to a friend Please complete the following form to inform a friend about this page. 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Posted on: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 08:34:04 +0000
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