North Belfast Harriers Race Report 13th-19th November 2023

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North Belfast Harriers Senior Men’s Team Lift Second in the tightest of races in the Irish National Cross Country in Kilkenny. Photo courtesy of Paddy McCambridge.

North Belfast Harriers Race Report 13th-19th November 2023 

As the blustery late autumnal weather chilled many who ventured outside, and the days grew shorter, members of North Belfast Harriers continued to show their love of running, by taking part in torchlit runs and cross country races, producing some superb performances, and also supporting their weekly ParkRuns. 

Photos courtesy of Bernadette Duffy.
Photo courtesy of Colm Smyth.

Run in the Dark 5k and 10k, Wednesday 15th November 

On Wednesday evening there was a good turnout of Harriers to participate in the 5k and 10k “Run in The Dark” Races, in the Stormont Estate, Belfast. The event was part of a global fundraising initiative for the charity “Collaborative Cures”, whose mission is to cure paralysis. With the runners bedecked in high visibility and reflective apparel, as well as lights of various forms, the race in Belfast was certainly a visual spectacle. Well done to all the runners, who took part and raised money for a good cause.  

Run in the Dark 5k 

Position Bib Name Gun Time Chip Time 
12 1319 Mathew Carleton 20:51 20:50 
931975Estelle Lowry27:3427:12
199108Colm Smyth30:5530:37
700 1608 Eleanor Morgan 45:04 42:46 
701 1607 Denise Rainey 45:05 42:46 
710 2185 Ita Weir 45:30 43:08 
730 853 Elizabeth French 47:48 45:26 
731 854 Kathlene Montgomery 47:48 45:26 
732 1692 Denis Loughran 47:48 45:27 

Run in the Dark 10k 

Position Bib Name Gun Time Chip Time 
8111391Martin McLarnon1:09:301:07:10
8121393Eadaoin Kelly1:09:321:07:14
829 1385 Brendan McConnell 1:09:54 1:07:27 
887 1384 Leanne McConnell 1:12:22 1:10:03 
888 1395 Evelyn Palmer 1:12:22 1:10:04 
904 1394 Philomena Donaldson 1:13:36 1:11:20 
910 1443 Bernadette Duffy 1:13:43 1:11:27 
911 1388 Nuala Mahon 1:13:43 1:11:22 
912 1437 Monica O’Kane 1:13:47 1:11:26 

North Belfast Harriers Second in National Senior Cross Country on Sunday, as Matthew Lavery Lifts Bronze!

Matthew Lavery on the podium again, with a Bronze in the Under 23 race. Photo courtesy of Athletics Ireland, (Twitter/ X).
Above photos courtesy of Paddy McCambridge.

North Belfast Harriers Claim Team Second in a Tight Race at the National Senior Cross Country Championships in Kilkenny, as Matthew Lavery Lifts Bronze in the Under 23 Race, Sunday 19th November. 

It was a successful day for North Belfast Harriers at the National Cross Country Championships, in Kilkenny. Matthew Lavery was on the podium again, to lift an individual Under 23 Bronze Medal, whilst the Senior Men’s Team lifted a team Silver. After being level on points with hosts, Kilkenny City Harriers, North Belfast were only narrowly pipped for Gold on a countback. However, the team performance secured qualification for next February’s European Champion Clubs Cup, Cross Country, in the Algarve. This was the best team performance in this competition in over 100 years. On a course that had been saturated with the recent heavy rain, it was not surprising that, as the day progressed, the ground cut up really badly. In places it was more reminiscent of a swamp. Well done to all who took part, on a very challenging course, and especially those who produced such superb performances.  

Senior and Under 23 Male Race 

Position Bib Name Time Category 
10 2016 Andrew Milligan 32:18  
11 2017 Finn McNally 32:21  
21 1999 Matthew Lavery 32:53 U23 
30 2001 Conal McCambridge 33:27  
53 2018 Conan McCaughey 34:39  
96 2003 Cathaoir Purvis 36:17  
105 1998 Philip Goss 36:32  
181 2002 Brendan McCambridge 41:55 U23 

Female Under 20 Race 

Position Bib Name Time Category 
9 1490 Róise Roberts 21:47  
69 1275 Holly Collins 24:45 U18 
97 1274 Emily McRitchie 25:56 U18 

Male Under 20 Race 

Position Bib Name Time Category 
67 1404 Hugo Reilly-Stewart 19:49 U18 
123 1424 Lorcan McCann 21:14 U18 

Comber Cup Cross Country, Sunday 19th November

Above photos courtesy of Ballydrain Harriers/ Photographyni/Facebook, Philomena Donaldson, Sabrina Nulty and J Gallagher.

 Comber Cup Cross Country

North Belfast Harriers were well represented at the Comber Cup Cross Country Race on Sunday, with both the men’s and women’s teams narrowly missing silverware, but nonetheless scoring well in the cross country league. On a day when the ground, saturated by the recent heavy rain, in places quickly turned to mud, the athletes found themselves being tested by both hills and quagmires. Well done to Brian Stewart, who was second in the Male V70 category, and Philomena Donaldson and Bernadette Duffy, who were third and fourth in the Female V65 category. 

Woman’s Race (5.25km) 

Place Number Name Category Time 
9 334 Martsje Hell V35 23:15 
15 239 Fionnuala O’Hare Sen 23:45 
25 387 Sarah-Jane McFadden V35 24:37 
31 413 Una McConnell V45 25:20 
51 258 Helen Weir V50 26:39 
56 214 Diane Taylor V40 26:46 
73 373 Roma Doherty V35 27:40 
77 229 Emma Taylor V40 28:06 
87 295 Kelli O’Neill V45 28:40 
90 376 Sabrina Nulty V45 28:52 
109 378 Sandy Carr V40 29:32 
138 155 Alina Biskupska V40 31:27 
155 312 Lorraine Hibburt V50 32:46 
178 165 Ann Craven V55 35:13 
195 370 Philomena Donaldson V65 36:51 
203 245 Gillian Roden V40 38:49 
211 171 Bernadette Duffy V65 39:47 
217 217 Eadaoin Kelly V35 42:01 
226 292 Kathleen Montgomery V60 52:59 
228 223 Elizabeth French V50 61:53 

Vet Men’s Race (5.25km) 

Place Number Name Category Time 
11 445 Joe Gallagher V65 25:40 
14 433 Brian Stewart V70 27:08 

Men’s Race (7.7km) 

Place Number Name Category Time 
5 648 John Black V35 28:32 
12 729 Peter Donnelly V35 29:40 
13 686 Mark Cornett Sen 30:13 
15 737 Phil Clarke Sen 30:18 
34 604 Eoin McCann Sen 31:40 
44 697 Matthew McCombe Sen 32:24 
66 634 Ian Keys Sen 33:32 
67 701 Michael Butler Sen 33:32 
88 698 Matthew McNutt Sen 34:38 
111 557 Christopher Murray V40 35:54 
131 720 Patrick McAuley V45 36:44 
155 653 John Murphy V50 38:33 
203 733 Peter McClelland V40 42:07 
207 672 Kevin Crossley V50 42:24 
212 732 Peter Dolan V35 42:38 
215524Andy TaylorV4043:02
249 518 Alun Rolph V45 53:36 
252 692 Martin McLarnon V45 57:34 
253 727 Paul McCusker V55 58:57 

ParkRuns, Saturday 18th  November 

Locally, the wind and rain held off on Saturday morning, to encourage many a visitor to their local park to enjoy the collective spectacle of the weekly 5k ParkRun. As usual, North Belfast Harriers were well represented amongst the masses of runners, who partake in the camaraderie, craic and convivial collective engagement, that are at the core of every Saturday ParkRun.  

Worth a special mention this week are Aaron Rush, who was a first finisher, Fionnuala O’Hare and Janice Plumb, who were first female finishers, and Thomas McLaughlin, who was a second finisher, each on their respective courses. Also, congratulations to Paul Williams, who set a new PB. 

Well done to all those who participated, the runners and especially the volunteers, without whom the events could not be staged. 

Waterworks ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
2 Thomas McLaughlin 73.94% 19:19 Second Finisher  
5 Fionnuala O’Hare 75.00% 19:44 First Female 
6 Sean McShane 71.20% 20:43  
9 Simon Reeve 68.85% 20;43  
13 John Gerard Murphy 70.74% 21:32  
17 Seamus Leheny 65.55% 21:58  
21 Matthew Carleton 58.06% 22:13  
22 Dermot Coy 63.17% 22:16  
37 Martin Rafferty 61.43% 23:15  
40 Greg McClure 73.11% 23:22  
43 Eimear O’Regan 68.14% 23:26  
48 Piaras McShane 53.79% 23:59  
49 Brendan McCambridge 54.00% 23:59  
66 Michele McLoughlin 62.84% 24:40  
68 Orán Steele 56.08% 24:49  
73 TonyReid 64.09% 25:01  
75 Ita McCambridge 77.34% 25:05  
76 Conal McCambridge 51.39% 25:06  
111 Philip McIlwrath 54.00% 27:06  
116 Maurice Palmer 60.39% 27:16  
122 Jim Clinton 59.48% 27:41  
125 Sabrina Nulty 57.00% 27:52  
126 David Curran 54.21% 27:53  
129 Gordon Glenn 53.61% 27:57  
132 Frances Stroud 54.91% 28:01  
135 Patrick Hamill 56.18% 28:04  
137 Jack Carberry 74.62% 28:10  
143 Thomas McKinstry 54.50% 28:41  
145 Lyle Carleton 56.19% 28:48  
158 Gerry Anderson 51.87% 29:53  
170 Liam Daniel 47.40% 31:07  
171 Stephanie Coy 50.40% 31:13  
175 Catherine Seawright 52.51% 31:33  
176 Sandy Carr 49.47% 31:34  
177 Stella Harrison 64.17% 31:35  
180 Lynn Murray 56.21% 31:47  
186 Gillian Roden 48.55% 32:10  
187 Joanne Curran 50.36% 32:10  
188 Ruth Murphy 54.12% 32:11  
209 Kerry McShane 45.94% 34:15  
213 Margaret Stephens 57.79% 34:33  
215 Matthew Purvis 38.90% 34:42  
226 Paul McCusker 43.78% 36:01  
227 Ann Craven 50.93% 36:02  
239 Denise Rainey 42.20% 39:44  
245 Kathlene Montgomery 48.31% 41:57  
246 Ita Weir 40.95% 41:58  
256 Elizabeth French 33.14% 50:36  
257 Denis Loughran 41.43% 50:44  
259 Rosy Ryan 30.14% 54:58  

Belfast Victoria ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
8 Isaac McCollum 72.68% 17:45  
34 Rory Kane 72.32% 20:14  
69 Paul Williams 61.98% 23:03 New PB 
76 Gavin McCaffrey 55.34% 23:24  
194 Paul Jenkins 46.83% 31:30  
198 Matthew McCombe 41.12% 31:44  

Queen’s ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
124 Vincent Bradley 29.87% 54:38  

Wallace Park Lisburn ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
46 Kevin McCann 61.63% 24:43 First Timer 
147 Eadaoin Kelly 45.66% 32:51  

Citypark Craigavon ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
4 Colin McDowell 88.91% 17:08  
10 Declan Liggett 71.74% 18:17  

Ormeau ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
47 Martin Rea 64.29% 22:24  
87 Ray Cameron 60.19% 24:07  

Larne ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
7 Janice Plumb 75.84% 23:15 First Female 
39 Greg Lavery 30.54% 48:18  

Valley ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
57 David Johnston 52.45% 29:18  
70 Angela Robinson 58.20% 30:18  
72 Colm Smyth 46.58% 30:27  
84 Claire Holmes 47.32% 33:15  
119 Liam Smyth 28.14% 56:59  

Orangefield ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
52 Fergus Jamison 34.96% 45:06  

Sixmilewater ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
10 James Topping 63.86% 20:12 First Timer 

Derrynoid Forest ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
21 Jason Reid 40.21% 33:12  

Finsbury ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
1 Aaron Rush 73.17% 17:46 First Timer and First Finisher 

Nonsuch ParkRun 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
38 Matt Shields 79.79% 21:51  

Westpark ParkRun, Munich 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
87 Glenn Beattie 42.60% 30:17  

Alexandra ParkRun, Moss Side 

Position Name Age Grade Time Remarks 
8 Conor O’Rawe 74.71% 17:16