Clonliffe Harriers

Clonliffe Harriers A.C.

Clonliffe Harriers A.C. is one of Ireland’s premier athletics club based in Dublin Ireland in Morton Stadium Santry catering for athletes of all abilities from the social/fun runner to Olympian and from ages eight to eighty and beyond. The club provides for the full spectrum of athletics: track (sprints, middle distance, long distance, hurdles and steeplechase), field events (jumps, pole vault and throws), road runners up to marathon distance and beyond and of course cross country.

Clonliffe Harriers is Ireland’s oldest athletics club. The club was founded back in 1886 at ‘Knots Cottage’, Richmond Road, Drumcondra. The Club had a bit of a nomadic existence in the early 1900s but was always based in and around the north side of the city including famously rooms above the licensed premises of John Kavanagh, known locally as the ‘Gravediggers’, situated at Prospect Square, Glasnevin. Since 1955 the club has been located in Santry, at the Morton Stadium, Swords Road, Santry, Dublin 9. Clonliffe Harriers originally built the stadium, it was known as the Clonliffe Harriers stadium, later it was renamed the John F. Kennedy Stadium then to become the Morton Stadium which is also the National Athletics Stadium. Clonliffe Harriers no longer own the stadium but are the owners of their clubhouse situated in the stadium grounds where the club has dressing rooms, a gym hall and a club members lounge bar which forms the centre of the club’s social activities. Clonliffe Harriers also have exclusive use of the indoor track and outdoor mondo track in the stadium on Tuesday and Thursday nights (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and on Sunday mornings (10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.).The club is managed by a committee consisting of the Honorary President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Club Captains and Committee members. The committee is elected on an annual basis at the club’s AGM which usually takes place in November.

Over the years Clonliffe Harriers has enjoyed enormous success to become the premier and most famous athletic club in Ireland. The club’s black singlet with an amber sash is known worldwide. Clonliffe has produced numerous Olympians going back to 1908 and over the years Clonliffe athletes competing for Ireland at Olympia have included ‘the Ballinacurra Hare’– John-Joe Barry who competed at the London 1948 Olympic Games at both 1500 and 5000 metres, Frank Murphy, a two time Olympian at Mexico in 1968 and Munich in 1972, our first lady Olympian Claire Walsh at the 1972 Munich Olympics, Jerry Kiernan in the Marathon at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 and three time Olympian Alistair Cragg who was a 5000-metre finalist in both Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.

Clonliffe Harriers has excelled at Cross Country, the men’s senior team winning numerous national interclub cross country championships, in recent years Clonliffe Harriers have been the dominant force in cross country with the team winning an incredible seven national titles in succession from 2004 through to 2010 and then regaining the title in 2012 and again in 2015.

Clonliffe Harriers has been home to many nationally and internationally renowned athletes, in both track and field disciplines and cross-country.In recent years Clonliffe Harriers have also come to the fore as the dominant track and field squad in the country as the club’s athletes began excelling at field events with athletes such as David Donegan winning numerous national pole vault titles and Tomas Rauktys in the throws, after years of being the nearly club at track and field the national track and field title was delivered by the Clonliffe men in 2008, a title which has been successfully defended on an annual basis ever since.

Clonliffe Harriers was one of the first clubs in the country to have a ladies section. The ladies section of the club was founded in 1963 and since then the Clonliffe ladies have represented the club with distinction including of course the pinnacle – the Olympic Games. The Clonliffe ladies have also won domestic competition and have been national senior cross country champions and currently have a strong track and field team which in 2011 were the winners of Division 1 of the national track and field league winning automatic promotion to premier level. The ladies section have a strong cross country and road running tradition, having athletes who compete regularly in cross country and on the roads including national half marathon and indeed the marathon. There is also a thriving beginners level which competes regularly in the Meet and Train races and of course the women’s mini marathon.

At the beginning of 2013 the club formed a Fit 4 Life group. Fit 4 Life is an initiative by Athletics Ireland to provide an opportunity for recreational runners/joggers/walkers both male and female to train under the guidance of specially trained Fit 4 Life Leaders. Runners/joggers/walkers will have a support structure where they can enjoy all the benefits of running in a social, safe and organised environment.

The club’s juvenile section caters for both boys and girls from eight years of age upwards. The juvenile athletes are coached by a dedicated team of coaches who give willingly and freely of their time. Over the past decade the juvenile numbers have grown substantially with the numbers being approximately 100 and there are large numbers of juvenile athletes training in the Morton Stadium on the club’s training days. The juvenile athletes compete in the summer on the track in Dublin County Board Juvenile leagues, the Dublin Championships and at National Championships, in the autumn and winter they compete in cross country events. The juvenile athletes are also involved in an ongoing annual interclub series of races in the springtime and can also look forward to an overseas trip in the spring/early summer.

Clonliffe Harriers continues to thrive and continues to be at the forefront of Irish athletics more than a century and a quarter after its founding. It is a club which honours its history and strives for the future. A club which remains true to its motto: ‘Nil Desperandum’.

Achievements

Clonliffe has won the National Senior Cross-Country Title more often than any other club, winning in:2015,2012,2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2000, 1992, 1991, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1984, 1982, 1981, 1980, 1977 and 1976. They have been runners up in: 2002, 2001, 1996, 1993, 1990, 1985, 1983 and 1972.

National Track & field League:2009, 2008

Clonliffe 2 Mile

The Clonliffe 2 Mile Road Race is the oldest continuous Road Race in Ireland and one of the oldest in the world. The race commenced in 1891 as a club race, soon to become an Invitational 2 Mile and eventually an Open Road Race. The next running of the race on Thursday May 22nd 2014 will be the 123rd consecutive annual running of the Clonliffe 2. The event caters for elite athletes as well as fun and social runners with prizes for the fastest men and women, juniors and masters, as well as the ever popular Clonliffe 2 t. shirt for all participants.

Where:

The Clonliffe 2 in 2013 returned to Santry with the race starting on the Morton Stadium track and upon exiting the Stadium heading north turning left into Northwood, heading past the Crowne Plaza Hotel before swing left into Santry Demesne Park, taking in a loop of the park and re entering the stadium at the rear and completing 300m of the track. The race HQ is Clonliffe Harriers Clubhouse, Morton Stadium. The Clonliffe 2 had formally been run on the “traditional” point to point route from underneath the iron pedestrian bridge at Finglas Village heading down the Finglas to Glasnevin Road turning into Prospect Square where the race finished at Kavanaghs ‘The Gravediggers’. Clonliffe Harriers are indebted to our race sponsor Mr. Eugene Kavanagh of ‘The Gravediggers’ who has been sponsoring this race since 1986 and continues as race sponsor to this day.

When:

The next Clonliffe 2 takes place on TBA of May 2015

Entry Details:

On the night at the Clonliffe Harriers Club house, Morton Stadium, Santry from 5.30pm to 7.00pm €20.00 seniors/ €10.00 juniors

Contact:

The Race Director is Mick Kearney and his contact mobile number is 087 624 3843.

Winners of the Clonliffe 2:

2014- Ian Guiden (Clonliffe Harriers) 9.17 Venue: Santry

2013- Darragh Greene (Dunleer AC) 9.28 Venue: Santry

2012-John Travers (Donore Harriers) 8.56

2011-David Fitzmaurice (Clonliffe Harriers) 9.04

2010-Paul Flemming (Rathfarnham) 9.20

2009-Aidan Bailey (Clonliffe Harriers) 9.20

2008-Paul Flemming (Rathfarnham) 9.36

2007-Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) 10.33 (variation of course route used)

2006-David Byrne (Tallaght AC) 9.23

2005-Paul McNamara (Athenry AC) 9.16

2004-Paul Flemming (Rathfarnham) 9.12

2003-Isaac Kimuge (Kenya)

2002-Killian Lonergan (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.44

1995-Noel Cullen (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.50

1992- Noel Cullen (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.32

1991- D. Wilson (Annadale) 8.41

1990- Niall Bruton (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.42

1989- B. Downey (Kildare) 8.48

1987- Richard Mulligan (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.33

1985- Billy Horgan (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.45

1984- Eugene Curran (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.56

1983- N. Byrne (Donore Harriers) 8.51

1981- Noel Harvey (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.40

1976- Jerry Kiernan (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.39

1975- Frank Murphy jnr (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.55

1974- Frank Murphy jnr (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.58

1973- Frank Murphy jnr (Clonliffe Harriers) 9.04

1972- Des McCormack (Clonliffe Harriers) 9.10

1971- J. O`Reilly (Annadale) 9.06

1970- Tom Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers) 9.09

1969- Eddie Spillane (Donore Harriers) 8.51

1968- Jim McNamara (Donore Harriers) 9.01

1967- Jim McNamara (Donore Harriers) 9.12

1966- Tom O`Riordan (Donore Harriers) 8.57

1965- Jim McNamara (Donore Harriers) 9.03

1964- Jim McNamara (Donore Harriers) 9.06

1963- Tom O`Riordan (Donore Harriers) 8.54

1962- Tom O`Riordan (Donore Harriers) 8.53

1961- Mick Connolly (Donore Harriers) 8.57

1960- Mick Connolly (Donore Harriers) 9.18

1959- J. McLoughlin (Donore Harriers) 9.19

1958- Bertie Messitt (Donore Harriers) 9.03

1957- Frank White (Annadale) 9.08

1956- P. Melhorn (Civil Service) 9.07

1955- Frank White (Annadale) 9.11

1954- J. Dougan (Donore Harriers) 8.26

1953- J. Dougan (Donore Harriers) 8.27

1952- J. Dougan (Donore Harriers) 8.34

1949- J. McGuigan (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.31

1948- J. McGuigan (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.24

1947- J. McGuigan (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.35

1946- W. Powell (Dublin University) 8.50

1945- P. Haughey (Brownstown) 8.59

1943- E. Jones (Civil Service) 8.45

Clonliffe 2 1940

1938- E. Jones (Civil Service) 8.56

1936- J.J.O`Connor (Fearons) 8.38

1925- G. N. Walker (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.44

1924- C. C. Walker (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.53

1923- P. O`Callaghan (Harps A and CC) 8.46

1922- J. Conaghan (DCH) 8.38

1920- B. H. Bingham (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.54

1919- F.J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.46

1918- F. J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 9.06

1917- F. J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.36

1916- F. J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.45

1915- F. J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 9.01

1914- F. J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.44

1913- F.J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.45

1912- F. J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.34 (Course Record)

1911- F. J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.43

1910- F. J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 843

1909- F. J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.38

1908- F. J. Ryder (Clonliffe Harriers) 8.41

1907- F. J. Buckley (Haddington Harriers)

1903- H. Muldoon (Haddington Harriers)

1901- J. E. Deakin (Clonliffe Harriers) 9.01

1900- F. Curtis (Haddington Harriers)

1899- F. Curtis (Haddington Harriers)

1898- P. J. Lonergan (Clonliffe Harriers)

The Morton Mile

The Morton Games is Dublin`s International Track & Field Meet, held during the month of July.

Since the 1930s Clonliffe Harriers promoted an annual International Summer Sports Meet. The highlight of this Meet invariably was the open invitational Mile. This Meet took place at various locations in Dublin including Croke Park and the IRFU grounds at Landsdowne Road. When Clonliffe Harriers built the Clonliffe Harriers Stadium in Santry the annual international Summer Sports were held on an annual basis there. 1958 Clonliffe held two international Sports Meets, the ‘July Sports’ and the ‘August Sports’. On the 6th of August 1958 Herb Elliott set a new world mile record of 3:54.3 as for the first time in history five athletes in the same race ran sub four minute miles. Following on the death of Billy Morton in 1969 Clonliffe Harriers began commemorating his memory with the annual Morton Mile. Over the years the Morton Mile has attracted top class milers including several Olympic champions: Steve Ovett, John Walker and Kip Keino as well as other top international milers including Steve Scott, the mile stadium record holder and Irish Olympians Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan, Frank O’Mara, Ray Flynn and Clonliffe’s own Niall Bruton.

Financial considerations over the years meant that the Morton Mile did not always feature as part of an international event, at times it featured in domestic competition including Dublin County Board Meets, for which Clonliffe Harriers are grateful, the Dundrum International Sports and indeed on occasions as a club race only. In recent years, however, Clonliffe Harriers have endeavoured to hold a stand-alone Track and Field Meet with the Morton Mile as the feature event. In 2008 a very successful international Track and Field Meet was held to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Herb Elliott’s world mile record which attracted top class international athletes. The Morton Mile on that occasion being won by Rob Myers (U.S.A.). In recent years the Morton Mile has been won by Will Leer (U.S.A.) and Jordan McNamara (U.S.A.). To mark the club’s 125th anniversary the club promoted the Clonliffe 125 Track and Field Grand Prix. It is the intention of the club to continue with an annual international Track and Field Meet. A most successful International track and field meet called the Morton Pre-Games took place on the 25th of July 2012 which featured athletes from 16 countries as well as 15 Olympic bound athletes. The highlights of this meet included an exciting Morton Mile won by the 2010 Champion Will Leer in 3.56.39 with ten athletes running sub four, a women`s International mile won in a new stadium record of 4.30.65 by Nicole Schappert (USA) and a new stadium record set in the Albie Thomas men`s 3000m by Ben True (USA) of 7.44.40. The 2013 Morton Games produced three stadium records: 800 of 1.45.32 by Mark English (IRL/UCD), women`s mile of 4.30.44 by Brie Felnagle (USA) and a joint pole vault record of 5.56m by Igor Bychkov (ESP)/ Luke Cutts (GBR). On July 11th 2014 there were 8 new stadium records set including a new mile record of 3.51.82 by Will Leer (USA).

Morton Mile Winners:

1970 Kip Keino (KEN) – 3.59.2 Morton Stadium

1971 Tony Polhill (NZL) – 4.00.7 Morton Stadium

1975 Eamonn Coghlan (IRL) – 4.02.1 Morton Stadium

1976 Frank Murphy (IRL) – 4.04.54 Morton Stadium

1977 John Walker (NZD) – 3.52.76 Belfield

1978 Steve Ovett (GBR) – 3.55.70 Belfield

1979 Steve Scott (USA) – 3.56.26 Belfield

1980 Steve Scott (USA) – 3.53.8 Morton Stadium (Stadium Record)

1981 Steve Scott (USA) – 3.54.76 Morton Stadium

1983 Eamonn Coghlan (IRL) – 3.53.48 Belfield

1985 Frank O`Mara (IRL) – 3.58.78 Morton Stadium

1986 Marcus O`Sullivan (IRL) – 3.58.45 Morton Stadium

1987 David Taylor (IRL) – 4.01.0

1988 Tommy Moloney (IRL) – 4.05.53

1991 Enda Fitzpatrick (IRL) – 4.03.98 ALSAA

1992 Bobby Farren (NI) – 4.15.1 ALSAA

1999 Niall Bruton (IRL) – 4.01.36 Morton Stadium

2001 Fred Cheruijot (KEN) – 3.59.73 Morton Stadium

2002 Edwin Maranga (KEN) – 4.00.78 Morton Stadium

2003 James Nolan (IRL) – 3.57.7 Morton Stadium

2004 James Nolan (IRL) – 3.59.99 Morton Stadium

2005 Youcif Abdi (AUS) – 4.01.13 Morton Stadium

2006 John Cronjie (RSA) – 4.00.49 Morton Stadium

2007 Mitch Kealy (AUS) – 3.58.45 Morton Stadium

2008 Rob Myers (USA) – 3.56.23 Morton Stadium

2009 Mark Thompson (USA) – 4.01.26 Morton Stadium

2010 Will Leer (USA) – 3.56.81 Morton Stadium

2011 Jordan McNamara (USA) – 3.56.83 Morton Stadium

2012 Will Leer (USA) – 3.56.39 Morton Stadium

2013 Cory Leslie (USA) – 3.55.85 Morton Stadium

2014 Will Leer (USA) – 3.51.82 Morton Stadium (Stadium and Meet Record)

Where:

The Morton Stadium, Santry, Dublin 9, Ireland.

When:

Friday July TBC 2015

Events:

Men: 100, 200, 400, 800, Morton Mile, 3000, Pole Vault

Women: 100, 800, Mile, Throws

Contact:

Contact details mortongames@hotmail.ie or the Meet Director Noel Guiden on 087 959 9888.

Event web site:

www.mortongames.ie

Training

Training for all athletes takes place in the Morton Stadium Santry Tuesday and Thursday nights. Clonliffe Harriers have exclusive use of the outdoor track from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. these nights. Clonliffe also have exclusive use of the indoor facility on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (except during the winter months when the time for the indoor facility runs from 8.00 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays). The club also has exclusive use of the track and indoor facility on Sunday mornings from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. In addition various groups under their respective coaches also have group training on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Training sessions, depending on the season, also take place at times in ALSAA, the Phoenix Park, Newbridge House, Ardgillen Castle, Malahide Castle and Dollymount Beach.

Senior Sprints Group / Field Events:

Day Time Venue Tuesday 7pm to 9pm Morton Stadium Thursday 7pm to 9pm Morton Stadium Saturday 11am to 1pm Morton Stadium Sunday 11.00am to 12.30pm Morton Stadium Senior Middle Distance:

Day Time Venue Tuesday 7pm to 9pm Morton Stadium Thursday 7pm to 9pm Morton Stadium Saturday 11am to 1pm Various Junior Middle Distance:

Day Time Venue Tuesday 7pm to 9pm Morton Stadium Thursday 7pm to 9pm Morton Stadium Saturday 12pm to 1.30pm Santry Demesne / Various Sunday 11am to 12.30pm Morton Stadium / Various Juveniles:

Day Time Venue Tuesday 7pm to 8.30pm Morton Stadium Thursday 7pm to 8.30pm Morton Stadium Saturday 11am to 12.30pm Santry Demesne (U14's to U16's Only) Sunday 11am to 12.30pm Morton Stadium / Santry Demesne.

New Members

New members are welcome to join Clonliffe Harriers at any time of the year. To join Clonliffe Harriers could not be more straightforward. It is simply a matter of coming along on a Tuesday or Thursday night to the Clonliffe clubhouse situated just inside Gate no.3 of the Morton Stadium, Santry. As training commences at 7 p.m. it is suggested that new members should arrive at approximately 6.45 p.m.

Juvenile Members (ages 8 to 16): On their first night juvenile members must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who should come to the Clonliffe clubhouse and ask for Gladys Cooper. Gladys is the juvenile captain and she will put the new juvenile member with the appropriate group coach, come ready to train. You are welcome to try us out for a week or two and at that stage if you have decided to join the club it is simply a matter of completing an application form, paying your membership fee and you will then be registered with Clonliffe Harriers as a member of the club with Athletics Ireland.

Junior, Senior and Master Men: Again it is simply a matter of coming to the Clonliffe clubhouse on a Tuesday or Thursday night at approximately 6.45 p.m. and asking for the club captain Joe Cooper. Joe will introduce you to the appropriate group coach/group and again you are welcome to try us out for a week or two before joining Clonliffe Harriers.

Lady Members (including beginners): You should again come to the clubhouse at 6.45 p.m. on a Tuesday or a Thursday and ask for the Ladies captain Pamela Cooper or if she is not available should ask for the Ladies coach Eugene Coppinger.

Fit 4 Life: This group meets on Thursday nights only. To join this group come to the clubhouse at 6.45pm (Thursdays only) and ask for Jean Carr.

External links

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