October 2024

 

The club organised a very successful National School Cross Country event at the start of October with large numbers in each race. Many children running a cross country race for the first time. 

The Even aged county championships were held in Caherciveen at the start of the month Cathal O Connor and the Vickers brothers all won hard earned medals.

Ryan Vickers was competing in the All-Ireland combined schools event in Athlone. Primarily known as a middle distance and cross country runner, he made light of these extra events making the 60 metre hurdles, long jump and Shot Putt look easy on top of his stronger events the 200. His last event the 800 was his strongest event where he made up a lot of ground on the leaders to take gold. A tremendous achievement for this talented athlete. Hs followed this up the following day with a 2nd placing in the county u 15 cross country championships. 

Another very talented athlete won gold at these events. Cathal O’Connor was winner of the u-13 event to add to a very successful year winning medals on the track and Community games.

Isaac Vickers won the U-17 event and Arthur Fitzgerald won silver in the masters category. Well done also to our other athletes who competed Edison and Ethan in the U-9. Hazel and Amelia U 11 and Ethan and Darren U 11 while finishing out of the medals can be very proud of there efforts.

August 2024

 

Kevin O'Shea on winning the discus at the community games this weekend. This completes a very successful season for him. He already won discus and javelin titles at the Irish schools in June and repeated this in the all ireland club championships in July. Other medal winners included Roisin Daly in the 100 metres and relay and Tadhg Mannix in the ball throw. 

Mike O’Connor was our only representative in the National Masters championships where he won the walk

Well done to all

July 2024

 

In July Farranfore Maine Valley athletes showcased impressive talent over recent weeks, competing across multiple events and achieving noteworthy results in national and regional championships. The season remained intense as several athletes took on three competitions last weekend, displaying their dedication and skill.

In Templemore, Conor McCarthy represented the club at the Munster B Championships in the 800 meters. Conor delivered a strong performance, finishing 3rd with a time of 2:11, narrowly missing his personal best. This achievement followed his victory in the 1500 meters two weeks earlier at the Kerry Community Game.

In, the Juvenile National Championships commenced in Tullamore, where Kevin O’Shea excelled in the U-16 discus. After years of placing 2nd and 3rd, Kevin claimed his first All-Ireland club championship title with a powerful first-round throw of 44.50 meters, maintaining the lead through to the final round. Ryan Vickers also defended his national title in the U-15 800 meters with a strong front-running performance, finishing in 2:06 to take gold. In the U-16 800 meters, Isaac Vickers, despite a season marked by injuries, managed a 4th place finish in a time of 2:02 in challenging wet conditions. Isaac also recently earned a bronze medal for Munster in the Tailteann Games 4x400 relay, rounding out a season of success.

Additional recent achievements included Cathal O’Connor, Roisin Daly, and Tadgh Mannix, all of whom earned medals at the Kerry Community Games. At the following Juvenile National Championship events, Ryan Vickers took 5th in the 100 meters, showing his versatility even outside his preferred distance. Niamh O’Shea delivered a solid discus performance, coming close to her personal best and placing 4th in a tough field.

Kevin O’Shea continued his winning streak, capturing gold in the javelin with a dominant throw, while Ryan Vickers achieved 2nd place in the 200 meters despite sustaining a muscle injury, which unfortunately forced him out of the final. Roisin Daly and Niamh O’Shea rounded off their competitions by representing Kerry in the All-Ireland leagues, where Kerry finished 4th overall. Both athletes contributed in multiple events, with Roisin’s relay team placing 2nd and Niamh finishing 5th in both the discus and javelin.

June 2024

 

The All-Ireland Schools Championships in Tullamore saw remarkable achievements from several young athletes, each balancing the challenges of rigorous schedules and tough competition. The event took place over Friday and Saturday, with Kevin O’Shea first up on Friday, competing in both the javelin and discus. Due to an unfortunate scheduling overlap, he had to juggle both events simultaneously, leaving little room for record-breaking efforts. Nonetheless, he secured two All-Ireland titles within just 15 minutes, winning the javelin by a commanding 10 meters and the discus by 7 meters—an impressive feat despite the challenges.

On Saturday morning, Ryan Vickers encountered a similar scheduling conflict with only 45 minutes between his 100 and 800-meter races. Despite the time crunch and a strong headwind during the 800 meters, he performed admirably, taking 2nd in the 100 and claiming victory in the 800. Later, he contributed to a bronze medal win with his relay team and led St. Brendan’s Killarney to win the overall Minor Boys team prize. Coach Arthur Fitzgerald, who guided the team, then left to join the Kerry team in Navan the next day, marking an eventful weekend for all.

Conor McCarthy faced stiff competition in the U-16 mile, holding his own in a challenging field despite competing above his age group. He maintained pace until the final lap, an experience that will undoubtedly aid him in future competitions.

The club athletes who competed at the Munster Championships in Castleisland over the weekend also showcased strong performances, gaining valuable experience in a record-breaking turnout of nearly 2,500 athletes. While medals proved elusive, Timothy Madden competed in both the High Jump and Shot Put, and Hazel Culloty and Cathal O’Connor demonstrated resilience in races with large fields. Lauren O’Sullivan and Aoife Daly placed well in the U-10 Long Jump, while Ethan and Jacob Madden each performed strongly in their respective events.

A week later, five athletes traveled to Waterford for the Munster Club Championships, returning with an impressive haul of three gold, two silver, and three bronze medals, along with several personal bests. Ryan Vickers dominated the U-15 category, winning both the 200 and 800 meters on Saturday, and securing 2nd in the 100 on Sunday. Kevin O’Shea set a new U-16 javelin record, surpassing a 2005 milestone, and took bronze in discus. Niamh O’Shea earned silver in the U-18 discus with a near-personal best throw, while Isaac Vickers and Conor McCarthy each set personal bests in their events.

May 2024

 

The recent athletics season proved to be a thrilling series of events, marked by impressive performances, personal bests, and record-breaking moments. The County Juvenile Athletics Championships took place in Castleisland on May 5th and 6th, showcasing a very high standard of competition. Medals were hard to come by, yet several athletes secured podium finishes. Notably, Elliot Lyne claimed 2nd in the Long Jump, while Fiadh White earned 3rd in the U-9 Javelin. Cathal O’Connor delivered a standout performance, winning the 600 meters by an impressive five-second margin. Lauren Fleming finished 3rd in the 60 meters, and Timothy Madden achieved 3rd in the Shot Put. Among other notable results, Ryan and Isaac Vickers both took 1st in the 800 meters, Conor McCarthy won the 1500 and finished 2nd in the 800, and Roisin Daly topped the 200 meters and finished 2nd in the 100. Niamh and Kevin O’Shea also shone, each winning their respective discus events. The club’s relay teams competed admirably, with strong performances across various age groups.

On May 12th, the Senior County Championships were also held in Castleisland. Natasha Myers emerged as a key competitor, winning the 200 meters and setting a new personal best to place 2nd in the Long Jump. She additionally secured 4th place in the 400 meters. Niamh O'Shea demonstrated versatility by winning the discus and taking 2nd in the Shot Put, while her father, Sean, placed 2nd in the Shot and 3rd in the discus.

The Munster Schools Championships in Templemore saw five club athletes representing their respective schools with impressive results. Ryan and Isaac Vickers, representing St. Brendan's Killarney, both won their 800-meter races, with Ryan adding a win in the 100 meters and leading the 4x100 relay to victory. Kevin O'Shea broke a 25-year-old record in the javelin by adding four meters to the previous mark and also claimed victory in the discus. Conor McCarthy, running for Tralee CBS, placed 3rd in the U-16 mile, while Niamh O'Shea, competing for Mercy Mounthawk, narrowly missed the podium in the discus.

At the National Community Games in Meath, the club saw two athletes representing Kerry. Cathal O’Connor won silver with his team in the U-14 Cross-Country Relay, adding to his gold in the county championships. Conor McCarthy achieved 4th in the U-16 marathon and led Kerry to team gold. He also earned his first individual gold, finishing the 7 km race in just over 25 minutes. Natasha Myers represented the club in the Munster Championships in Templemore, earning 2nd in the 200 meters, 3rd in the 400, and 4th in the Long Jump.

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