SlieveDonardMountain Race 2009 – Will records tumble again?
The annual Slieve Donard race will start at 7.30pm Friday 26 July, with the leaders returning to the Newcastle shortly after 8.20pm.
The first race was held in 1945 and 31different runners have added their name to the illustrious list of winners; Des Woods being the most recent when winning for the first time in a new course record of 56:05. Deon McNeilly with 9 victories and numerous minor placings remains the most successful competitor in the race’s long history. 2009 will be the 65thrunning of the race which starts at the Newcastle Centre. The course follows along the main street with free route choice to the summit and any route back to Newcastle Centre.
For a number of years the course went via the Bloody Bridge with 2 mile run along the road to finish.
From the archives is a photograph from the past of 6 times winner James McKenny on the Bloody Bridge route with way to his 5th win.
In the 1998 the decision was taken for safety reasons to revert to the original up and down route starting at the Newcastle Centre and back to Donard Park, however 2002 saw another route change finish back at Newcastle Centre to allow more spectators to see the finish.
For many years Mike Short held the record with his 1977 run via the Bloody Bridge in 1 hour 4 min 14 seconds. The 2000 race was also a British Championship Race which was won by Ian Holmes in 50mins 10 seconds, fastest ever up and down but the finish was in Donard Park. Since the route has been extended back to the Newcastle Centre, Scottish Runner John Brooks held the record with 56 mins 54 seconds until Des Woods beat it by almost a minute in 2008. However adding a notional 2mins 30 seconds (the usual time taken by the elite runners) to Ian Holmes’ time for the run from Donard Park to Newcastle Centre would give him a time of 53mins and the outright record by a considerable margin.
So what of the contenders for the title this year? If form is any barometer then Eddie Hanna, fresh from his outstanding Hill and Dale Series win will be the man to beat. However Des Woods is more than capable of upsetting the form book and a second successive title would surprise few. McNeilly is still as hungry as ever for the ultimate glory of a tenth title. Stephen Cunningham, David O’Flaherty and Neil Carty, all of whom gave good accounts of themselves in recent weeks cannot be discounted. The ladies record must also be under serious threat if Charlene Haugh performs to the standard that she has throughout the year and rivals would be a massive shock.
The race is a great spectacle with stunning views of the mountain (weather permitting!!) as the runners tackle the challenge. So bring you binoculars and come down to the Newcastle centre where there will be a lively atmosphere, a bit of music and plenty of craic.
Newcastle Entertainment Committee-Perpetual Challenge Shield Presentedby GeraldF.AnnesleyEsqSlieveDonardMountain Climb
YEAR / NAME / TIME
1945 / S.Mc Ateer / 1hr 59 mins
1946 / S.Mc Bennett / 1hr 17mins
1947 / S.McBennett / 1hr 21mins
1948 / J.Rooney / 1hr 17mins
1949 / J.Rooney / 1hr 12 mins
1950 / J.Rooney / 1hr 8 mins
1951 / J.Rooney / 1hr 19 mins
1952 / G.Russell / 1hr 22 mins
1953 / J.P. Mc Kenny / 1hr 21 mins
1954 / J.P. Mc Kenny / 1hr 24 mins
1955 / J.P. Mc Kenny / 1hr 22 mins
1956 / J.P. Mc Kenny / 1hr 48 mins
1957 / J.P. Mc Kenny / 1hr 27 mins
1958 / J.P. Mc Kenny / 1hr 24 mins
1959 / K.Gormley / 1hr 30 mins
1960 / T.Smith / 1hr 27 mins
1961 / T.Smith / 1hr 17 mins
1962 / R.J. Ingram / 1hr 26 mins
1963 / P.Neeson / 1hr 15 mins
1964 / A.R.C. Stewart / 1hr 25 mins
1965 / G.Green / 1hr 20 mins
1966 / A.R.C. Stewart / 1hr 19 mins
1967 / R.J. Ingram & J.McCracken / 1hr 24 mins
1968 / A.R.C. Stewart / 1hr 14 mins
1969 / A.McCroary / 1hr 15 mins
1970 / A.McCroary / 1hr 13 mins
1971 / C.Robinson / 1hr 15.5 mins
1972 / C.Robinson / 1hr 16 mins
1973 / M.Teer / 1hr 18 mins
1974 / J.Hayes / 1hr 14 mins
1975 / J.Hayes / 1hr 9 mins 47 secs
1976 / J.Hayes / 1hr 12 mins 10 secs
1977 / M.A. Short / *1hr 4 mins 14 secs
1978 / M.A. Short / 1hr 8 mins 5 secs
1979 / M.A. Short / 1hr 6 mins 38 secs
1980 / C.K. Donnelly / 1hr 7 mins 15 secs
1981 / C.K. Donnelly / 1hr 6 mins 24 secs
1982 / J.Hayes / 1hr 11 mins 27 secs
1983 / C.K. Donnelly / 1hr 5 mins 58 secs
1984 / A. Curtis / 1hr 6 mins 55 secs
1985 / R. Bryson / 1hr 7 mins 32 secs
1986 / D. Mc Gonigle / 1hr 8 mins 41 secs
1987 / R. Pilbeam / 1hr 4 mins 25 secs
1988 / J.Patterson / 1hr 10 mins 36 secs
1989 / A. Philpot / 1hr 8 mins 56 secs
1990 / A. Philpot / 1hr 9 mins 27 secs
1991 / A. Farningham / 1hr 8 mins 22 secs
1992 / D. Mc Neilly / 1hr 14 mins 30 secs
1993 / J. Patterson / 1hr 14 mins 25 secs
1994 / D. Mc Gonigle / 1hr 11mins 37 secs
1995 / D. Mc Neilly / 1hr 9 mins 15 secs
1996 / D. Mc Neilly / 1hr 10 mins 33 secs
1997 / D. Mc Neilly / 1hr 12 mins 38 secs
1998 / D. Mc Neilly / 55 mins 8 secs
1999 / R. Bryson / 52 mins 28 secs
2000 / I.Holmes / *50 mins 30 secs
2001 / B. Ervine / 55 mins 17 secs
2002 / D. Mc Neilly / 59 mins 28 secs
2003 / D. Mc Neilly / 58 mins 5 secs
2004 / J. Brooks / 56 mins 54 secs
2005 / D. Mc Neilly / 58 mins 30 secs
2006 / A McKibbin / 57mins 33 secs
2007 / D. Mc Neilly / 57 mins 48 secs
2008 / D Woods / *56mins 5 Seconds
* Denotes a record for the course