So far you have run 6 flat miles. The good news is that there’s another flat bit ahead for you to enjoy. From the six-mile marker, you are about to experience something unique. You are now about half a mile away from entering the Jack Lynch Tunnel, named in honour of an accomplished local sportsman and later Taoiseach. The Jack Lynch Tunnel is an immersed tube tunnel. It’s part of the South Ring Road (N40). The Tunnel takes the road under the River Lee and connects the South Ring Road with the M8 to Dublin, the N8 Road to the City Centre (which you’ve just run on) and the N25 to Waterford. It’s a unique experience running in an underwater tunnel. The north-bound bore is closed to traffic for the duration of the race, so enjoy it and don’t forget to holler OGGY OGGY OGGY, OI OI OI! After all that excitement, as you approach the 7-mile marker you begin to see light at the end of the tunnel (sorry couldn’t resist). Just 19 more miles to go! We now have a hill out of the tunnel and onto the N40. After 6.5 miles of dead flat, it’s time to give the legs a small bit of a warm-up in the tunnel. This hill isn’t too bad and flattens out relatively quickly after you exit the tunnel. If you are visiting Cork for the weekend and fancy some out-of-town shopping, you are in the right place. You now take the slip road up past Mahon Point Shopping Centre. You won’t have your wallet or purse with you but that’s ok, it’s not open yet anyway. Call back after the race when it’s open and reward your efforts with a cup of coffee and get yourself something nice to remember your achievements in Cork.
The Jack Lynch Tunnel
Shopping Heaven
26 Cork City Marathon 2026
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