I'm considering spending a semester abroad at Trinity College Dublin. I was wondering if anyone had information about training venues, track clubs, and XC/track/roads races in the area.
More generally: how is training in Ireland at large? Where are the best places to run in the country? The place has produced so many great milers and harriers.
All I can say is that Phoenix Park, to the north, is a good place to start. There are trails near there as well, where I had the good fortune to run on with a good Irish runner. As with any other place, I'd put in feelers for local clubs.
Loads of great places to run in Dublin.
Phoenix Park is, IIRC, about a 2 mile jog (mostly along the Liffey) west/north from Trinity. You can also run east, and get to parks, the seaside, and the Irishtown track for intervals within 2 miles. Or south about 1.5 miles to get to herbert park.
In summer, groups regularly use the grass track on trinity's own grounds for training (usually closed in winter to avoid it getting torn up).
Trinity has an all-comers athletics club for students, although it's not elite (compared to American teams), and there are a load of non-student dublin clubs with some top-level people who'd be more than happy to have you for some months. Depending on where you end up living, I'd suggest Rathfarnham, DSD on the southside, Clonliffe, Raheny on the northside as clubs with a good group of sub-elites. (Apologies to any clubs I'm missing out, no offence is intended!)
Training routes
- Phoenix Park (10 hilly mile run around perimeter as well as XC loops and trails. Could pretty much spend 6 months training there without getting bored. About 2 miles from Trinity. Very popular with runners and Irelands mecca for training runs.
- Marlay Park (Rathfarnham area approx just over 4 mile) Small park about 2 mile perimeter but gateaway to over 50 miles of Mountain trails if that is your thing
Hellfire Club - (Tallaght approx 8 miles from Trinity) hilly trail loop with approx 1.5 mile climb and a 2 mile undulating trail loop great for fartlek)
Tracks
Morton Stadium - Northside roughly 3-4 miles from Trinity,
Irishtown - 2 miles but currently closed for resurfacing
Tallaght - 5 miles from Trinity
ALSAA - pay as you go track with poor surface by airport
Lucan - 5 miles from Trinity Cinder track
Donore - 2 miles from Trinity (By phoenix park) 300m track
Clubs (in order of proximity to Trinity)
MSB - By phoenix park
Donore - By Phoenix Park
Crusaders - Based in Irishtown
DSD - Based near Marlay/ Irishtown
Rathfarnham - Based near Marlay
Tallaght
WelcomeToEire wrote:
Clubs (in order of proximity to Trinity)
MSB - By phoenix park
Donore - By Phoenix Park
Crusaders - Based in Irishtown
DSD - Based near Marlay/ Irishtown
Rathfarnham - Based near Marlay
Tallaght
how can a city like Dublin have so many clubs when my US city with about 50k less people or so has a single joke of a running club, which never meets to run, and only exists to publish a magazine and put on a couple races.
Clonliffe Harriers also use Morton stadium and are arguably the strongest club in the country.
USAYE wrote:
how can a city like Dublin have so many clubs when my US city with about 50k less people or so has a single joke of a running club, which never meets to run, and only exists to publish a magazine and put on a couple races.
Because they don't have high school teams- it's a club system, with youth/open/master's in the clubs.
Phoenix, Marlay, and Bushy Park are my favorites.
check out boards.ie
you can post to here and you'll get responses. very friendly people and you'll sort out a way to train with others easily.
Eddie McDonagh, arguably the best coach in Ireland for middle distance runners can be found at Marley Park on most days. Dundrum/Ballinteer area. When I lived there back around 1975 it was the Dundrum recreation Center as the base but I’m not sure if that has changed now. Great runs up into the mountains from there up towards Ticknock and beyond.
What everyone has mentioned here. But also Stephen's Green just south of the college if you're looking for a smaller park next door.
southside wrote:
USAYE wrote:
how can a city like Dublin have so many clubs when my US city with about 50k less people or so has a single joke of a running club, which never meets to run, and only exists to publish a magazine and put on a couple races.
Because they don't have high school teams- it's a club system, with youth/open/master's in the clubs.
Phoenix, Marlay, and Bushy Park are my favorites.
Phoenix Park is by far the best, then Marlay and then Bushy. Bushy Park is a bit too small for longer runs IMO.
I’d base myself as close to the Phoenix Park as possible if I was you or Marlay which is excellent also.