Meath events 2013 (PERMITS from AAI)

Please note the Hil lrunning at Mullaghmeen will be staged now on Saturday 6 April.

3 March, Meath Spring Half Marathon & 5k Fun Run, Bohermeen AC, Bohermeen Community Centre, 12pm.
8 March Trim Streets 3km for Tabor House &  SVdePaul Trim AC 8pm Market sq
24 March, Dunboyne 4 Mile Road Race, Dunboyne AC, Dunboyne 3pm.
31 March, Fr Murphy AC 5 mile Road Race, Fr. Murphy AC, Kildalkey, Co. Meath 12 noon.
6 April, Meath hill running championships, St. Brigid's AC Mullaghmeen Forest Park, Oldcastle, Co. Meath, 12noon.

21 April, Meath Local Sports Partnership, Royal Run, Kells, 11am.

21 April. Cushinstown AC track and field sports, Cushinstown track. (north of Ashbourne off N2).
10 May, Simon Cumber & Paddy Hyland 6k Road Race, Navan AC, Claremont Stadium, Navan 7.30pm.

21 May Bob Heffernan 5k Road Race Na Fianna AC Hamlet Court Hotel, Johnstown Bridge, Enfield 8.00pm
8 June, Patrick Bell Memorial 5k Road Race, Bohermeen AC, Bohermeen Community Centre 7.30pm.
14 June, The Braveheart 5k Run, Trim AC, Trim, Co. Meath.
22 June, Michael Manning 10k Road Race, Dunshaughlin AC, Dunshaughlin, 7.30pm.

23 June, Navan AC track and field sports. Claremont Stadium, Navan.
3 July, South O'Hanlon 5k Road Race, South O'Hanlon, Senchelestown GAA Centre, 8pm.
17 July, St. Brigid's AC 5k Road Race, St. Brigid's AC Oldcastle, 8pm.
24 July, Cushinstown AC 6k Road Race, Cushinstown AC Pudden Hill, Co. Meath 7.30pm
18 August, Duleek 10k Road Race, Duleek AC, Duleek, Co. Meath.
30 August, Tara AC 5K Road Race, Tara AC, Skyrne Community Hall, 7.30pm.
8 September, Rennicks Cup & Fr Delany 5 Mile Road Race, Bohermeen AC Bohermeen Community Centre 12noon
15 September, Ratoath AC 5k Road Race, Ratoath AC, Ratoath GAA Club (on Dunshaughlin Rd) 11.00am
22 September, Star of the Sea AC 25th Annual Cross Country Meeting, Star of the Sea AC, Greenanstown, Stamullen, Co. Meath 11.00am.

Meath Athletics Primary Schools Cross-Country Championship

 Friday 15^th March 2013 @ 11am

 Fr. Murphy AC,Frayne, Athboy,Co. Meath

 All Clubs are invited to encourage their local primary schools to compete in the above event by holding local qualifying events in their own areas.

 Competition is based on school class i.e. first combined with second class, third combined with fourth class, fifth combined with sixth class.  Separate girls and boys competition.

 Teams of four to score.

 Distances

 First & Second  class      400m

 Third & Fourth class           600m

 Fifth & Sixth class           800m

 Individual and team medalists.

 Qualification Criteria:

 The schools represented by the first 3 individuals in each race to be invited to attend County event.

Sportshall Equipment

AAI are inviting applications from County Boards for Sportshall equipment for their use in the promotion of the activity within the schools and clubs of the County.

http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=29582

At its most recent meeting the Meath County Board was favourably disposed to applying for such equipment, subject to there being sufficient interest and support from clubs in making maximum use of the equipment.

 I am therefore asking:

 A:        Any clubs with an interest in promoting Sportshall Athletics in their areas to so indicate to me by return of email.

 B:           Suggestions as to how the equipment might most advantageously be deployed and accessed within the County.

 Subject to the above, I will be submitting an application to AAI for the equipment, and have to do so before 15^th February 2013.

 Philip Cogavin

Discounted Track Membership

Discounted Track Membership in Claremont Stadium, Navan for Athletic Club Members

 

Claremont Stadium is a unique local athletics facility and is here to be utilised by athletes. We would therefore like to offer discounted track membership to Athletic Clubs members.

 

A year’s track membership for only €100 (adult) or €75 (juvenile)!!

 

Normal price €150 (adults) or €120 (juvenile)

Offer ends on the 1^st March, memberships can be paid in advance, proof of Club membership is required.

 

To avail of this offer members can contact Mary or Marian on 046 9029693 or drop in to the office.

 

Claremont Stadium offers an 8 lane 400metre polythene running track, full track and field facilities and dressing room facilities. We are open Mon-Fri from 9am-10pm and Saturdays 9am-4pm and there are floodlights available for evening time training.

 

Groups can book the track for training for only €50 per hour or €40 if it is for a block booking.

 

For your Athletics club please keep in mind that Claremont Stadium also offers several rooms for training, meetings, social functions, fundraisers and of course the track or indoor sporting facilities can be booked for your promotional events and competitions at reasonable rates.

 

We welcome questions with regards to our facilities. Please contact us on 046 9029693 or by mail on claremontstadium@eircom.net

 

We look forward to seeing you on the track!

 

Marjan Boers

Stadium Manager

 

Claremont Stadium

Commons Road

Navan

Co Meath

 

Dunboyne AC NEWS

05th JAN - Leinster Star Awards 

Two of Dunboyne's athletes received awards at the Leinster Star awards held in the Seven Oaks Hotel in Carlow.
James McCabe was the recipient of the Outstanding Thrower award for his achievement of qualifying for the World Junior Championships.
Darragh Costigan won the award for the Best Male Juvenile in Meath having won 5 Leinster titles and the All Ireland High Jump during 2012.

Attached is a pic of Darragh accepting his award

'Couch to 5K' with Dunboyne AC

The training programme 'Couch to 5K' with Dunboyne AC began on Monday Jan 7th with the aim to train with other beginners in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Dunboyne AC was delighted to see a massive turn out
All ages welcome.

Forthcoming event : DUNBOYNE 4 Mile - Online Entry now open

Entries are now open for the Eirgrid Dunboyne 4 mile road race. Dunboyne AC are again hosting the historic 44th running of the road race, on Sunday, March 24th 2013 at 3pm.

Online entry is now open for €15 and covers a souvenir, chip timing, free post-race refreshments and water stations. The EirGrid Dunboyne 4 Mile Road Race is open to walkers, joggers and runners all of ages and standards.

At the elite end of the field, there are cash prizes of €400 for the first man and woman home, and a €250 bonus for anyone who breaks the men and women’s race records.

Joe Sweeney of Dundrum South Dublin athletic club and Sara Treacy of the nearby Moynalvey Athletic Club both strode to comfortable victories in the Men’s and Women’s races in last year's EirGrid Dunboyne 4 Mile Road Race - an event that attracted an entry of over one thousand participants.

Summary of county CC results.

All the Meath Cross Country championship results for 2012 are now posted on the Meath athletics website.

http://www.meathathletics.ie/cross_country.html

Seamus Brady elected president for 2013

Paddy Reilly, St. Andrews AC presenting the chain of office to Seamus Brady, Dunboyne AC who was chosen as the Meath Athletics Board president for the 2013 season.

Seamus Brady elected president for 2013

The 2013 Meath Athletics Board convention elected Seamus Brady from Dunboyne AC as its president for 2013. The Dunboyne clubman has been involved in the sport for over fifty years. In nominating Mr Brady for the role of president the county chairman Brendan Meade cited his lifelong involvement with the sport as a compeititor and more recently as an official. He was part of the organising committee for the 2012 Leinster cross country championships hosted by his club in November. Seamus succeeds Paddy Reilly from St Andrews AC who served in the role for 2012. Brendan Meade paid tribute to Paddy Reilly for his work during the year and noted the vast knowledge he has of Irish athletics. In his acceptance speech Seamus Brady said he was honoured to be nominated and was looking forward to fulfilling his role. He recounted how he had competed over the years alongside some of the current board in particular his predecessor. 

Chairmans address to Meath Athletics convention

Hon. President, Fellow Officers & Delegates,

On behalf of all of us I would like to thank our county president Paddy Reilly who attended our functions and events throughout the year. On my own behalf I want to extend a special word of thanks to my fellow officers for all their hard work during the year because without their combined efforts it would be impossible to successfully run the programme of events that we have on our yearly calendar. I want to thank all the clubs who gave their own facilities or organised facilities to host our championships. I would like to thank Philip for all his work during the year especially on the IT end. A special thanks is due to Treasurer Tommy Boshell, who was ever present at all events in the most thankless of all tasks namely collecting money.

Thanks is also due to Sharon & her staff in the Sport’s Development Programme, who do so much of the clerical work for us, which facilitates the efficient running of all our events and also to Moira, Maria and Paul who bring athletics to the schools. I would like to thank our PRO and all the local media for their coverage of our events throughout the year and the Meath Local Sports Partnership who are doing so much to promote active lifestyles within the community. Thanks is due to our registrar Moira for keeping us all on our toes as regards registrations.

It has been a good year both collectively and individually for Meath Athletics. Our juvenile athletes continue to make their mark at National level as is evident by the numbers receiving certificates at our Annual Awards Night. We tend to be stronger in the field events but this year we have seen the emergence of new talent in the younger age groups especially at the National Cross Country Championships.

The highlight of the cross-country season so far for me were the great performances in the Inter Counties in Tattersalls such as Petra Reilly’s 3^rd place in the U12’s, Amy Clarke’s 3^rd place in the u14’s, Alan Monaghan’s 2^nd place in the U14’s combined with 2^nd place county team, as well as Thomas Moran’s great run in the All Ireland Junior Cross Country Championship where he finished 5^th overall in the U18 & junior race (4^th junior) and David Fitzmaurice who finished 2^nd in the U23 race and gained a spot on the Irish team for the European Championships. Why Athletics Ireland is only bringing 5 junior men athletes to the Europeans – the first 4 in the U18 & junior race plus Sean Tobin- I don’t know.

Our membership has broken through the 3000 mark, which is a huge increase on last year. There is no doubt that two new clubs have added to this expansion but existing clubs have also increased their membership over the year as well. The key to maintaining this increase will be maintaining the quality coaching for all levels of athletes within the county and that we have more events for all levels of athletes so that the athletics year does not end for some with just the Meath T&F Championships. At this stage I must acknowledge the help & support that we receive from our RDO Bart Rogers. Thanks is due to Maggie Higgins and Brigid Clarke in Development and Tom Clinton in Coaching for all their hard work in this regard.

The Meath road race series has grown with I think 17 fixtures pencilled in for 2013. There still is a problem with non permitted events but with 17 events organised by Meath clubs in the period from March to the end of September there is very little room for us to allow any further events within those dates. The problem is that other bodies are organising races with a limited prize structure in an effort to raise funds as they see the current boom in running as an easy opportunity – however we do not organise Gaelic football, hurling or soccer matches to raise funds for athletic clubs.

While we had no Beach Run in 2012 due to fixtures and the tide calendar not matching this year the Beach Run is a possibility if the county decides to go ahead with it.

I want to thank Dunboyne AC for hosting the Leinster Cross-Country Championships. Thanks are due to Sean Kinnane and his team for a job well done.

The National Inter Counties & Even Age Cross Country Championships in Tattersalls, Ratoath were a great success. Here I want to thank the Ratoath club and their members for all the help they gave me in the organising the event. Also thanks is due to Roger Casey, Eugene O’Neill and Lorcan (can’t remember his surname) in Tattersalls for all their help as the venue was one of the best in the country with regard to all the facilities one might aspire to having on one site for hosting such a major event. The course to put it mildly was what it should be for hosting a National Championships namely testing. Tony Ennis is due a special word of praise as he met me twice in Tattersalls that week before spending all day Saturday & Sunday working both officiating and just plain labouring when it came to putting up & taking down the course. I would also like to thank Tom Brady (Ratoath AC) who like me was wired up to his mobile for the whole day and sorted out any problems that arose. There are three other people I have to thank and they are Martin Heery & Andrew Ledwith for helping us take down the course and lastly Gerard Heery. Gerard and I both enjoy cross-country running and invariably the discussions we have when we both see grass in a field are about how this can be converted it into milk.

This year will be my last as Chairman of Meath Athletics. I have been chairman for 10 years and it is now time for a change. I want to spend a little more time with my own club, a little more time to play golf with my father and then to play it competitively, do a little more fishing, get back to competitive badminton, get the farm geared up more for the abolition of milk quotas in 2015 and finally if I have not mentioned it before with all our family grown up and out of the country spend a little more time with Mary, who has been very patient these last few years given that everything that is organised in our house is first checked for clashing with athletics.

Finally, I wish all our athletes, officials, county officers and club members a very happy and peaceful Christmas and I look forward to a successful 2013 for Meath Athletics.

Brendan Meade