RIP Laura Buckley Noonan
Search
06 Sept 2025
Search
06 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Caherdavin man Martin Doody was the first Limerick man to finish the race PICTURE: DAVE GAYNOR
AN ESTIMATED 13,000 people are pounding through Limerick’s streets this Sunday lunchtime as the ninth annual Great Limerick Run got under way.
The main marathon kicked off at 9am, with the first finishers arriving back around 11.30am.
There was joy for Kildare man Peter Mooney, who won the marathon with a time of 2.29.23. He was followed by Cork’s Eoin Sugrue who was a further three minutes behind.
The first Limerick man to cross the white line was Martin Doody, from Caherdavin, with a finish time of 2.33.
Speaking to reporters, he expressed disappointment after leading the way for much of the course.
“I’m feeling good, but the last four or five miles were very difficult. My legs went. Fair play to the stewards, they helped me along and kept me on my feet. I finish third, so i’m quite happy with it,” he said.
The first female runner to finish was Shona Keane of Murroe, who secured a finish time of a fraction over three hours – despite this, she was delighted to shave five minutes off her previous best.
Meanwhile, the winner of the half-marathon was Kenyan Peter Somba, with Cork’s Claire McCarthy the first woman to finish.
The six-mile ‘fun run' – easily the most popular event of the day in terms of participants – is just about to kick off.
Thousands await their fate under glorious sunshine at start of 6 mile in the historic Pery Square area of #limerick @BonSecours pic.twitter.com/cMQblBWu5J
— BSHGLimerickRun (@BSHGLimerickRun) May 6, 2018
Around 35,000 spectators are lining the routes across Limerick to cheer on the runners who are taking part in the largest mass participation sport to be held outside Dublin.
Speaking ahead of the event, Cllr Joe Leddin, a member of the Great Limerick Run committee said: “I expected the numbers to be down, because of the weather, but fortunately the numbers have stayed pretty much in line with last year.”
To the city alone, the run is estimated to be worth in the region of €4m, while €1m is anticipated to be raised for good causes.
For more information on what's on, visit: www.limerick.ie/riverfest, and for more pictures, and reaction to the weekend’s events, see Wednesday’ Leader.
Follow the Limerick Leader on Twitter or like us on Facebook
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
