Farewell to 2018

We're in the last days of 2018 with a New Year soon upon but our members finished the last year strongly with some very good performances at the North West Games in Athlone IT last Saturday.


Superbly organised by Athletics Donegal, the event was a Christmas feast of athletics with events in all age groups and some great performances from Carrick AC athletes.

These ranged from two wins for Alannah McGuinness to the Kennedy brothers putting on a show that had the crowd rising to their feet, applauding them down the home straight as they ran side by side from start to finish, Declan just edging Patrick in the finish.

Ellis Conway put in two very solid performances over 200m and 400m while Oisin O'Dowd set two new personal bests before he heads back to Holland for his studies and Oisin Kearney also set a big new pb over 400m.


Cathal McElgunn, Oisin O'Dowd, 

Oisin Kearney and Susanne O'Beirne were also among the winners so well done to everyone who took part.

The following were the performances

Ladies

U16: 200m: Alanna Murray 29.41; Aoibheann O’Dowd 30.61; 60m: Aine McGwynne 8.67; Aoibhinn O’Dowd 9.17

U18: 200m: Alannah McGuinness 1st 27.02, Clodagh Sheerin 27.82 2nd; 60m: Alannah McGuinness 7.92 1st; Clodagh Sheerin 8.51

Senior: 200m: Ellis Conway 26.85 2nd; 400m: Ellis Conway 59.92 1st, Susanne O’Beirne 3rd Masters 74.08; 800m: Suzanne O’Beirne 1st Masters 3.05.18 1st

Men

U12: 600m: Declan Kennedy 1.50.10 1st; Patrick Kennedy 1.50.48 2nd

U16: Long Jump: Jack Keenehan 4.15m

U18: 200m: 200m: Oisin Kearney 24.61; 400m: Oisin Kearney 54.04 3rd

Senior: 200m: Oisin O’Dowd 24.23 2nd; 60m: Oisin O’Dowd 7.57; 400m: Cathal McElgunn 52.46 1st; 3,000m: Ken Kennedy 10.17.05 3rd Masters

2019 REGISTRATION NIGHT

Carrick-on-Shannon Athletic Club are delighted to announce that we will hold our Registration Night for both existing and new members at 7.30 pm on Monday, January 7, 2019 in The Bush Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon.

This Registration night is for ALL existing members - Juvenile to Senior to Master. Anyone not registering on the night will not be registered with the Club for 2019 even if you have been a member up to the end of this year's activities.

We are also pleased to announce that we will be accepting a limited number of new members in our Primary School group, subject to safety limitations for the Sports Complex, as well as new members in all other groups.

We will also be accepting new members for our eight year old group that meets on Thursday evenings in the Sports Complex. This group is limited and a child must be age eight on the night of registration to join.

There is one important point to note for all parents of children under 18 years of age - with new GDPR guidelines, all parents MUST sign the membership form of each children they are registering with the club, no proxy signings can be allowed

The Athletics Ireland Registration year runs from January 1, to December 31, of each year meaning our membership year will run for the same period. Please remember, a parent must sign the membership form of their child under 18 years of age.

Our training groups will meet at the following times:

PRIMARY SCHOOL GROUPs

Tuesday: 5 to 6 pm: Athletes aged 9 & 10 in 2019

Tuesday: 6 to 7 pm: Athletes aged 11, 12 & over in 2019
Thursday: 5 to 6 pm: Athletes aged 8 on January 7, 2019

POST PRIMARY SCHOOL GROUP

Tuesday: Meet at 6 pm at the Sports Complex (Session last 75-80 minutes)

Wednesday: Gym & circuits session in Sports Complex at 6 pm
Friday: Meet at 4.30 pm at Sports Complex

There is a weekly fee of €3 per week

Membership Fees are as follows:

Juvenile €25         Senior: €30      Family: €60 (Three Juvenile members plus)

We look forward to seeing everyone on Monday, January 7, in The Bush Hotel.

TRAINING FOR ALL JUVENILE GROUPS WILL RESUME ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2019

We hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

GOD & Alannah get indoor season off to a flying start

Gerard goes round the bend

The first indoor competition of the year saw some great performances and a lot of personal bests from the small Carrick AC crew who took part in Wednesday's Baseline Meet in Athlone.

Gerard O'Donnell started his indoor season off impressively with a 7.15 clocking over 60m, finishing second in the race, before winning the 150m in a time of 16.51 seconds, a very smooth and controlled run.

Alannah McGuinness smashed her 60m personal best by 0.13 of a second when she finished third in the 60m in a time of 7.86, a great start to the indoor season. She followed that up with a superb new pb over 150m, which again equates very well to her best over 200m.

Clodagh Sheerin was third in the 150m race with Alannah second, in a time of 20.4. This came after Clodagh was a very impressive winner of her 60m in a time of 8.35 seconds.

Oisin O'Dowd was another smashing pbs as he ran 7.62 for 60m and 17.93 for 150m, a time nearly a second faster than he ran last year, with Niall Sheerin running 7.84 over 60m and 18.38 over 150m.

Ellis Conway finished third in her 300m in a time of 42.97 in a tough field while Oisin Kearney won his 300m heat in a time of 38.81, a superb run and then running 18.57 over 150m.

Well done to everyone on a great start to the indoor season.

Alannah dips for the line and a new pb

2018 CARRICK AC ROLL OF HONOUR

Some great performances in 2018 from Ann Wynne, Susanne O'Beirne, Ann Marie Keenan and Michelle Lannon

Although the year is not fully finished yet, the following is a list of notable Carrick-on-Shannon AC performances at National, Connacht and International level in 2018.

Gerard O'Donnell with his nephews Conor & Charlie

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Gerard O’Donnell Athletics Ireland Senior 110m Hurdles Champion

Ann Wynne 1st Athletics Ireland Masters O50 1,500m; 3rd 800m; 2nd Indoor O50 800m

Michelle Lannon British & Irish Masters O45 2nd team, 2nd Athletics Ireland Masters O45 3,000m; 3rd O45 Cross-country; 3rd Indoor O45 3,000m

Alannah McGuinness 2nd Athletics Ireland U17 100m; 6th Athletics Ireland Junior 100m & All-Ireland Schools Inter 100m Final; 7th Athletics Ireland Indoor U17 60m Hurdles Final

Clive Glancy Irish Team European Police Championship Marathon

Declan Kennedy 2nd Athletics Ireland U12 CC 2018; 5th Athletics Ireland U11 CC 2017; 8th Athletics Ireland Indoor U12 600m Final; 28th Athletics Ireland U12 Cross-country 2017

All-Ireland U14 4 x 200m bronze

Patrick Kennedy 2nd Athletics Ireland U11 CC 2017; 3rd Athletics Ireland U12 B 600m; 5th Athletics Ireland Indoor U12 600m Final; 16th Athletics Ireland U12 CC 2018; 25th Athletics Ireland U12 Cross-country 2017

Gerard Murtagh, Shane Finn, Cian Mollohan & Toyosi Fagbo - 3rd Athletics Ireland Indoor U15 Boys 4 x 200m

B medalists Aine McGwynne & Patrick Kennedy

Aine McGwynne 3rd Athletics Ireland U16 B Champs 100m

Susanne O'Beirne 3rd Athletics Ireland Masters Over 45 800m & 1,500m; 3rd O45 1,500m

Cathal McElgunn 3rd Irish Universities 4 x 400m

Alanna Murray 4th Athletics Ireland U16 B 100m

Gerard Murtagh 4th Athletics Ireland Indoor U14 60m Final

Toyosi Fagbo 5th Athletics Ireland Indoor  U15 60m Final

Ellis Conway 5th All-Ireland Schools Senior Girls 400m & 5th Athletics Ireland U18 400m Final; 6th Athletics Ireland Indoor U18 400m

Clodagh Sheerin 6th Athletics Ireland U18 60m Final

Ellie O'Rourke 6th Athletics Ireland U16 3,000m; 7th Athletics Ireland Indoor U16 800m Final; 64th Athletics Ireland Cross-country U16 Girls 2018

Riaghan Guckian, Patrick & Declan Kennedy, Oran Butler

Declan & Patrick Kennedy, Oran Butler & Riaghan Guckian Carrick U11 Boys Cross-country Team 7th Athletics Ireland U12 Cross-country 2018

Aine McGwynne, Alanna Murray, Aoibhinn O'Dowd and Sophie McCabe All-Ireland Schools Junior Girls Relay 7th

Oisin O'Dowd, Fiachra Henry, Oisin Kearney and Niall Sheerin All-Ireland Schools Senior Boys 4 x 400m relay 7th

Aine McGwynne, Alanna Murray, Ellie O'Rourke & Sophie McCabe 7th Athletics Ireland U16 4 x 100m Final

Daniel Bosquette 8th Athletics Ireland U16 Javelin

Eoghan Farrell 9th Athletics Ireland U17 3,000m

Lauren Reynolds 14th All-Ireland Schools Junior CC; 17th Athletics Ireland U16 CC 2017; 12th All-Ireland Schools Junior 1,500m

CONNACHT

Declan Kennedy 1st Connacht Indoor & Outdoor U12 600m; 1st Connacht U12 & 13 CC 2018; 1st Connacht U11 & 12 CC 2017

Ellie O'Rourke 1st Connacht Schools Inter Mile; 2nd Connacht Indoor U16 1,500m & 800m; 1st Connacht U16 3,000m, 4th 800m; 2nd Connacht U17 CC

Alannah with her mother Siobhan and an All-Ireland silver

Alannah McGuinness 1st Connacht U17 200m; 2nd 100m; 2nd Connacht Schools Inter 100m; 3rd Connacht Indoor U17 60m; 2nd 60m Hurdles

Ellis Conway 1st Connacht Indoor U18 400m; 1st Connacht U18 400m; 1st 200m; 2nd Connacht Schools Senior 400m

Gerard Murtagh 1st Connacht Indoor U14 60m, 3rd Long Jump; 6th Outdoor Long Jump

Lauren Reynolds 1st Connacht Indoor U16 1,500m; 2nd Connacht U16 1,500m; 3rd Connacht Schools Junior 1,500m; 5th Connacht Indoor U16 800m

Michelle Lannon ran for Ireland in Swansea in November

Michelle Lannon 1st Connacht F35 3,000m

Toyosi Fagbo 1st Connacht Indoor U15 60m

Callum Whelan 1st Connacht Senior Javelin

Ken Kennedy 1st Connacht M35 3,000m; 3rd Connacht Masters Cross-country League

Patrick Kennedy 2nd Connacht Indoor 600m; 2nd Connacht U12 Boys Cross-country 2018; 2nd Connacht U11 & 12 CC 2017; 4th Connacht Outdoor 600m; 8th Connacht U13 CC 2018

Sophie McCabe 2nd Connacht Schools Junior 200m & 4th 100m; 3rd Connacht U15 100m; 3rd 200m

Ellis Conway was very close to a national medal in 2018

Aisling Gill 2nd Connacht Senior 200m

Susanne O’Beirne 2nd Connacht F35 1,500m, 3rd 3,000m, 2nd 800m; 5th Connacht Senior Cross-country League

Ann Wynne 2nd Connacht F50 400m, 4th 800m

Aine McGwynne, Alanna Murray, Aoibhinn O’Dowd and Sophie McCabe Connacht Schools Junior Girls relay 2nd

Oisin O’Dowd, Fiachra Henry, Oisin Kearney and Niall Sheerin Connacht Schools Senior Boys 4 x 400m 2nd

Clodagh Sheerin 2nd Connacht Indoor U18 200m & 3rd 60m; 3rd Connacht Schools Senior 200m

Javelin medals for Sean, Daniel & Callum

Oisin Kearney 2nd Connacht U17 400m, 5th 200m

Niall Sheerin 2nd Connacht Indoor U18 60m & 200m

Daniel Dill 2nd Connacht Senior 3,000m

Gerard Murtagh, Shane Finn, Cian Mollohan & Toyosi Fagbo 2nd Connacht Indoor U15 4 x 200m relay

Michael Keane 3rd Connacht M35 3,000m

Patrick & Declan Kennedy, Oran Butler, Riaghan Guckian, Ben Clarke 3rd Connacht U12 Cross-country club team & inter-county team

Indoor Shot medal for Dara Holmes

Riaghan Guckian 9th Connacht U11 Boys Cross-country

Riaghan Guckian & Oran Butler 3rd Connacht U11 Boys Cross-country team

Ellie O'Rourke & Kirsty McHenry 3rd Connacht U16 Inter-county team

Shane Finn 3rd Connacht Indoor U15 Shot

Aine McGwynne 3rd Connacht Schools Junior 100m

Eoghan Farrell 3rd Connacht U17 3,000m; 4th Connacht Schools Inter 3,000m; 4th Connacht U18 Cross-country

Dara Holmes 3rd Connacht U13 Indoor Shot & Turbo Javelin; 9th 60m

Thumbs up in Connacht Team competition

Luke Charles & Aaron McDonagh 3rd Connacht U11 60m Team

Hugh McGovern and Caoimhin O’Sullivan 3rd Connacht U10 60m Team

Oisin O’Dowd 4th Connacht U19 100m & 200m; 4th Connacht Indoor U19 60m, 6th 200m

Keelin Cronin 4th Connacht U13 60m

Faith Lynott 4th Connacht U13 Shot

Connacht Indoor medals for Lauren, Gerard & Ellie

Joshua Bosquette & Theo Gately 4th Connacht U10 Turbo Javelin team

U13 Boys 4 x 200m 4th

Keith Healy 5th Connacht M35 3,000m

Kirsty Henry 6th Connacht Schools Junior 1,500m & 6th Connacht U15 1,500m

Alanna Murray 6th Connacht U16 100m; 8th 200m

Brendan Kennedy 7th Connacht U14 800m; 9th Connacht U14 Boys Cross-country

Jack Keenehan 7th Connacht U16 Long Jump

Ellie O’Brien 8th Connacht U14 800m

If anyone has been omitted from the list of Connacht, National and International winners, please contact John Connolly at connollyjohnb@eircom.net

2018 AGM SECRETARY'S REPORT

Carrick-on-Shannon Athletic Club 2018 Annual General Meeting Secretary's report

The Club held our AGM last Monday evening, December 3, in The Bush Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon. Thanks to those who took the time to attend, it was much appreciated.

The following is the report of Secretary John Connolly delivered to the meeting:

Hard to believe that another year has passed but as we look back on 2018 and the last two months of 2017, our club has never enjoyed a wider variety of success at all disciplines.

Gerard O’Donnell tops the year once again as he regained the National 110m Hurdles crown after what must have been his best year ever, desperately unlucky to miss the European Championships Qualifying Standard by just 0.03 of a second! And we also wish Gerard well in his new job with Athletics Ireland and congratulate on winning the 2018 Senior Award at the Leitrim Sports Star Awards.

We also saw great success on road and cross-country in 2018 with Michelle Lannon, who joined us last year, representing Ireland at this year’s British & Irish Masters Cross-country in Swansea, adding a team silver medal into the bargain to cap off a year that saw Michelle win National medals in cross-country, indoors and outdoors.

Clive Glancy also wore the Green vest with pride in 2018, again representing An Garda Siochana & Ireland in the European Police Marathon Championships held with the Dublin City Marathon last October. A new pb of 2.35 may not, however, have been his biggest achievement with the arrival of twins earlier in the year a welcome addition for the club in the years ahead. Congrats to both Niamh and Clive.

We had first time All-Ireland medalists by the bucketload - Ann Wynne & Susanne O’Beirne at Masters level, Alannah McGuinness & Aine McGwynne in sprints while the Kennedy twins, Declan & Patrick, thrilled us all with some amazing performances in cross-country. Shane Finn, Cian Mollohan & Gerard Murtagh won their first All-Ireland medals along with Toyosi Fagbo with bronze in a thrilling U15 Boys 4 x 200m indoor relay. A medal too for Cathal McElgunn who combined getting his Masters in UCD with winning an Irish Universities medal in the 4 x 400m, a fitting reward for one of our club’s best servants.

There were some heartbreak - Ellis Conway was desperately unlucky to miss out a medal with a series of top class performance in National Finals as was Gerard Murtagh & Toyosi Fagbo in the Indoor 60m Finals while Alanna Murray too finished fourth in the U16 B 100m Final. And for Eanna Madden, overall winner of the 2017 Leitrim Sports Star Awards, there was disappointment as injury cut his season very short but thankfully he is back training and in the same training group as Gerard O’Donnell and Cathal McElgunn in Dublin.

It goes without saying that we as a club are so lucky to have so many dedicated athletes wearing the Royal Blue Carrick AC vest at every age and level. And while it might be cheating a little, I’m going to copy my words of last year - Success isn’t measured just by medals but by the way our athletes compete, the support they show each other and the commitment they display daily - on that count, we have a club full of champions!

I must also pay tribute to all our coaches for their unfailing dedication, good spirits and enthusiasm - we really would be nowhere without the hard work of Siobhan Murtagh, Siobhan Whelan, Orla Keaney, Bernice Harman, Caolann Scollan, Diane Charles, Karen Brennan, Aislinn Bosquette, Mary Finn, Jennifer McGwynne, Jenny McCabe, Donnacha Holmes, Andrew Brennan, John Keenehan, Alice Lynott, Mary O’Donnell & Bernice Harman.

Performances aside, our club faced a number of different challenges over the past 14 months. We took the tough decision not to accept new members in the Primary School groups last year due to the pressure of space in the Complex but it was a decision we had to make for safety reasons. We also changed our membership year from October to January to mirror that of Athletics Ireland and, following our discussions here tonight, we certainly look forward to accepting new members in January.

Numbers in the Post Primary group have dropped a little but the hard work and enthusiasm of these athletes certainly hasn’t. The numbers are a bit more manageable but the turnout nevertheless highlights the need for new community facilities in Carrick-on-Shannon.

In terms of facilities, we took a big step by leaving the top field of the Community School for our Summer training. We’ve been training there for over 20 years but with traffic so heavy and safety a concern, we approached Carrick-on-Shannon Rugby Club about using their pitch and they could not have been more welcoming. Their facilities allowed the entire club to train in one area at the same time and with plenty of space. I want to put on record our deep thanks to Carrick Rugby Club for their generosity in using their excellent facilities.

I say it every year but our Adult Running group continues to go from strength to strength and the camaraderie of the group is obvious. The enthusiasm of the group is a testament to the work of Graham Allen who keeps everyone together, keeps everyone motivated and certainly keeps them running. Well done Graham and the gang.

I’d like to thank Chairperson Mary Finn and Treasurer Jenny McCabe for all their work. Mary has informed us that she is stepping down tonight and while I would be delighted if she stayed on, I want to thank her for her hard work, dedication and support for the club not only during her term as Chairperson but through a lifetime’s involvement with Carrick AC. Many, many thanks Mary for your work and your friendship.

Over the past 14 months, we have lost some great club servants and dear friends and I want to offer my sympathy to the families of the late Marie McGuinness, Christina Finn, Cathal Devaney, Seamus Farrell and Art McGrath on their great losses over the year. 

I would also like to commiserate with any club members and their families who suffered any bereavements during the year. May they all Rest In Peace.

I want to thank Adrian Jackson, Noeleen Murray Noone, Ray Mulvey and everyone at Carrick-on-Shannon Community School for all their assistance during the year.

Finally, I want to wish everyone a successful year on the track, indoors or out, the roads and the country as we keep the Carrick AC flag flying high.

John Connolly

Secretary