Parnell and Kilcoole Shine at Athletics Wicklow Masters Cross Country Championships

Shanganagh Park provided the setting for a competitive and well-attended Athletics Wicklow Masters Cross Country Championships on 4 January 2026, with strong performances across all age categories highlighting the depth of masters athletics in the county.

In the women’s 4,000m race, Caroline Harney Ayton of the Parnell O35 team claimed overall victory in an impressive time of 14:50, leading home a dominant Parnell contingent. Clubmate Catherine O’Connor finished second overall and first in the O45 category, with Emily Ryan securing third place to complete a Parnell clean sweep of the podium. Kilcoole AC also featured prominently, with Nicola Soraghan finishing fourth overall and claiming silver in the O40 category.

Parnell’s strength was further underlined in the team results, where they took first place in the O35 team competition, ahead of Kilcoole in second and Bray Runners in third. In the O50+ women’s team event, Parnell again came out on top, led by Aisling Kirwan, who won the O50 individual title, while Bray Runners secured second place through consistent performances across the age groups.

The men’s 6,000m race (O35–O60) saw Alan Duffy of Parnell take overall honours in 21:19, narrowly ahead of Paul McKenna of Bray Runners. Kilcoole AC dominated the supporting places, with Brendan Donohoe, Diarmuid Costello and Niall Fox all finishing inside the top five. Kilcoole’s depth paid dividends in the team competition, as they captured first place in the O35 team scoring, ahead of Parnell and Lakeshore Striders.

In the older age groups, Michael Byrne of Parnell produced a standout performance to win the men’s O65 4,000m race in 14:38, while Tom Gormley of Lakeshore Striders claimed the O70 title and William Belton of Parnell topped the O75 category.

Overall, the championships showcased a high standard of competition and strong club rivalry, with Parnell AC and Kilcoole AC emerging as the most successful clubs on the day, supported by notable contributions from Bray Runners, Lakeshore Striders and Inbhear Dee.

Hosts Bray Runners played a central role in the success of the championships, providing an excellent venue at Shanganagh Park, with a well-marked course and smooth organisation contributing to a highly praised event.

Full results from the Athletics Wicklow Masters Cross Country Championships are available at:https://athleticswicklow.com/masterscrosscountry#masters-xc-results