Mick Kearney: The 2025 Clonliffe Harriers Grand Prix Race Series concluded on Sunday 30th November in Morton Stadium after an impressive calendar of 17 demanding events, each testing speed, endurance, and consistency across a wide range of distances and conditions. From blisteringly sprint finishes on the track to gruelling races contested in heavy rain and winter winds, the series showcased the best of competitive running.
As the weeks unfolded, it became clear that success in this competition required far more than a single standout performance. Athletes needed to score steadily, race smartly, and show up ready to compete, even when fatigue set in. Several runners produced remarkable individual victories along the way.
Jerry O Sullivan the 2025 winner
With a combination of tactical intelligence and relentless consistency, our winner demonstrated real class throughout the Series. This year’s worthy winner was Jerry O’Sullivan. He delivered performance after performance with the same quality and determination, grinding out 583 points to claim the Noel Guiden Snr Memorial Trophy.
Podium winners
Putting in an equally impressive performance was Fergal O’Shea who achieved 570 points to claim second place. Philip Matthews also claimed a podium spot with consistent performances scoring 560 points. Paula Prunty captured the final race, the Horan Cup, and was fourth with 543 points. Completing the top five was Melisssa Curran with a respectable 535 points. The award for the most improved athlete was claimed by Fionnuala Smith. Having graduated from Clonliffe’s Fit4Life group Fionnuala was worthy of this accolade.
All six athletes were presented with their prizes at the Grand Prix Gala Presentation night on Saturday 6th December 2025 in the Clonliffe Clubhouse. Noel Guiden, Club Captain, sponsor of the Noel Guiden Snr Memorial Trophy was in attendance. He thanked the organising Committee and all the athletes for competing who competed in this year’s Series. Clonliffe has a great series of historical races and it’s important that these are continued, and the Grand Prix Series fulfills that function. As this was the 25th anniversary of the first Series Noel asked Jimmy Bennett, the winner of the inaugural Series twenty five years ago, to present the Noel Guiden Snr Memorial Trophy, to this year’s winner Jerry O’Sullivan.
A very enjoyable evening followed. It remains for the Grand Committee to thank all those who competed in 2005, our race sponsors, those who provided post race refreshments and those who officiated and helped in any way to make the 2025 Series such a success.