Donegal Half-Marathon set to attract up to 500 entries

The 400 entry mark was exceeded on Tuesday morning, and race director, Brendan McDaid, is expecting more people to sign up for what will be the tenth staging of the event

“We have over 400 entered at this stage and if previous years are anything to go by, that figure will grow another bit between now and Saturday evening when online entries close. Only the first 400 who entered will receive a t-shirt and specially commissioned medal.”

Those taking part in the Kernan’s-sponsored event which has a 9.20 am start can collect their number and goody bags at the Aura Leisure Centre between 2 pm and 6 pm on Saturday.

“To make sure the event runs as smoothly as possible, we are asking all those who live locally or nearby to collect their number on Saturday afternoon. For those not from the area or who are travelling on race day, they can collect their number on Sunday between 8 am and 8.45 am,” he added.

“The 2023 Donegal Half Marathon was launched in February and the organising committee have been working away quietly behind the scenes since pulling the various parts of the event together. As usual, there has been a great buy-in from the community and various groups and organisations who all play their own vital and unique part.”

Given last week’s confirmation that the 2022 Dublin Half Marathon winner, Yared Derese, will be competing on Sunday, a new course record is on the cards. The 38-year-old Ethiopian runner, who is a member of Carrick Aces AC in Monaghan, took the national half marathon title last year when clocking 1:03:44. The course record for the Donegal Half of 1:09:51 was posted by Freddy Keron Sittuk in 2015.

The Donegal Half Marathon was recently confirmed as a Donegal Athletics Board championship event and given this new dimension, clubs are fielding teams in the various categories which has boosted the numbers taking part.

Organisers devised a new flatter and faster route in 2022 and the same route will be used again this year. The two main changes are the removal of the climb up Port Road and the large loop of the course being done the opposite way.

The combination of these two changes has resulted in a new start line at the beginning of the Conwal straight located a short distance past the entrance of Ballymacool Town Park – one mile from the Aura Leisure Centre where the race will be headquartered.

For a third successive year, the Donegal Half Marathon will adopt one of the key signature points along the Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal. For 2023, the centrepiece of the finisher’s medal will contain a raised image of Malin Head, the county’s most northerly point and a main signature point along the Wild Atlantic Way.

The overall winner of the Donegal Half Marathon will be presented with the Dessie Larkin Perpetual Shield. The late Dessie Larkin, who died suddenly on March 18th 2019, was one of the main driving forces behind the Donegal Half Marathon and Marathon first held in Letterkenny in 2014.

The Donegal Half Marathon is a very much a collaborative effort, with the committee getting great support and assistance from Donegal Sports Partnership, Donegal County Council, Letterkenny CDP, Donegal Volunteer Centre, Fáilte Ireland, Optum, Century Cinemas and Watson Hire.

To enter the 2023 Donegal Half Marathon, follow the link below:

The children’s races on the morning of the half marathon, which are sponsored by Century Cinemas, have grown in popularity and these will be run again this year. The races will get underway at 10 am.

To register a child for the children’s races, follow the link below: