The 37th Jude Gallagher Memorial Round the Bridges Report

The cool, damp weather of Thursday night did nothing to deter over 600 runners gathering in Limavady for Springwell Running Club’s annual Jude Gallagher Memorial Round the Bridges Race.  Starting on the Killane Road the ten mile course follows the Aghanloo Road to cross the River Roe at Swann’s Bridge and return to Limavady along the Seacoast and Ballykelly Road’s to finish back on the Killane Road.

The Start of the 37th Jude Gallagher Memorial Round the Bridges Race

In 2002 this race had 42 runners, so the 641 that completed the course on Thursday was by far the largest turnout in over 20 years, and a testament to the hard work of successive race directors in recent years, promoting the event.

Andrew Annett (North Belfast Harriers) Winner of the 37th Jude Gallagher Memorial Round the Bridges.

In the men’s race six runners quickly established themselves at the head of the race with Andrew Annett (North Belfast Harriers), Allan Bogle (City of Derry AC), Gary Slevin (City of Derry AC), Steven McAlary (Springwell RC),  Adrian McGowan (Foyle Valley AC) and Aaron Meharg (Acorns AC) all setting a very fast pace.  By the 5 mile marker Andrew Annett had established a comfortable lead with Allan Bogle in second place closely followed by Gary Slevin.  Continuing his recent excellent form Andrew’s victory was never in doubt, running a personal best of 52.25 to take first place.  The remaining podium places were contested between the City of Derry AC club mates with Gary taking second place in 53.38 and Allan third in 54.22.  The quality of the field was such that Steven McAlary in fourth place broke the Springwell RC 10 mile record with a personal best time of 55.12 and Aaron Meharg set a new 10 mile record for Acorns AC with 55.43 finishing sixth.

Aaron Meharg (Acorns AC) and Steven McAlary (Springwell RC) on their way to new club records

In the ladies race Rio Olympian, Breege Connolly (unattached), who had previously won this race in 2006 and 2007, showed her class, dominating the race from start to finish winning in 58.52.  Ciara Toner (Springwell RC) continued her excellent form this year, not only running a personal best, but also setting a new club record for the ladies 10 mile with a time of 62.05.  Club mate Karen McLaughlin, with another great run took third in 67.27.

Karol Doherty pursued by Breege Connolly (unattached) and Paul Kelly (Lifford Strabane AC)

In the team events the Foyle Valley AC team of Adrian McGowan 55.14, Jonathan Canning 57.41, Conor McDevitt 59.41 and Dara McNulty 64.00, won the men’s event and the Springwell RC team of Ciara Toner 62.05, Karen McLaughlin 67.27, Ciara McSherry 68.01 and Catherine Shiels 77.20 won the ladies. The wheelchair event was won by Karol Doherty with a time of 63.46.

The awards presentation took place at Limavady Football Club with a large number of runners staying to avail of the extensive spread of refreshments provided by Springwell RC.  Springwell Running Club would like to thank the Causeway Coast and Glens Council, the PSNI, all our sponsors and everyone who assisted in the organisation of the event.

Full results are available here and the reason why there’s a Jude Gallagher memorial race is available at here.

Springwell Results

Springwell RC Results - 4th Steven McAlary 55:12 PB (New Club Record), 16th Colin Loughery 1:00:59 (1st M45), 19th Peter Cromie 1:01:27 (2nd M40), 22nd Bryan Edgar 1:02:01 (2nd M50), 24th Ciara Toner 1:02:05 PB (New Club Record)(2nd lady), 28th Andy Dowey 1:03:14 PB, 32nd Stephen Fillis 1:03:43 PB, 37th Philip Mullan 1:04:08, 41st Jason Scott 1:04:38 PB, 43rd James Stewart 1:04:51, 56th Jeff Young 1:06:42, 60th Hugh Boyle 1:07:07 (1st M65), 64th Karen McLaughlin 1:07:27 (3rd lady), 65th Dale Corbett 1:07:32, 66th Allister Jamison 1:07:35, 67th Dave Sexton 1:07:47 (3rd M55), 68th Maurice Walker 1:07:52, 69th Ciara McSherry 1:08:01, 89th Aaron Craig 1:09:23 PB (1st MJ), 93rd Ross Armstrong 1:09:34, 98th Ryan Kennedy 1:09:45 PB, 104th Terry Glenn 1:10:17 PB, 110th Stephen Rainey 1:10:44, 116th Simon McLean 1:11:06 PB, 118th David MacNichol 1:11:15 PB, 133rd Martin Smith 1:12:32 PB, 134th Patrick Gallagher 1:12:55 PB, 136th Fergus Thompson 1:12:59, 137th Will Colvin 1:12:59 PB, 149th Alan McIlfatrick 1:13:42 PB, 155th Steven Thompson 1:14:04 PB, 158th Paul Irwin 1:14:00 PB, 162nd Ryan Gray 1:14:13, 164th Shane Elder 1:14:38, 167th Peter Butcher 1:14:43 PB, 180th Jean Claude Bourgeois 1:15:28, 203rd Mervyn Thompson 1:17:14, 209th Paul Quinn 1:17:21 PB, 214th Catherine Shiels 1:17:20, 219th Kevin Tierney 1:17:41, 223rd Hugh Deighan 1:18:00 PB, 237th Stephen Smyth 1:18:21 PB, 238th David Boorman 1:18:28 PB, 240th Mandy Stewart 1:18:31, 253rd Kieran Cooke 1:19:01PB, 264th Alastair Kirk 1:19:31(3rd M60), 267th Alwyn Hunt 1:19:32 PB, 272nd Richard Crown 1:19:43, 273rd David Gault 1:19:46 PB, 274th Lynne Young 1:19:50, 277th Geoff Glass 1:19:54 PB, 280th Paul Humphreys 1:20:19, 282nd Stephen Cassidy 1:20:12 PB, 298th Pamela Howe 1:21:40, 301st Eddie Clyde 1:21:28, 312th Jim O'Hara 1:21:54, 332nd Noel McAllister 1:22:59, 336th Maxine McGregor 1:22:58 PB, 340th Elizabeth Deighan 1:23:26 (3rd F55), 346th Helena Dornan 1:23:44, 358th Louise McDonnell 1:24:06, 359th Jim Platt 1:24:07, 364th Josephine Quinn 1:24:24 PB, 367th Cathal McFeeley 1:24:35, 368th Mary Brogan 1:24:28, 371st James McMullan 1:24:36, 373rd Andrew Wilson 1:24:51, 388th Mark Neely 1:25:12, 392nd David McCool 1:25:41, 404th Janet Patrick 1:26:18 PB, 414th Steven Miles 1:27:02 PB, 431st Debbie Tutty 1:28:30, 442nd Kyle Millar 1:29:09, 448th Elaine Montgomery 1:29:30, 449th Nicola Stewart 1:29:33, 450th John Butcher 1:29:33, 452nd Margaret Edgar 1:29:32, 458th Deborah Archibald, 1:30:43, 466th Hazel MacNicol 1:31:55 PB, 472nd Liz Dowey 1:32:14, 486th Andrew Kincaid 1:33:27, 488th Kate McNicholl 1:33:58 PB, 490th Colin Connolly 1:34:06 PB, 500th Catherine Byers 1:34:39, 506th Martina Wade 1:35:14, 522nd Jenni Allen 1:35:50, 538th Michelle McVeigh 1:37:16, 548th Noelle Watterson 1:37:46, 553rd Holly Lane 1:38:31, 570th Judith McLaughlin 1:40:22, 584th Alison Duncan 1:42:13, 598th Karen Robinson 1:43:06 PB, 607th Lynn Graham 1:46:21, 624th Stephanie Lynch 1:48:46, 627th Bernie Drain 1:50:20, 636th Sandra Williamson 1.56.57 PB, 637th Kenneth Bacon 1:57:30, 639th Megan Timms 2:08:35.

Springwell RC President Jim Reid MBE with Andrew Annett (North Belfast Harriers) and Heather Gallagher.