BY JOHN WALSHE

THE honours on the day went to the Leevale duo of Mark Walsh and Michelle Finn, but the final event in the Beara Autumn 5-Mile Series at Eyeries saw Michael Dullea (Skibbereen) and Julie O’Brien (Durrus) come out overall on top.

Although the rain held off, the hilly nature of the course ruled out fast times but for first-time runner in the race, Mark Walsh, it was a welcome victory: ‘I can’t remember the last time I won, it was probably back in the summer, so I’m delighted. I didn’t expect so many hills, they didn’t seem to stop.’

Walsh recorded a time of 25:59 which gave him 39 seconds to spare over last year’s winner, John Lenehan. The City of Derry Spartans man, who has friends in Castletownbere, in turn was 26 seconds clear of 2022 winner Donal Coakley, now with the newly-formed Glanmire club.

For 2016 Olympian Finn, it was her first race in over a year.

Michael Dullea, overall winner of the Beara Autumn Race Series, receiving his prize from Clara McGhee of Beara AC. (Photo: John Walshe)

‘I enjoyed it, I kind of opted for a low-key hilly race so that the time was irrelevant and I could get back on the start line with no pressure.’

Finishing eight overall, her time of 28:23 was a new course record, improving on Aoife Cooke’s 28:42 from three years ago. Carol Finn, sister of the winner, took second in 31:03.

Julie O’Brien’s third spot in 31:54 clinched the overall title for the Durrus athlete, having won the three previous three races at Glengarriff, Allihies and Bere Island.

For Michael Dullea, it was his second overall Series victory in a row but on this occasion his cumulative time for the four races was much better.

‘This year I was a lot faster, I’m probably a minute-and-half to two minutes faster overall,’ he explained.

‘I put it down to hard training, to be honest. I only started back running in July of 2024 so last year I was only getting into fitness but I’ve had a really, really good year of training since.’

Susan and Dara Power pictured at the Eyeries race. (Photo: John Walshe)

Michael, along with his wife Sinead, farms a herd of award-winning Pedigree Angus and Hereford cattle on their land at Deelish, near Drimoleague.

With such a busy lifestyle, he explains that running is a welcome break from work: ‘It’s going to fit in somewhere in the day, whether it's with a head torch at night-time, I will do it. It’s good to get out for an hour or so, it’s when you get back after training that you then feel great about it.’

With a huge prize list, including category and team awards, the race was another outstanding success for organiser Mark Gallagher and his Beara AC team. This was the 11th running of the Eyeries event which has been supported by main sponsor, Murphy’s SuperValu Castletownbere, since its inception.

Each year, some new initiative is added and this time saw the introduction of a one mile juvenile race for boys and girls. This created an extra layer of enjoyment and added another dimension to what is already a unique series of athletic events from September to November on the Beara peninsula.