Dublin Women's Mini Marathon
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Women's Mini Marathon is an annual 10k event, which takes place every June bank holiday Sunday on the streets of
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
,
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
. It is the largest women's event of its kind in the world, and is the largest one-day charity fundraising event in Ireland. The event, which is currently sponsored by Irish insurance company Vhi Healthcare, celebrated its 40th event in 2022. In 1983, 9,000 women entered the inaugural event. The event grew in popularity as women took more interest in their health and fitness. In 2014 it reached a record attendance when over 41,000 women participated. Since its inception, participants have raised over €226 million for charitable causes throughout Ireland. Participants decide which charity they will support. The Women's Mini Marathon is a national institution, beloved by women throughout the country, and every year brings enormous cultural, economic, and societal benefits to the city.


History

A small group of male athletes gathered in the Mill House in
Stillorgan Stillorgan (, also and previously or ), formerly a village in its own right, is now a suburban area of Dublin in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Stillorgan is located in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, and contains many housing estates, shops and oth ...
in 1983. They concluded that an all-women's race would be suitable for increasing female participation. The '' Evening Press'' was named as the sponsor an
Dundrum South Dublin Athletics Club
as the host club. Several Irish women's distance runners have taken part in the race. Catherina McKiernan recorded her first of four wins in her autobiography, ''Running for My Life'', saying: "I enjoyed every moment of it. The crowds were more incredible than I expected, and it was just something I always wanted to do." In recent years, charities have used online services such as Facebook, Twitter, and
podcast A podcast is a Radio program, program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an Episode, episodic series of digital audio Computer file, files that users can download to a personal device or str ...
ing to promote their involvement.


Sponsorship

The race has had a large list of sponsors throughout its history. VHI is the current title sponsor and intends to continue its association with the race until 2021. From the beginning, a Dublin evening newspaper has promoted the race, acting as its media sponsor. The ''
Evening Herald ''The Herald'' is a nationwide mid-market tabloid newspaper headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, and published by Independent News & Media who are a subsidiary of Mediahuis. It is published Monday–Saturday. The newspaper was known as the ''Ev ...
'' took over this role from the '' Evening Press'' in 1996 when it went defunct in 1995. In 2001, it was known as the
Tesco Ireland Tesco Ireland Limited is the Republic of Ireland, Irish subsidiary of supermarket group Tesco. Tesco Ireland was formed by Tesco plc's 1997 purchase of the Irish retailing operations of Associated British Foods, namely Powers' Supermarkets Limi ...
Evening Herald ''The Herald'' is a nationwide mid-market tabloid newspaper headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, and published by Independent News & Media who are a subsidiary of Mediahuis. It is published Monday–Saturday. The newspaper was known as the ''Ev ...
Women's Mini-Marathon. For the 2003 race, the ''Herald'' and Nike were the only sponsors. Other sponsors have included Elverys,
Citroën Citroën ()The double-dot diacritic over the 'e' is a diaeresis () indicating the two vowels are sounded separately, and not as a diphthong. is a French automobile brand. The "Automobiles Citroën" manufacturing company was founded on 4 June 19 ...
and Newbridge Silverware. From 2004 until 2014 it became known as th
Flora
Women's Mini Marathon. The
Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, and commonly known as the Order of Malta or the Knights of Malta, is a Catholic Church, Cathol ...
is involved on the day.


Preparation

The 3 June 2018 VHI Women's Mini Marathon moved to a Sunday event. 30,000 women lined out for the race. It was won by Lizzie Lee in a time of 34 minutes and 18 seconds. The 2020 VHI Women's Mini Marathon was due to take place on Sunday, 31 May 2020. However, due to COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland, the event was postponed and later canceled. A Virtual Women's Mini Marathon was instead planned over ten days 1–10 October. The 2021 event was also virtual and took place on 19 September 2011. The 2022 event returned to the streets of Dublin on Sunday 5 June. To prepare for the event, over 2,200 crash barriers are set up at the start and finish, on the course, and in the Reunion Area around Merrion Square. Approximately 110,000 paper cups are laid out at the water stations which supply over 34,000 litres of water for the participants, and some 250 toilets are ordered for the day. Over 1000 race stewards and personnel are on hand to ensure that the event runs smoothly on the day.


Notable winners

Multiple times World Cross-Country
silver medal A silver medal, in sports and other similar areas involving competition, is a medal made of, or plated with, silver awarded to the second-place finisher, or runner-up, of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, ...
ist Catherina McKiernan won the event in 1998, 1999, and 2004. Sonia O'Sullivan won the event in 2000, months before she went on to win the silver in the Olympic 5000m. O'Sullivan's time of 31m 23s set a record that has yet to be beaten in this race.
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
's Magdaline Chemjor won the 2001 edition. Lizzie Lee won the event in 2018 and later went on to win the Irish National Title and finish third outright in the Dublin Marathon in October that year.


Recent years


2000

The 2000 mini-marathon was the 18th running of the event. Sonia O'Sullivan won the race, in a record time of 31 minutes and 28 seconds. Magdaline Chemjor from
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
finished in second place.


2001

The 2001 mini-marathon was the 19th running of the event and took place on 4 June. More than 31,000 females took part in the mini-marathon. Magdaline Chemjor from
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
won the race. Sonia O'Sullivan finished in second place inside 33 minutes and 26 seconds, later announcing her intention to not contest any track races that summer, including the
World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...
in Canada. She claimed that the
2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, officially branded as Sydney 2000, and also known as the Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event held from 15 September to 1 October ...
in Sydney, at which she won a
silver medal A silver medal, in sports and other similar areas involving competition, is a medal made of, or plated with, silver awarded to the second-place finisher, or runner-up, of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, ...
, had tired her "mentally and physically" and that she wanted "to take a good rest", having been "suffering from illness all too often" that year. Valerie Vaughan finished in third place inside 34 minutes.


2004

The 2004 mini-marathon was the 22nd running of the event. It raised a total of €9 million for charity.


2005

The 2006 mini-marathon was the 23rd running of the event and took place on 6 June. Over 40,000 females took part in the race. Sonia O'Sullivan won the race inside 33 minutes and 7 seconds. Pauline Curley from
Tullamore Tullamore (; ) is the county town of County Offaly in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is on the Grand Canal (Ireland), Grand Canal, in the middle of the county, and is the fourth most populous town in the Midland Region, Ireland, Midlands Reg ...
finished in second place. Annette Kealy from
Malahide Malahide ( ; ) is an affluent coastal settlement in Fingal, County Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, situated north of Dublin city. It has a village centre surrounded by suburban housing estates, with a population of 18,608 as per the 2022 ...
finished in third place.


2006

The 2006 mini-marathon was the 24th running of the event and took place on 5 June. Pauline Curley from
County Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is named after the Ancient Ireland, ancient Kingdom of Uí ...
won the race inside 35 minutes and 4 seconds. It was her second victory in this race. Niamh O'Sullivan from
County Kerry County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...
finished in second place in a time of 35 minutes and 18 seconds. Orla O'Mahony from
Raheny Raheny () is a northern suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, halfway from the city centre to Howth. It is centred on a historic settlement, first documented in 570 AD (Mervyn Archdall (Irish antiquary), Mervyn Archdall). The district ...
finished in third place in a time of 35 minutes and 41 seconds.


2007

The 2007 mini-marathon was the 25th running of the event and took place on 4 June. Debutant Marie Davenport from
County Clare County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...
won the race inside 33 minutes and 14 seconds, later declaring her interest in representing Ireland at the
2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...
in Beijing. Rosemary Ryan from
Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
finished in second place. The 2006 winner, Pauline Curley, finished in third place. A total of €14 million was raised for charity.


2008

The 2008 mini-marathon was the 26th running of the event, which was won by Annette Kealy. RTÉ television editor Mary Butler, from
Dún Laoghaire Dún Laoghaire ( , ) is a suburban coastal town in County Dublin in Ireland. It is the administrative centre of the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. The town was built up alongside a small existing settlement following 1816 legislation th ...
, took part via her wheelchair after sustaining a chipped ankle bone day earlier. She was pushed along by newsreader Eileen Dunne and news editor Pat Brennan. A total of €14 million was raised for charity.


2009

The 2009 mini-marathon was the 27th running of the event and took place on 1 June. It was part of a weekend of events taking place in the country which included the Cork City Marathon and the
Volvo Ocean Race The Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three or four years since 1973. Originally named the Whitbread Round the World Race after its initiating sponsor, British brewing company Whitbread, in 2001 it became the Volvo Ocean Rac ...
in
Galway Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...
. 40,374 females took part in the event, the sixth consecutive year that the 40,000 barrier was broken. A record-breaking 280 charities registered to take part. Spectators included ''
Desperate Housewives ''Desperate Housewives'' is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Marc Cherry, and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. It aired for eight seasons on ABC from October 3, 2004, until May 13, 2012, for a tota ...
'' actress
Dana Delany Dana Delany (born March 13, 1956) is an American actress. After appearing in small roles early in her career, Delany received her breakthrough role as Colleen McMurphy on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television drama ''China Beach'' (1 ...
, whilst participants included RTÉ personalities
Síle Síle is a feminine Irish language given name, from which the anglicised form Sheila is derived. Bearers of the name * Síle Ní Mathgamna, died 1473. * Síle Ní Siurtáin, died 1485. * Síle Níc Ceallaigh, died 1486. * Síle Níc Carthaigh, di ...
and Gráinne Seoige, model Glenda Gilson and former '' Xposé'' presenter Lorraine Keane. 85-year-old Maureen Armstrong from
Thurles Thurles (; ''Durlas Éile'') is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located in the civil parish of the same name in the barony of Eliogarty and in the ecclesiastical parish of Thurles. The cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Arch ...
,
County Tipperary County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...
, was the race's oldest competitor. Rosemary Ryan from
Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
was the winner in a time of 34 minutes and 36 seconds, completing the race over one minute quicker than the 2008 winner. Pauline Curley from
County Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is named after the Ancient Ireland, ancient Kingdom of Uí ...
finished in second place, one minute behind Ryan. Annette Kealy from
Raheny Raheny () is a northern suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, halfway from the city centre to Howth. It is centred on a historic settlement, first documented in 570 AD (Mervyn Archdall (Irish antiquary), Mervyn Archdall). The district ...
finished in third place. Siobhan O'Doherty from
County Tipperary County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...
finished in fourth place. A total of €15 million was expected to be raised for charity.


2010


2011


2012


2013


2014


2015


2016


2017


2018


2019


Television coverage

Setanta Sports Setanta Sports Media is a sports television company based in Dublin, Ireland and in Tbilisi, Georgia, broadcasting throughout select Eurasian countries, and the Philippines. The company was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Iris ...
broadcast race highlights each year from 2005 to 2015 and each year the event is featured by all national media broadcasters.


See also

*
Great Ireland Run The Great Ireland Run is an annual 10-kilometre road running competition which is held in Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland in mid-April. It is part of the Great Run series of athletics competitions. It is sponsored by SPAR and features both an el ...


References


External links


Official site


{{History of Dublin 10K runs Athletics competitions in Ireland Athletics in Dublin (city) Annual sporting events in Ireland 1983 establishments in Ireland Recurring sporting events established in 1983 Women's athletics competitions Summer in the Republic of Ireland Women's sport in Ireland Women in Dublin