Athletics Ireland's application for 2009 championships A team of officials from European Athletics were in Dublin recently to view the proposed venue in Santry Demense for the 2009 European Cross Country Championships. Athletics Ireland have put forward the Santry venue to host the event in two years time and face stiff competition from France and Poland, who are also shortlisted. At the proposed venue are Ivan Khodabakhsh, right, Event Manager, European Athletics, and Liam Hennessy, Chair of the High Performance Committee, Athletics Ireland. Santry Demense, Santry, Dublin. Picture credit: Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILEKarl Pilny, Treasurer, European Athletics, left, and Liam Hennessy, Chair of the High Performance Committee, Athletics Ireland. Santry Demense, Santry, Dublin. Picture credit: Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILECelia Mendes, Competition Manager, European Athletics, Ivan Khodabakhsh, Event Manager, European Athletics, Karl Pilny, Treasurer, European Athletics, and Michael Heery, President, Athletics Ireland. Santry Demense, Santry, Dublin. Picture credit: Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILEBrendan Hackett, CEO of Athletics Ireland, Liam Hennessy, Chair of the High Performance Committee, Athletics Ireland, Karl Pilny, Treasurer, European Athletics, and Michael Heery, President, Athletics Ireland. Santry Demense, Santry, Dublin. Picture credit: Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILELiam Hennessy, Chair of the High Performance Committee, Athletics Ireland, Celia Mendes, Competition Manager, European Athletics, Ivan Khodabakhsh, Event Manager, European Athletics, and Karl Pilny, Treasurer, European Athletics. Santry Demense, Santry, Dublin. Picture credit: Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILE Ivan Khodabakhsh, Event Manager, European Athletics, Celia Mendes, Competition Manager, European Athletics, Karl Pilny, Treasurer, European Athletics, Liam Hennessy, Chair of the High Performance Committee, Athletics Ireland, Senan Turnbull, Director, Fingal County Council. Santry Demense, Santry, Dublin. Picture credit: Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILE