Trip along the New Route
The Cork City Marathon Course is generally a flat course and is the flattest City Marathon in Ireland with the two worst hills on 19 and 21 miles.
They call it the Grand Départ in cycling - but in 2026, our marathon’s own Grand Départ will take pride of place on the Grand Parade. This year marks a return to the historic sporting heart of Cork, a centre that has hosted countless iconic sporting moments over the decades.
The Grand Parade (the clue really is in the name) gives us the space, atmosphere, and visibility to elevate the start and finish of the race. It becomes the new focal point of the event, a stage worthy of Cork’s running community and its supporters. For many, memories of Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche powering down the Grand Parade in the 1980s capture exactly the spirit we want to revive - fast, fearless, and unmistakably Cork. And with marathons of that same era finishing on the South Mall, this move brings us right back to the historic core of street sport in the city. 2026 isn’t just a new route. It’s a homecoming.
23 Cork City Marathon 2026
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