Sitting in the prizes presentation hall in the picturesque little of Carlingford after his Flagstaff win, Deon McNeilly casually mentioned that he was working in Dublin during the week.
"Midweek??"
"Yes"
"Does that include Wednesday nights?"
"Yes, for the next while"
"We've a race on every Wednesday..."
"You do?"
"Yes, there's one at Howth this week" I handed him a calendar.
"I'll give it a go" And give it a go he did.

The Newcastle runner, better known for his cross country exploits - he won the British trial a few years ago - than his formidable background in mountain running, set off with Gerry McGrath and Paul Nolan at the head of the 87 strong field. Gerry who has begun to shake off the effects of his early season injury led them until the group approached the Ben of Howth. Caught out by the narrowing track, Gerry slipped and fell on the short climb towards the aerial topped hill. Deon and Paul went ahead.

As they passed us for the second lap, Deon held the lead from the recovered Gerry with a comfortable looking Paul Nolan tucked in tightly behind them. The leaders made their way through the trees towards the right of way on the golf course. Spotting the green sward and the short hill after it, the Newcastle runner put in a determined surge. Tracked by the race record holder McGrath, McNeilly broke Nolan's effort to stay in the group. The Crusaders runner and Bray Head winner drifted inexorably backwards.

McNeilly kept up the pressure and gradually subdued Gerry's challenge on the second climb towards the Ben. After the summit, the Dundrum South Dublin runner put in a further effort, and came back up to him, closing the gap to 3 seconds in a hard charging finish. Both of them were under Gerry's old record of 28.41. Paul Nolan came in third a minute and a half behind the winner, but well ahead of Alan Cox in 4th place. Mark Doyle was first junior and Henny Brandsma first vet.

In the absence of Una May, Laura McGinley, and Joan Flanagan, a battle for the women's honours was expected between the Crusaders pair of Nina Philips and Eva Mulleady. However Eva decided Howth was to be the arena for her hour of glory (41 minutes actually!) and charged off to take the win ahead of Suzanne Kennedy with Nina third. Profiting by the absence of perennial winner Jane Watt, Marian Hughes was first vet. And where was Jane? Trying to set a record from Bray Head in Wicklow to Bray Head on Valentia island in Kerry. More on this madness anon.....

Howth Race 8 of 13 - 23/6/99 Dry

Pos	Num	Name	Club	Cat	Time
1	355	Deon McNeilly	Newcastle AC		28.30
2	272	Ger McGrath	DSD		28.33
3	298	Paul Nolan	Crusaders		29.59
4	261	Alan Cox	Crusaders		31.44
5	217	Mark Doyle	Eagle M.R.C.	MJ	32.50
6	101	Simon Walters	AIB		33.10
7	278	Paul Mahon			33.36
8	148	Henny Brandsma	Sportsworld	MV	33.44
9	357	Kevin Donoghue	TOCAC		33.51
10	218	Finbarr Desmond			33.58
11	157	Gerry Lalor			33.60
12	146	Brian Jones	DUO		34.15
13	228	Fergus Brien			34.29
14	190	Douglas Corrie	Fingal	MV	35.04
15	276	Cormac MacDonnchadha	Ajax/ESB		35.37
16	170	Gerry O'Doherty	AIB		35.52
17	151	Claude McManmon		MV	36.18
18	267	Andrew Quin	DUO		36.31
19	245	Paul Cullen			36.44
20	183	Caimin Moloney			36.53
21	134	Thomas Galvin	Glenasmole		37.54
22	115	Calvin Torrans		MSV	37.58
23	244	Dave Weston	Setanta		38.03
24	289	Mark Gomm	Portmarnock		38.11
25	136	Colin Burns	Ajax		38.14
26	223	Brian Lambe	TOCAC	MJ	38.19
27	119	Justin Keatinge	Ajax		38.26
28	204	Billy Alexander	AIB		38.38
29	364	Seamus Murphy	MV		38.43
30	186	Ercus Stewart	Glenasmole	MSV	38.46
31	233	Nigel Creighton			38.52
32	314	Alan Ayling	GEN		38.56
33	219	Gavan Doherty	GEN		39.05
34	220	Pat Fitzpatrick	AIB		40.18
35	291	Tony O'Neill	FAS		40.21
36	126	Alan Dolan	Crusaders	MJ	40.22
37	207	Gearóid Ó'Cathaláin	NTMA	MV	40.24
38	124	Richard Flynn	SET	MSV	40.29
39	229	John Fitzgerald		MV	40.32
40	362	Stephen Lynch			40.42
41	365	Gareth O'Gorman		MJ	40.60
42	149	Eva Mulleady	Crusaders	F	41.03
43	238	Alan Guinane	AIB		41.25
44	354	Suzanne Kennedy		F	41.40
45	156	Nina Philips	Crusaders	F	42.13
46	109	Dermot Bates	AIB		42.14
47	284	Roly Spiller	St. Columbas	MJ	42.51
48	203	Marian Hughes	DSD	FV	42.55
49	242	Sean R Murphy	Setanta		43.01
50	147	Eithne Mc Shane		F	43.25
51	145	Brendan O'Connor	Ajax		43.52
52	140	Conor Kenny	sportsworld	MV	43.59
53	230	David Quinn	Gen	MV	44.02
54	324	Jimmy O'Brien	Ajax	MSV	44.14
55	188	Danny Toye		MSV	44.17
56	363	Alan Daly			44.52
57	341	Myles Murphy		MSV	44.59
58	321	Melissa O'Halloran		F	45.30
59	311	Eddie O'Flynn	Eircell		45.48
60	318	Peter Gorman	AIB		45.51
61	196	Sean Lambe		MSV	45.56
62	297	Frank Murphy	Glenasmole	MV	46.13
63	180	Anne Davitt	Bank of Ire.	F	46.18
64	173	Brendan Doherty	GEN	MSV	46.22
65	360	Sean Lynch		MSV	46.25
66	361	Sarah Cutler		F	46.36
67	114	Paddy Lord		MSV	46.41
68	138	Aine Donovan	Crusaders	F	47.58
69	108	Fiona Callaghan	AIB	F	48.08
70	172	Alexis Fitzgerald			48.44
71	143	James Higgins	AIB		49.56
72	359	Sheila Kavanagh		F	50.01
73	312	Felicia Long	AIB	F	50.05
74	280	Caitlin Bent	Setanta	FSV	51.30
75	255	Willie O'Gorman	Portmarnock	MSV	55.22
76	177	Ger Power	3ROC	FV	55.24
77	299	Donough O'Keeffe	BVOC		55.55
78	356	Eric Carroll	Portmarnock	MSV	57.14
79	358	Mike Gomm	Portmarnock	MV60	61.03
80	288	Kevin Smith			64.30
		Short Course
1	277	Karen Guthrie	Firhouse A.C.	FJ	25.24
2	259	Katie Moore	St Columbas	F16	26.37
3	246	Siobhan McDonnell Byrne		F14	27.30
4	191	Jenny Corrie	Fingal	F14	29.38
5	343	Siobhan Murphy		F14	35.21

Entries: Vivian O'Gorman, Eoin Keith, Douglas Barry

Finish: Eoin Keith, Douglas Barry, David Byrne

Results: Justin Keatinge

Marking: Simon Walters

Marshal: Vivian O'Gorman

Web: Douglas Barry

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