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Furey Insurance Buncrana 5k 2024
Organiser: Furey Insurance Buncrana 5k 2024
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May 24 at 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
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Join us for the 18th Annual Furey Insurances Buncrana 5K Road Race on the 24th of May at 7:30 PM.
LAST EVER BUNCRANA 5K ANNOUNCED
It is with deep gratitude and humility that the organisers of the Furey Insurances Buncrana 5k (Eoghan Furey, Dara Furey and City of Derry
Spartans) announced that this year’s race with be the final one after a brilliant run of 21 years with 19 races missing 2 for covid.
As a send-off, the first 200 entrants will get a final race commemorative tee shirt with the slogan ’21 AND DONE’ Entries now live at the link.
RACE HISTORY
Buncrana 5k was originally part of the Bob Mullan Motors 5k series (brainchild of Malcolm McCausland) which then evolved into the Furey Insurances 5k series and subsequently became a national template for the many ‘series of races’ events that can be seen throughout the Island of Ireland today. Through the years, the series produced over 60 high quality, competitive 5k races. In the beginning, everything was done by hand with entries, times, results, prizes and corrections all done on the night. This was a great skill which is not seen so much today with the advent of electronic timing and the advancement of technology. At the time, there was a real need for racing opportunities and for races that were organised by runners for runners. The main races in the North West were organised by City of Derry Spartans, Letterkenny AC and Finn Valley with
the exception of Oliver McCullagh’s Super race ‘Greencastle 5 Miler’ and a group of races under the umbrella of the Brian McCormick Sports Donegal Grand Prix Series. Later on, new events were established from the newly founded and Niall McGee led Inishowen AC & the Foyle Valley events.
The Buncrana 5k catered for a particular market because it was the second fastest 5k course in Ireland behind Armagh 5k, and its organisers were from Donegal but members of a Derry club which allowed them to tap into and promote cross border and cross community racing. They did this with great enthusiasm. It became of a bit of an annual spectacle on the race calendar, with
spectators travelling to watch brilliant races with a local flavour.
COURSE RECORDS
The all-comers course record belongs to Kenyan runner Dan Tanui who ran 13mins 57 secs in 2016. The Irish runner course record for the men belongs to Ciaran Doherty of Letterkenny AC, running 14m 34s in 2013 and possibly
the most impressive record of all belongs to Athens Olympics, DSD and former Letterkenny AC runner Maria McCambridge at 16m 07s in 2010. The record number of finishers is 380
on a night when Sean Doherty (now Fr Sean Doherty) announced on Highland
Radio that he was coming down to run. This was an exciting event with many people in Buncrana
checking out the event with great interest in seeing how the “voice” of Highland Radio would
perform on the night!
ORGANISERS COMMENTS:
The Fureys brothers say they have thoroughly enjoyed the years of helping local, regional and international runners develop, with notable winners including those listed above plus Teresa Doherty (nee McGloin) of Finn Valley having won the most women’s races and Pauric McKinney, Inishowen AC, formerly Letterkenny AC & Ciaran Doherty of Letterkenny AC, having jointly won the most men’s races. Many athletes who broke either the 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 min barrier went on to achieve the same feat on the track having gained the confidence from achieving the time on the road. One notable athlete who ran his 5k pb on the course was Irish Rio Olympics marathoner Kevin Seaward. But of all these fast times
and competition, the thing that the organisers have enjoyed most was putting smiles on the faces of the people of Buncrana and the northwest and helping runners achieve their best, whatever level that was.
THANK YOU
With too many people to thank this list is limited to the main players only; Thank you to- An Garda Siochana for never missing a year and for keeping
everyone safe, City of Derry Spartans for the big team effort that it has always been, Mickey Bradley and Buncrana Leisure Centre for the use of the facility in the early years, Liam Rainey and Rosaleen Grant of Scoil Mhuire for the facility use in the latter years, St John’s Ambulance and The Red Cross. Individual thanks to Gerry Lynch & Charlie Large, a pair who have given most of the lives to event organisation. Brendan & Teresa McDaid, Eoghan and Dara Furey, Malcolm McCausland as original founder of the series and to all the local marshals who helped over the years. Not forgetting all the runners who have made the trip to Buncrana many, many times. Without you guys, the race would never have happened.
LAST CHANCE
If you’ve never run the race you have one last chance on the 29th of May at 7 30pm. Entries online at the link ABOVE and refreshments in Scoil Mhuire after the race. That’s it for now folks, see you all on the night, where we will say ’21 and done’ and leave it at that.
Dara and Eoghan Furey and City of Derry Spartans
