Kerryman Article 7/4/08

This weekend saw the first events held in Nenagh at the Woodie’s DIY
Juvenile Indoor Championships. Tralee Harriers came back to the Kingdom
with six of the eight medals won with Eoin O’Carroll (u14) winning three
of them. He came first in the long jump, second in the 60m and third in
the shot. Three of his club mates also took medals with Ciara Walsh taking
gold in the U16 high jump at 1.64, Louise O’Connor winning silver in the
U14 high jump and Michael Godley gaining a bronze in the hurdles. Eilish
Fitzpatrick had triumphant race in the U18 60m winning gold with a time of
7.81, a personal best for her. The final medal went to Hannah O’Sullivan
(Gneeveguilla) who took a bronze in the U14 shot. Well done to them all
and to those who competed but just missed out on medals Brian
O’Seanachain, Eimear Tagney, Orla McCarthy, Thomas Bradley, Quinn Newsome
McDonnell, Daniel Shanahan, Danny Pierse, Eoghan Courtney, Mary
Fitzgerald, Cian Foley, and Conal O’Callaghan

Donal O’Callaghan (An Riocht) , fast becoming a regular to this column,
showed fantastic form to take 1st place with a personal best time of 
32.09 from over 400 entries in the BHAA UCC 10km run on Sunday. Eoin
McKenna also An Riocht came in eight with a time of 33.59, and club mate
Tom Shanahan took first in the over 45s group. Gneeveguilla had two men
out on the course and both finished under 35.10 with Billie O’Brien (An
Ríocht)  completing the race in a respectable 37.38. Gneeveguilla also had
Anne Marie Costello out running in the Connemara Half Marathon on Sunday,
and she had a tremendous race to finish in second place with a superb time
of 88.10

The 3rd ITC Len Braham Easter Throws Championships was held at An Riocht
Track this weekend which saw many of the counties top weight throwers in
action. Cork native Len Braham passed away in 2006 after a career that saw
him win 5 national titles in Hammer, Discus and 56lb wf as well as
breaking the national 56lb wf record at Castleisland in the early 80s. His
close friend and weight throwing legend in his own right Eddie Mulcahy of
Farranfore Maine Valley is the President of the Irish Throwers Club and he
welcomed the athletes, amongst them Katie O'Shea and Daniel Clifford who
used the competition in their preparation for the Intervarsity's. Records
began to fall early with James Nagle (Farranfore Maine Valley) and Patsy
O'Connor (Tralee Harriers) breaking the MU23 and M50 bests in the Grenade,
an event based on the design of the Model 24 stick grenade used during the
second world war. Shouldering an injury in his arm, O'Connor propelled the
500g device 51.13m.
With the day dragging on and limbs getting sore the distances didn't drop.
Eddie Mulcahy, preparing to travel to England next weekend to represent
Ireland at the British Open Throws Championships, was on good form
throwing the 35lb weight 8.23m, less then 2 months after his 75th
birthday. Also suffering an injury, Alan O'Connor was close to his best
with 7.31m. Irish national 56lb ob record holder Gerry O'Connell was also
in attendance and threw 7.07 with the 35lb
The last event of the day, the 112lb Super Heavy Weight or "The O'Herily
Stein" was hit by a freak hail shower which turned the track white. The
112lbs (51kg) is thrown from the chest or overhead into a sandpit and
Dublin native Joe Nagle, a silver medallist in the shot at the Shanghai
Special Olympics, overcame the cold to throw 2.90m.
14 athletes braved the predictions of bad weather and came out to
commemorate one of Irelands greatest ever throwers at the first outdoor
championships of the year. The Irish Throwers Club was founded in 2003 to
promote the sport of non-slandered weight throwing and to commemorate
Ireland throwing tradition, which includes seven Olympic Gold Medals in
the Hammer. (see attached photo James Nagle Farranfore/Maine Valley)