Treacy. Lucy O’Donoghue had only taken up jogging the previous year when she completed the marathon in 4:11:44. Now, with 12 months training behind her, she improved by almost an hour to take the title in 3:13:33, with Maura Curtin from North Cork second in 3:17:04. The following year of 1984 Cork was rewarded the national championship, which also doubled as the selection race for that summer’s LA Olympics. With a late Easter, the weather was unseasonably warm. The course was unchanged from the previous year and it soon developed into a showdown between Cork holder Kiernan and three-time national champion, Dick Hooper. Kiernan just held on to win, his time of 2:14:30 nine seconds clear of the Raheny man. But then the drama began. Because the size of the advertising logo on Kiernan’s vest transgressed IAAF rules, he was disqualified as national champion. The ironic fact was that he was wearing adidas apparel, the overall sponsor. At the prize presentation, Hooper was declared the winner. But when presented
with the winning trophy and medal, he turned and handed it to Kiernan and in a brief emotional speech said: “As much as it breaks my heart, I didn’t win this race and I now hand over the trophies to the real winner.” Although somewhat overshadowed, the women’s race saw Deirdre Nagle of Dublin City Harriers win her first marathon in 2:48:26, over a minute clear of Christine Kennedy from Galway. Sheila Curtin, sister of Maura, made it to the top spot in 1985 with a winning time of 3:01:23 with Billy Gallagher from Roscommon the first of the men in 2:18:58. There was a noticeable change for the fifth and final Cork City Marathon in 1986 as it took place a month later than normal, on Sunday May 25th. With numbers now dropping to around 400, Gallagher made it two wins in a row when coming home first in 2:20:12. And there was great local delight when Marion Lyons of St Finbarr’s crossed the finish line looking remarkably fresh, the clock showing 3:01:05 and making her the third Cork woman in five years to take the coveted title.
Jerry Kiernan
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