To celebrate women in sport week the clubs women’s sports officer, Sarah Bateson, requested that club coaches of our club female athletes could all write a profile on an athlete in their group. The profile not necessarily on the star of the group, but someone who has shown great determination, resilience, team spirit or longevity. The plan is to feature these profiles all week on this web site. Today’s profile comes from the coaches to the Clonliffe middle and long distance senior women’s group.
Women in Sports week; the view from the senior women’s middle distance group
When asked if it is possible to pick one individual who exemplifies fortitude, strength, and doggedness from the group the answer is a resounding ‘no’. The reason: these attributes are displayed week in week out, session in session out and day in day out by every single athlete in our group!
The senior women’s middle distance group has grown, in every sense of that word, hugely in recent years, from a time when we had half a dozen athletes to a group now numbering 35, with 20/25 regularly attending sessions. The ethos of the group is one that provides support for every single athlete by every single person in the group, new members are welcomed in and are immediately made to feel part of the group, the goal of each athlete is quite simple ‘to be the best that I can be.’.
Athletes such as Alannah Cooley and Laura Tuite have been with Clonliffe Harriers since they were kids. They have grown as athletes and individuals, both, as indeed have others, enjoyed periods of years living overseas but had always kept in contact and upon their return home slotted right back into the Clonliffe family and became leaders of the women’s middle distance group. During the Covid years the group expanded dramatically with an influx from the north Dublin seaside areas with athletes such as Jenny Johnston, who did an outstanding job as the club’s women’s captain, Sarah Hawkshaw, Meghan O’Keeffe joining up. These have been joined by others from all corners of the country who have settled ‘in the big smoke’ including Donegal girls Niamh Kelly, Jess Gallagher, Galway’s Julie Larkin, Bronagh Greaney, Lauren McKiernan, from the Munster counties Meadbhb O’Sullivan, Clodagh Galvin. The result has been a thriving training environment of friendship, support, sweat and indeed on occasions tears.
This has yielded considerable success – not only have these athletes become ‘ the best that they can be (so far)’ but we have seen our cross country teams now medalling consistently at Dublin and national level – in recent years this group have medalled in Dublin novice, intermediate and senior cross-country and nationally become intermediate and novice champions.
Not only do this group give of their all in the field of competition but they are prepared to give back to their club – Jenny Johnston served as women’s captain, Sarah Bateson is a wonderful Women in Sports Officer, Aoife O’Reilly serves as the club’s assistant treasurer, Julie Larkin has served on the Morton Games organising committee as indeed do Aoife, Laura and Sarah. Many have also put on their boots and hi vis vests and come out to officiate as club volunteers at national cross country events.
These are simply put an incredibly inspiring group. Every one of them gives of their best at every single session and invariably with the most incredible attitude. No matter how tough the session and how taxing on the body every one of them thanks each other, congratulate each other on the session’s work and then thanks the coaches. They are simply incredible.
Myself and Brian McDonald as the coaches to this group constantly find ourselves uplifted and inspired. There is a wonderful sense of comradery, togetherness, pride in themselves and their club and indeed happiness about the group. Possibly that happiness, in today’s world, is the single most important thing.
We are proud and honoured to be part of their journey.
Coaches: Noel Guiden and Brian McDonald (28/2/26)