ST PETER'S ATHLETIC CLUB
Dromiskin, County Louth, Ireland
DROMISKIN 5K ROAD RACE
Saturday, 14 September 2019
Results
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Reports - November 2007
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28 November 2007
Last Saturday three javelin throwers from Dromiskin-based St Peter's AC travelled to Tullamore to train as part of the Irish National Throws Squad. They were brother and sister Peter McDonald and Olivia McDonald, and Laura O’Neill. All three are reigning Leinster champions in their age group – Peter at Under 23 level, Olivia at Under 18 level, and Laura at Under 16 level. Olivia and Laura also won medals at national level in 2007, but unfortunately Peter's season was cut short by injury.
These national squad sessions are an excellent complement to the athletes' regular winter training sessions. This is especially so for an event like the javelin, which, due to the long distances that it can be thrown, is not part of the indoor athletics programme.
Tomorrow (Thursday) the Louth Secondary Schools' Cross Country Championships are being held at DkIT, starting at 12 noon.
Meanwhile the regular club training sessions continue in Dromiskin. On Tuesday evenings the younger athletes (8 to 12 years old) train from 6 to 7 p.m., while training for the older athletes starts at 7 p.m. Both these sessions are currently being held in St Joseph's GFC grounds. The older athletes also train on Thursday evenings in St Peter's National School in the village, again starting at 7 p.m.
Any prospective new members will be made most welcome at this friendly but progressive athletics club, which draws its membership from a wide area of County Louth.
21 November 2007
Last Saturday six young athletes from Dromiskin-based St Peter's AC travelled to Dublin's Santry Stadium to train as part of the Leinster squad. They were Hilary Kerr, Kevin McManus, Olivia McDonald, Laura O’Neill, and newcomers to the club, sisters Frances Rogers and Grace Rogers. This was the second Leinster squad session this autumn, as one had been held last month in Tullamore. The next one is scheduled for Santry on Saturday 1st December.
Meanwhile the regular club training sessions continue in Dromiskin. On Tuesday evenings the younger athletes (8 to 12 years old) train from 6 to 7 p.m., while training for the older athletes starts at 7 p.m. Both these sessions are currently being held in St Joseph's GFC grounds. The older athletes also train on Thursday evenings in St Peter's National School in the village, again starting at 7 p.m.
Any prospective new members will be made most welcome at this friendly but progressive athletics club, which draws its membership from a wide area of County Louth.
14 November 2007
Last Sunday Hilary Kerr and Ailbhe McGuinness of St Peter's AC in Dromiskin made the long journey to Abbeyleix for the Leinster Cross Country Championships. Hilary's main event is the long jump, in which she is the reigning Irish national champion at Under 17 level, but she has been running some cross country races this autumn as part of her training programme. At the County Laois venue both Hilary and Ailbhe put in very creditable performances to finish in the top 20 in their races. Hilary competed in the Under 17 Girls' 2000m race, while Ailbhe was in action in the Under 15 Girls' 1500m race.
The previous day the second of two sessions of the Winter Coaching Camp for County Louth high jumpers, long jumpers and throwers was held in the indoor facility at Cushinstown, County Meath. These sessions were organised by St Peter's AC coach and county Development Officer, Maria Duffy.
Next Sunday sees the staging of an open cross country meet in Dunleer. This is the Noel McGuill and Sandra Floyd Memorial, which is hosted by Dunleer AC.
As the Louth and Leinster Juvenile Cross Country Championship events for this year have now been completed, training for the younger St Peter's athletes (8 to 12 years old) will be just on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 7 p.m. There will be no training for this group on Thursday evenings during the coming weeks. However the older athletes will continue to train at 7 p.m. on both Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
7 November 2007
Last Sunday the Louth Senior Cross Country Championships were held at Beaulieu, near Termonfeckin. St Peter's AC from Dromiskin did not have any athletes in action, as the club's forte these days is in track and field competition. However the occasion brought to mind the great victory of the club's team in this event fifty years ago.
St Peter's AC had been formed in September 1955 and just two years later the young club had an excellent group of cross country runners. During the winter of 1957-58 an internal cross country league was held within the club, as the athletes prepared for the county championships at Mountpleasant, which were scheduled for Sunday 2nd February 1958. The home club, Mountpleasant AC, was aiming for an incredible tenth successive county team title, with a winning streak dating back to 1949.
Around eighty men faced the starter for the eight mile race that day. There was no women's race, as women's athletics in Ireland was practically non-existent back then. Ahead of the large field lay some heavy ground, as there had been plenty of rain in the days leading up to the championships. A large crowd of spectators was also present, as was customary in the days before regular TV broadcasts of leading international sports events.
About three quarters of an hour later, as the athletes began to approach the finish line, the watching crowd knew that the team race would be very close. The individual gold medal went to Seán Callan of Ferdia AC in Ardee, who raced home some 200 yards clear. But St Peter's Hughie O'Connor put down a marker to his club's north Louth rivals by beating Mountpleasant's Tom Litchfield to the line in the duel for the silver and bronze medals. Another St Peter's athlete, James McKeown, was just behind the individual medallists, as he finished in fourth place. Joe McCann in seventh and Paddy O'Connor in eighth also produced great performances to finish high up the field. St Peter's six man scoring team was completed by Paddy Healy and Felix McKeown. When the results were tabulated, the St Peter's AC team emerged victorious by a narrow margin, with 63 points to Mountpleasant's 66. Ferdia AC was some way back in third place.
Unfortunately, despite this great victory for a club which had only been existence for a short time, a decline in St Peter's fortunes followed soon afterwards. By the 1960s the club was defunct, but thankfully was re-established in 1986. The second incarnation of the club has now lasted much longer than the first. Although the great cross country success of 1958 has not yet been repeated, the club has celebrated many track and field successes in recent years. And, unlike the 1950s, athletics is now equally popular among both sexes. It is hoped that a celebratory function will be held in the coming months, which will bring together the heroes of fifty years ago and the current members of St Peter's to commemorate the golden jubilee of the club's famous victory.
Last Saturday several of the current generation of St Peter's AC athletes attended the first session of the Winter Coaching Camp for Co. Louth jumpers and throwers at Cushinstown, Co .Meath. They were joined by athletes from the Blackrock, Boyne and Dunleer clubs for an excellent workout under the direction of St Peter's AC coach and county Development Officer, Maria Duffy. The second session will be held at the same venue this Saturday (10th November) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.