Donegal Half Marathon organisers grateful to all who helped with Sunday’s event

The organisers of Sunday’s Donegal Half Marathon have expressed their thanks to the volunteers and organisations who assisted with the staging of the race.

The event, held in Letterkenny in association with Kernan’s, attracted an entry of almost 1,400, with over 1,100 crossing the finish line.

“Never in our wildest dreams did we anticipate such a big entry this year, so the organising committee are delighted with the level of interest in Sunday’s event. The reintroduction of the relay section helped boost the numbers and added to the atmosphere,” race director Brendan McDaid commented.

“The more people that take part, the more people are needed to ensure that the race runs as smoothly as possible. We are fortunate to have such great help from the local community, and it was all needed on Sunday to cater for the record numbers.

“We are extremely grateful to Kernan’s, who have been the main sponsors of the annual event since 2019. 

“We also get great support from Donegal County Council, Optum, Letterkenny Century Complex, Donegal Sports Partnership, Donegal Volunteer Centre, Fáilte Ireland, Letterkenny CDP, Watson Hire, the Garda Síochána, the Red Cross, the staff and management at Aura Leisure Centre, Letterkenny Athletic Club and St Eunan’s GAA Club,” he added.

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“We had teams getting ready for the event from Friday morning – from packing goody bags and taking entries, to setting up the finish area and making sure everything was in place along the course. We also had teams of volunteers out along the route to make sure that everyone got water and had a safe and enjoyable experience, and a team who looked after the catering end of things at Aura after the race.

“From the feedback we’ve been getting since Sunday, those who took part were happy with how things went. The dedication and energy of the volunteers is a big factor in the success of the Donegal Half Marathon. The organising committee will meet over the coming days for a debrief, take the learnings from Sunday’s event on board, and do our best to plan an even bigger and better Donegal Half Marathon in 2026,” the race director said.