THE DONEGAL ATHLETICS BOARD has confirmed the dates for the upcoming Grand Prix of Road Races season.
As has become the norm in recent years, the season will kick-off with the North West 10k, which takes place on Sunday May 1 in Letterkenny.
In the first week of the season alone, there will be the St Eunan’s College 5k on Wednesday, May 4, in Letterkenny, the Newtowncunningham 5k on Thursday May 5 and the Ballyshannon 10k on Friday May 6.
Those events lead into the Inishowen Half Marathon in Buncrana on Sunday May 8. In all there are 69 events on the busy calendar.
“The key things is that all these races have a night of their own and it’s important that these reaces have permits from the Donegal County Board,” Chairman Brendan O’Donnell told Donegal Sport Hub.
“One of the key things is the races have safety and professionalism. We’re having road races in every town and village so there’s choice there.”
Listen to Brendan O’Donnell’s interview with Alan Foley below …
https://soundcloud.com/donegalsporthub-club-notes/donegal-county-athletics-board-chairman-brendan-odonnell-on-upcoming-grand-prix-season
And here’s all the fixtures for 2016
| Day | Date | Distance | Event | Time | Venue | Contact | ||
| 1 | Sunday | 1-May | 10K | North West 10K | 14.00 | Letterkenny | Brendan | 0868113947 |
| 2 | Wednesday | 4-May | 5K | St Eunans College 5K | 19.15 | Letterkenny | 0749121143 | |
| 3 | Thursday | 5-May | 5K | Newtowncunningham 5K | 19.30 | Newtowncunningham | Brendan | 0866007847 |
| 4 | Friday | 6-May | 5K | Ballyshannon 5K | 19.30 | Ballyshannon | David | 0868011540 |
| 5 | Sunday | 8-May | 13.1 Mils | Inishowen Half Marathon | 14.00 | Buncrana | Niall | 0863426698 |
| 6 | Tuesday | 10-May | 5K | Kilmacrennan NS 5K | 19.30 | Kilmacrennan | Noreen | 0868988071 |
| 7 | Thursday | 12-May | 5K | Crana College | 19.30 | Buncrana | 0749361266 | |
| 8 | Friday | 13-May | 5K | Abbey Voc School 5K | 19.30 | Donegal Town | Eamon | 0872797548 |
| 9 | Sunday | 15-May | 13.1Ml/5k | Strabane Lifford Half Marathon Event | 10.30 | Lifford | Brendan | 0866007847 |
| 10 | Tuesday | 17-May | 5K | Hickey Clarke & Langan Inter Firms | 19.30 | Letterkenny | Brendan | 0868113947 |
| 11 | Thursday | 19-May | 5K | Transplant Games Fund – 5K | 19.30 | Ramelton | Kieran | 0872286786 |
| 12 | Friday | 20-May | 5K | Newtowncunningham Church Fund 5K | 19.30 | Newtowncunningham | Diane | 0866037285 |
| 13 | Monday | 23-May | 5K | Errigal College 5K | 19.30 | Letterkenny | Charlie | 0749121047 |
| 14 | Tuesday | 24-May | 5K | Drumoghill F.C. 5K | 19.30 | Drumoghill | Kevin | 0868551559 |
| 15 | Wednesday | 25-May | 5K | Sean Furey Insurances Buncrana 5K | 19.30 | Buncrana | Eoghan | 0879474883 |
| 16 | Thursday | 26-May | 5K | Trentagh NS 5K | 19.30 | Trentagh | 0749137494 | |
| 17 | Friday | 27-May | 5K | Donegal Town 5K | 19.30 | Donegal Town | David | 0868011540 |
| 18 | Tuesday | 31-May | 5K | Letterkenny Gaels GAA | 19.30 | Letterkenny | Sean | 0851742175 |
| 19 | Thursday | 2-Jun | 5K | Cappry Rovers F.C. 5K | 19.30 | Ballybofey | Cora | 0872653833 |
| 20 | Friday | 3-Jun | 5K | Carndonagh 5K | 19.30 | Carndonagh | Niall | 0863426698 |
| 21 | Tuesday | 7-Jun | 5K | Scoil Mhuire Ramelton | 19.30 | Ramelton | Frances | 0866000466 |
| 22 | Wednesday | 8-Jun | 5K | Carrigans 5K | 19.30 | Carrigans | Brendan | 0866007847 |
| 23 | Thursday | 9-Jun | 5K | Ballyraine NS | 19.30 | Letterkenny | Ballyraine NS | 0749124758 |
| 24 | Friday | 10-Jun | 5k | Donoughmore NS 5k | 19.30 | Castlefinn | Dermot | 0872682856 |
| 25 | Saturday | 11-Jun | 10K | Buncrana 10K & Walk (Walk 6.00pm) | 18.30 | Buncrana | Eunan | 0871266317 |
| 26 | Sunday | 12-Jun | 5k | Scoil Eoin Baiste Carrigart | 15.00 | Carrigart | 0749155132 | |
| 27 | Tuesday | 14-Jun | 5K | Convoy A.C. 5K | 19.30 | Convoy | John | 0866634476 |
| 28 | Thursday | 16-Jun | 5K | Loughside 5K | 19.30 | Ramelton | Paddy | 0879825857 |
| 29 | Friday | 17-Jun | 5K | Meenreagh 5K | 19.30 | KIllygordon | Niall | 0872925385 |
| 30 | Saturday | 18-Jun | 5k | Donegal Air Port Runway 5k | 11.00 | Carrickfinn | Aidan | 0874627798 |
| 31 | Tuesday | 21-Jun | 5K | Glenswilly GAA 5K | 19.30 | Letterkenny | Lee | 0866059117 |
| 32 | Friday | 24-Jun | 5K | Finn Valley AC 5K | 19.30 | Aghyaran | Neil | 0866030616 |
| 33 | Sunday | 26-Jun | 5k | Ionad Naomh Pádraig 5k | 12.30 | Gweedore | Mary | 0868259752 |
| 34 | Tuesday | 28-Jun | 5K | Termon GAA 5K | 19.30 | Termon | Danny | 0879384702 |
| 35 | Friday | 1-Jul | 5K | JG Memorial 5K | 19.30 | Cranford | Kevin | 0860620332 |
| 36 | Tuesday | 5-Jul | 5K | Raphoe 5K | 19.30 | Raphoe | Tony | 0868765289 |
| 37 | Friday | 8-Jul | 5K | Rathmullan Festival 5K | 19.30 | Rathmullen | Margaret | 0874152435 |
| 38 | Wednesday | 13-Jul | 5K | Lifford 5K | 19.30 | Lifford | Brendan | 0866007847 |
| 39 | Friday | 15-Jul | 5K | Churchill Festival 5k | 19.30 | Churchill,Letterkenny | Charlie | 0863678483 |
| 40 | Saturday | 16-Jul | 5K | Arranmore Island 5K (provisional) | 13.00 | Arranmore Island | Seamus | 0868525011 |
| 41 | Tuesday | 19-Jul | 5K | Burtonport Festival 5K | 19.30 | Burtonport | Owen | 0879725243 |
| 42 | Thursday | 21-Jul | 5K | St Paul’s Church 5K | 19.30 | Ramelton | Helen | 0868421889 |
| 43 | Sunday | 24-Jul | 5K | Malin Town 5K & 1 Mile | 11.30 | Malin | Colin | 0871239734 |
| 44 | Tuesday | 26-Jul | 5K | Dungloe Festival 5k | 19.30 | Dungloe | Owen | 0879725243 |
| 45 | Friday | 29-Jul | 5K | Castlefinn 5K | 19.30 | Castlefinn | Dermot | 0872682856 |
| 46 | Saturday | 30-Jul | 5K | Cranford “Tommy McBride” 5K & (Juv.Races 5.30pm) | 18.30 | Cranford | Geraldine | 0876320703 |
| 47 | Sunday | 31-Jul | 15K | Danny McDaid 15K | 11.30 | Letterkenny | Brendan | 0868113947 |
| 48 | Monday | 1-Aug | 5K | Glenties 5K | 11.30 | Glenties | Eamon | 0872797548 |
| 49 | Wednesday | 3-Aug | 5K | Clonmany Festival 5k | 19.45 | Clonmany | Owen | 0863360636 |
| 50 | Thursday | 4-Aug | 5K | Creeslough Festival 5K | 19.30 | Creeslough | Danny | 0879291033 |
| 51 | Sunday | 7-Aug | 10K | Riverine 10K | 10.00 | Lifford | Brendan | 0866007847 |
| 52 | Monday | 8-Aug | 5K | Doochary Festival 5K | 19.30 | Doochary | Caroline | 0877920661 |
| 53 | Tuesday | 9-Aug | 5K | Convoy GAA 5K | 19.30 | Convoy | Laurence | 0876134968 |
| 54 | Friday | 12-Aug | 10K | Ballyare 10K | 19.30 | Letterkenny | Pat | 0868904850 |
| 55 | Saturday | 13-Aug | 10K | The Point 10K Dunkineely | 11.00 | Dunkineely | Pauric | 0879704648 |
| 56 | Tuesday | 16-Aug | 5K | Manorcunningham 5K | 19.30 | Manorcunningham | Gerard | 0861585185 |
| 57 | Friday | 19-Aug | 6K | Brockagh Festival 6K | 19.30 | Brockagh | Neil | 0866030616 |
| 58 | Sunday | 21-Aug | 26.2/13.1Mls | Donegal Marathon & Half Marathon | 09.20 | Letterkenny | Brendan | 0868113947 |
| 59 | Tuesday | 23-Aug | 5K | Donegal Creameries/Auriva Charity 5K | 19.30 | Killygordon | Deirdre | 0862103217 |
| 60 | Friday | 26-Aug | 5K | Milford AC John Kilmartin Memorial 5k | 19.30 | Milford | James | 0868212778 |
| 61 | Sunday | 28-Aug | 5K | Glendowan NS 5K | 11.30 | Glendowan | Melissa | 0868726638 |
| 62 | Tuesday | 30-Aug | 5k | H.S.E. Abbey Village, Kilmacrennan,Letterkenny | 19.30 | Kilmacrennan | Eddie | 0749139550 |
| 63 | Friday | 2-Sep | 5K | Sean McCumhaills 5K | 19.30 | Ballybofey | Shane | 0868108465 |
| 64 | Sunday | 4-Sep | 5K | Charles McGuinness 5K | 12.30 | Glenties | Brendan | 0863530537 |
| 65 | Sunday | 11-Sep | 5K | Donegal Grand Prix 5k Fun Run | 11.30 | TBC | Brendan | 0868113947 |
| 66 | Tuesday | 13-Sep | 5K | Loreto Convent 5K | 19.30 | Letterkenny | 0749121850 | |
| 67 | Saturday | 17-Sep | 10K | Milford School Fund 10K | 11.00 | Milford | Aidan | 0862251630 |
| 68 | Saturday | 24-Sep | 5 Mile | Farnham Bank 5 Miler | 12.00 | Newtowncunningham | Brendan | 0866007847 |
| 69 | Sunday | 25-Sep | 1 Mile | Inishowen AC “Main Street Mile Event” Buncrana | 18.00 | Buncrana Town Centre | Seamus | 0861055522 |
