Fiona Clinton and Cillian O’Leary ran the fastest parkrun times in Ireland on Saturday 11th January

It was a day of high winds and driving rain in many parts of Ireland and the times this week reflect those conditions. Despite the tough conditions Fiona Clinton was first back overall at Marlay parkrun in 17:41, her first parkrun in over two years. The Dundrum South Dublin AC athlete boasts PBs of 9:38.30 over 3000m and 36:42 over 10km.

2015 Cork City Marathon champion Cillian O’Leary ran the fastest parkrun time in Ireland today with his 15:57 at St Anne’s. The Raheny Shamrock man was finished 2nd at the Dick Copithorne Memorial 4-mile race on Boxing day and ran 2:23:27 at Dublin Marathon in October.

It was another Raheny Shamrock AC athlete, Lucy Barratt, who was the second fastest woman this week with 19:02 at St Anne’s. Barratt finished 29th at the Athletics Ireland National Novice Cross-Country Championships in December and was a member of the Raheny team that finished 4th in the National Road Relays in April.

Regular visitor to the Irish top 10, Stephen Connolly, was first back at Ormeau in 16:43 to finish as the second fastest man this week. The Annadale man was 6th in last week’s set of super fast times with 15:55. Connolly had a fantastic 2019 demonstrated by the improvement in his Seeley Cup 10km performance – 35:38 in 2018 down to 32:43 in 2019.

Orla Byrne was also first back overall at Clonmel with 19:21 and finishes as this weeks third fastest woman. The St Finbarr’s athlete was 2nd at the Munster Intermediate Cross-Country Championships in December and won the Eyeries 5 Mile in November in 32:16.

Neill Weir was the only other man to run sub 17 this week and finishes third on the list. The Willowfield athlete has a parkrun best of 15:55 and was another man who had a fine 2019 with a marathon PB of 2:32:49 at Berlin Marathon, 32:32 at Jimmy’s 10K and wins including Rathlin 10 mile, Craigavon Lakes 10K and Newtownards Half Marathon.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: St Anne’s

Cillian O’Leary, 15:57, Raheny Shamrock AC

2) parkrun: Ormeau

Stephen Connolly, 16:43, Annadale Striders

3) parkrun: Ormeau

Neill Weir, 16:50, Willowfield Harriers

4) parkrun: Shanganagh

Damian Bourke, 17:02

5) parkrun: Bushy, Dublin

Rob Scott, 17:06, Richmond & Zetland Harriers

6) parkrun: Waterford Nature

Brian Murphy, 17:11, Carrick-on-Suir AC

7) parkrun: Antrim

David Conliffe, 17:11, Pace Running Club

8) parkrun: Belfast Victoria

Ryan Miskelly, 17:14, Lagan Valley AC

9) parkrun: Malahide

Evan Reid, 17:16

10) parkrun: Belfast Victoria

Chris Hopkins, 17:17, County Antrim Harriers

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Marlay

Fiona Clinton, 17:41, Dundrum South Dublin Athletic Club

2) parkrun: St Anne’s

Lucy Barratt, 19:02, Raheny Shamrock AC

3) parkrun: Clonmel

Orla Byrne, 19:21

4) parkrun: Belfast Victoria

Katie McCleery, 19:24, City of Lisburn AC

5) parkrun: Poppintree

Caroline Crowley, 19:28, Crusaders Athletic Club

6) parkrun: Poppintree

Sorcha Loughnane, 19:32, Sanctuary Runners

7) parkrun: Waterworks

Anna Gardiner, 19:37, East Down AC

8) parkrun: Ormeau

Emmy Thornton, 19:40, Willowfield Harriers

9) parkrun: Naas

Louise long, 19:47, Le Cheile AC

10) parkrun: Killarney House

Kerry Eagar, 19:49, Star of the Laune AC

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

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