e-mail me

Donadea 10k 2009
October 10th

Registration open
April 2009


The much touted Donadea 10K race took place last weekend on October 11th; one of the nicest days in running weather of late. At the helm of the 350 participants stood Ireland’s Olympic marathon runner Pauline Curley in an event that brought many people of diverse nationalities and abilities to run together in aid of St. Raphael’s special needs school in Celbridge.

    The Donadea Running Club’s Jo Cawley and the Lord Mayor of Kildare, Senan Griffin stood side by side at the starting line and cheerfully thanked - indeed cheered on -  all those who came together on the day to run in the club’s inaugural 10K event.

    Much has been said of both the professional organization that went into the plan-ning of the race and the beauty of the County Kildare surroundings which it seems, has left a lasting memory in the minds of those whose first visit to the area this was. The Donadea Running Club would like to thank all those who sponsored the event, those who put their time and effort into making the event such a huge success and those who came to run with them; and hope to see all those people again next year.
   
Comments have mostly been along the same lines – a general rallying call not to change a thing; great organization, great route, great atmosphere, great people! What can be better than all this you may ask? I’ll tell you what may be better than all this.. the winning team on the day was made up of our own Ollie Kearney, Brendan Dowd and Dave McChesney.

    The night of the 11th saw much revelry in the bar of St. Kevin’s; where a much deserved knees up was had. The committee were proud to present Jo with a Galway Crystal vase inscribed to show the club’s appreciation for putting us on the running map! (If we can just print out that map for the hordes who will descend on Donadea next year) and of course no vase is complete without the beautiful bouquet of flowers presented to adorn it.

Let’s not say anything about anyone’s dancing ability and sidestep awkward questions about sobriety and point instead in the direction of the 10k race and social pics

See you all again next year!

 
Testimonials

Some participants testimonials from Donadea Forest 10k 2008


 
Brilliant 10k last week

Hi all,

I just wanted to congratulate you all on a brilliant race last week.
Over the years I have participated in a lot of different races (though
my times don't show that!), but the Donadea 10k 2008 wins the award for
best race on so many levels. From the moment we registered we were kept
really well informed with regards to plans for the big day. And well
done to all those responsible for the directions, signage, course
plan and km markers on the day - it made everything so much easier and
meant that we could concentrate on our running! A word of thanks also
to all those working in the hall that morning; everyone was extremely
welcoming and their enthusiasm made for a great event. Fantastic
organisation by everyone involved made the race run like clockwork!
(and well done on the original medals too, lovely touch!)

Finally, my only regret is that I have to wait a year for the next
Donadea race but if it's anything like this year's, I'll be the first
to register!

Well done again to everyone involved and thanks for everything,

Gina


Excellent day out and very well organised day out. You even got the weather right!!
Anon


Hi There!

I would just like to say a big thank you to everybody
concerned in the organisation of the race in Donadea on Saturday. It was a
lovely idea to support a local school, and from that the choice of the
forest park was
wonderful! I haven’t been there since my orienteering years which was a
few years ago (about 20!!!) I really enjoyed the route, the marshals were
great, a special mention for the scouts who were FANTASTIC at the water station,
a good quality Tshirt, a wonderfully thought out medal, and of course the
refreshments after the race at the finish and in St Kevin’s. I was led to
believe that there was a lady who was doing a questionnaire but as she was
talking to somebody else at the time.. I didn’t interrupt! With more and
more people taking up running as a way of keeping fit, we need these races
where the whole community gets involved and then the community welcomes those
of us who are not part of the community.. Certainly I felt INCREDIBLY welcome…

Once again many thanks for organising a wonderful day…
and please extend my thanks to all involved

Evelyn Cathalin
Dundrum
Dublin14


Had a really great run last saturday, such a well organised run and a lovely wood. Looking forward to next year

Ann Lynch


Thanks for a great race, just what I needed before the Dublin Marathon.
It was a good testing course and all marshalls did an excellent job,
plus it was my first Sub 40minute 10K..

Cheers. Paul


Congratulations to all involved in organizing this event.It was so well
run(excuse the pun!).I can't wait to do it again.The medals were super.

Fiona


Hi there, just wanted to congratulate you on the fab 10K run last
Saturday.  The organisation that went into it was clinically
brilliant.  I had a great time really enjoyed it and the atmosphere was
just pure fun! I hope it was a fund raising success for you and I hope
you do it again next year.  Well done to Donadea Running Club and
everyone involved you all did a great job you should be all really
proud of yourselves.  Thanks a million. 

Máire Kearns (unfortunately my time did not match my enthusiasm!!)


Well organised event,interesting and varied course.I'll see ya next year!

Wayne
Rathangan


Really enjoyable and well run. one of my favourite places and very memorable. Thanks to all.

Jason Miley


I would like to praise all involved for a very professional organised
race.  You would know a lot of time went into it with the attention to
detail.  I really enjoyed it and would definitely come back next year.

Kind Regards
Brendan Dublin 12


Well Done to Joe & all the committee members it was a brilliant day
so well run and a fab atmosphere. the medals are so unique and so eco
friendly can't wait till next year. many big thanks to you all.
Anon


Folks,

Thanks for organising the run last Saturday.
Brilliantly done.

Not just the race and venue itself with marshals,
water, toilets, changing, signposts,
supporters, mud, parking ... well not the
mud. But also the effort you went to cover
most of the roads in that part of
Kildare with signs to the start.

Superb

Thanks very much and hope to see you next
year.

Jef


Thanks you all so much for a terrific race on Saturday.  You really did a superb job - from registration to prize giving.
All was so calm and friendly and the atmosphere throughout the run reflected this.
You thought of everything.

Can't wait for 2009!

Cheers
Eleanor Cunney
 

Hello Jo,
I just wanted to drop you a line to congratulate
you and your club on fantastic job you did yesterday.  It was one of
the most well run events I have taken part in. Thanks again and I am
looking forward to competing again next year.

Regards,

Pat McCann (Calverstown, Kilcullen)
 

A quick note to thank you for a wonderful race
today. It was so well organised and everyone was so friendly and helpful. There
was a lovely atmosphere and it was thoroughly enjoyable. We look forward to next
years race. Please pass on our thanks to all concerned.

Noel and Edel Mason


Hi,

Just wanted to say congratulations and well done
on the 10K. It was superbly organised in every way. I've done a good few and
this was really excellent. The atmosphere was brilliant and running in the
woods is great. From the direction signs, the chip timing, the cups of tea, it
was all good.

Don't change anything, well done and thank you,

Eóin McMahon


Just a quick note to say thank you very for an extremely well run event. My
friends and I all have a great race and really enjoyed it. Despite the
sometimes mucky conditions, there were a few personal bests recorded.
The course was very well laid out (except for one of the km markers
which was out by about 300 meters (think it was the 7k). Anyway,
congratulations on a very well organized race. We'll certainly be back
next year. I hope you raised plenty of cash for St. Raphaels.
Well done,
Gary Condon

Great day, great idea, thank you really enjoied it.I have walked in Donadea many times over the years and to be able to run it and receive such a lovely medal was wonderfull.

Jenny Millea


Great day, great venue, well organised and to cap it all achieved a PB - looking forward to next year, many thanks.

Diarmuid O'Mahony.


Hi there,

Congratulations on a fantastic event last Saturday for the Donadea 10KM.

We (myself and my brother) and my parents (spectators) enjoyed it enormously.
-- It had the friendliness of a local country race but the organisation expected of a much larger national-level race.
-- The chip-timing was a unique addition to the race. I think this is the only race we had ran outside of the Addidas Series and various marathons that have had chip timing.
-- The marshalling and course marking were excellent.
-- The quick upload of results to the website was another very efficient aspect of the race.
-- The club officials and race-helpers were easily identified though their club-gear or hi-viz and gave all the runners encouragement and praise in equal measure.
-- The portion of the website dedicated to just messages about the 10Km was also good as this is where many runners look for information these days.

The race has all the ingredients to grow from strength to strength - the combination of a dedicated hands-on club and a wonderful natural setting for the race - could see it become a "must-run" in future calendars.
 
Best wishes,

Peter Mooney.