Iconic Tipperary Road Race - 39th Coillte 10k fixed for Wednesday, July 3

On Wednesday, July 3 at 8pm the Coillte 10k Road Race in Dundrum will be run for the 39th consecutive year by the local Dundrum Club. The race, which started out as part of a local long weekend festival, which were so popular back in the eighties, is still going strong 39 years later.

This year’s official race starter is Liam O’Dwyer. The Rossmore man has been involved with the club since 1965, both as an athlete and volunteer. Liam excelled in all the throwing events, winning many county, Munster and national medals over the years.

The club is delighted to have Coillte once again as its main sponsor. Dundrum is surrounded by trees and forest trails for running and walking, developed by Coillte over the years. It is appropriate that Coillte are involved with us in the healthy sport of running. The company’s managed forest trails around Dundrum and around the country are a haven for people to get out for a bit of fresh air and exercise, and were never more appreciated than during the Covid lockdown. The semi-state company has been involved in this race every year since it was set up in 1988, which is appreciated by the Dundrum club.

The race, which also incorporates a 5k for juniors (age between 13 years old on the day of the race and 19 years or under on 31/12/2024) is based around the Dundrum Community Hall Centre Complex in the village, where the club has its athletics facilities. The race has prizes in every category from senior to over 70 years for men and women. The Master categories are at the standard five-year intervals from Over 40 years plus. There will be the usual specially embroidered souvenir hand towel for all online entrants. For Tipperary athletes there is the added incentive of the Tim Crowe Memorial trophy (kindly donated by Dominic Moore) for the first Tipperary athlete to finish the 10k.

The present holder is Kevin Moore, Dundrum, who won the overall race for the third time last year and the Tim Crowe trophy for the fourth time.

This year the club has once again linked up with Niall O’Sullivan’s Premier Timing Systems for entries and result data to manage the ever-increasing numbers of runners every year. Entries are online via the link https://eventmaster.ie/ event/JIVmfpvHRk.

The club would appreciate it if participants could enter at least a week or two before the race date. Early entry gives the organisers an idea of the number of towels required, plus the food requirements.

Also, it is a big help to Niall for to get working on his system early.

The layout of the two-lap course makes it ideal for spectators to see the race and encourage the athletes as the race progresses.

One section of the course in the village allows viewing of the race at four different stages by moving about one hundred metres.

For an excellent guided tour of the course road by road, Google the Running in Munster Ireland Website.

Michael Hassett, St Catherine’s, has the highest number of men’s victories with six wins. In the women’s race Siobhan O’Doherty, Borrisokane is in a class of her own with twelve wins.