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GloHealth All Ireland Schools Cross Country to mark centenary celebration

2 March 2016

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GloHealth All Ireland Schools Cross Country to mark centenary celebration

The GloHealth All Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships will be one to remember as they coincide with the 100th year of the Irish Schools’ Athletics Association at Sligo Race Course this Saturday March 5th.

The future stars of cross country will be cheered on by legends Sonia O'Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan.

Sarah Healy (Holy Child Killiney) and Amy Rose Farrell (Mount Anville), who were at today’s launch in Santry Demesne alongside Catherina McKiernan, will be looking to put on a show in the intermediate girls race in front of their heroines. Healy and Farrell, training partners in Blackrock AC, had a great race at the GloHealth Leinster Schools Cross Country Championships and it promises to be another classic encounter in Sligo.

O'Sullivan, double world cross country champion in 1998, won All Ireland Schools cross country titles in 85, 86 and 87 while McKiernan, four times world cross country silver medallist, famously won in her bare feet in Dungarvan in 1998.

"I won In 87, 86 and 85," said O'Sullivan. "My first real memory was winning Munster championships in 1983 as a minor. I was disappointed there was no all-Ireland for minors and had to wait until the following year when I finished 8th in Dungarvan.

"The following year I won but the most exciting thing was being picked for (the Irish) schools team to compete against England Wales & Scotland. I was the only person from Cobh VS competing but it was all a great adventure and I really looked forward to traveling to all Ireland's with other girls from Cork who also travelled as individuals but often made the Irish team so we got to know each other really well."

McKiernan was the number one ranked cross country runner in the world in the early to mid-nineties but it wasn't until she was a senior girl in school that McKiernan made her mark in Dungarvan in 1998. She caused a stir in Loreto Cavan sacrificing her love for camogie and deciding to race in the All Ireland's instead of playing in an Ulster Schools final.

"Nothing was ever the same again after I won that All Ireland title," said McKiernan. "I had sacrificed my love of camogie, and running became the main focus of my life.

"I haven't been to an All-Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships since that day in Dungarvan in 1988, but I look forward to celebrating the 100th year of the Irish Schools’ Association in Sligo to watch and encourage our up-and-coming athletes."

There promises to be a special day of racing which gets underway with the minor girls at 12pm right through to the senior boys at 2.40pm where their running journey is planting its roots to future journeys ahead.

There will be a full race preview tomorrow. Also at the launch were Mount Sackville and St Aidan's CBS who will be bidding for team glory in the junior girls and senior boys respectively.

GloHealth, Proud Sponsors of Irish Schools Athletics

Michael Hunt, President of the Irish Schools’ Athletic Association said “The support of GloHealth is very welcome and allows us to deliver a best in class schools’ athletics programme that will help us continue to develop great athletes, as well as increase the level of participation in the sport which will improve the health of all school children who take part.”.

GloHealth CEO, Jim Dowdall commented:

“GloHealth is delighted to continue our sponsorship of Irish Schools’ Athletics and we are honoured to be involved in their 100 year celebrations. We congratulate all of the young athletes who have qualified for the 2016 GloHealth All-Ireland Cross Country Championships in Sligo. We are acutely aware of the relationship between participation in sport and its impact on a child’s current and future health and our sponsorship is designed to encourage and support children maintain a healthy lifestyle as well as helping to nurture athletic talent at all levels.”

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