Drumshanbo's Tony McGowan Road Race Festival back bigger and better than ever for 2023

Best get our training now because Sunday February 12, sees the 2023 Tony McGowan run take place in Drumshanbo with the three-race programme offering a wide variety of events for those taking part.

Tony McGowan (1940-2007) founded Drumshanbo AC in 1980 and managed the club and schools teams competing at multiple All-Ireland Cross-Country Finals. He was a person who would look at a far horizon while others looked at the ground. His ideas became goals for his club, parish and county.

It was his inspiration and enthusiasm that shaped fundraising projects like the successful O’Sullivan Beare walk (265 miles) from Glengarriff, Co Cork to Drumshanbo in 1983.

Running on Ireland's first and only floating boardwalk and along our beautiful Blueway it is an overall flat course, ideal for getting a personal best! Start the running season off with a 5km, 10km or Half Marathon in what has already been described as one of the “Best Road Running Races in Ireland” by www.Outsider.ie 

5km, 10km races and the Half Marathon see all runners chipped and timed, with pacers running the 10km and Half Marathon. All participants of the 5km will receive one of our newly designed medals with the 10km participants receiving our medal and 2023 race vest.

The Half Marathon participants also receive our newly designed buff along with their medal and vest.

First Male and Female home in the half marathon will receive €100 cash prize, with a further €100 up for grabs if the race records are broken for the half marathon and 10k race. Currently the record times for the half marathon race stands at 1:13:40, for the Men and 1:22:45 for the Ladies. The current record for the 10K is 32.33 for the Men and 36.54 for the Ladies. The fastest times that beat the course records will claim a cash prize of €100!

1st Male and 1st Female home from our Half Marathon will also pick up a fabulous voucher valued at €180, sponsored by RunPod, Sligo with a further two €180 vouchers from RunPod to be drawn from all entries on the day.

Like everyone up and down the country our community has been deeply saddened by the tragic events that happened in Creeslough, Co Donegal last year. With this in mind the first of our chosen charities from the 2023 event is The Creeslough Community Support fund through the Irish Red Cross. The second charity The Tony McGowan Run will be donating to is The Gavin Glynn Foundation who are supporting local girl Rachael McGovern and her family.

Limited places are available this year for races and are selling out very quickly, so to avoid disappointment online registration prior to race day for all races is a must.

The link for registration is https://www.njuko.net/tmg2023/select_competition  

This event wouldn’t be possible without the great generosity and support of our main sponsors:

- Peter Doyle Dental Centre Carrick-on-Shannon

- VistaMed Carrick-on-Shannon

- Run Pod, Sligo

- Bank Of Ireland

- Westlink Coaches Ltd, Drumshanbo

- Drumshanbo Credit Union

- Moran McNamara Accountants Carrick-on-Shannon

- Jinny’s Tearooms at Acres, Drumshanbo

- Sign Warehouse, Drumshanbo

- The Shed Distillery, Drumshanbo

- Setia Construction, Drumshanbo

- Adrian Gurn Running and Physical Therapy clinic, Leitrim Village

- RJS Pharmacy, Drumshanbo

- Kingston Technology, Blanchardstown

- Gibbon’s Centra, Drumshanbo

- Scollan’s Gala, Drumshanbo

- TrailBlazers, Carrick-on-Shannon

- Gerard Anthony, Carrick-on-Shannon

- Sports Injury Specialists Physio (Mohill)

Drumshanbo AC and the Tony McGowan Run committee would also like to thank all the local businesses and sponsors who continue to support this event year on year as their loyal and valuable support is crucial to the success of the event.

Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for more details.