he 2026 athletics season got up and running when we headed to the Carlow GAA Centre of Excellence in Fenagh in early February for the South Leinster Championships, with 1st Year Aidan Keyes securing his place in the Leinsters with a fine 6th-place finish. Joe Byrne, Conor O’Boyle, Adam Fogarty, Adam Barrett, Daniel Massey, Scott Murphy, and Conor Greene all wore the black and amber singlet for the first time. Our Junior team secured their place in the finals when Jack Brennan and Jayden Murphy went 1-2, backed up by an incredible run by Callum Gibbs in 8th, along with Cormac Holden, Franciszek Malicki, Rian Coleman, and Oisin Roche. Alexander Guther (4th), Ben Crampton (6th), Matthew Grogan (12th), and Ciaran Coogan (30th) ensured 2nd place for the Inter team and a trip to the Leinsters. Shane Matthews, Cole Christie, Oisin Byrne, Conor Roche, Tomas Carroll, and Rian Dunne all did their bit. In their final year representing the school, Cian Roche and James Barrett finished 26th and 39th in the Senior race.
he 2026 athletics season got up and running when we headed to the Carlow GAA Centre of Excellence in Fenagh in early February for the South Leinster Championships, with 1st Year Aidan Keyes securing his place in the Leinsters with a fine 6th-place finish. Joe Byrne, Conor O’Boyle, Adam Fogarty, Adam Barrett, Daniel Massey, Scott Murphy, and Conor Greene all wore the black and amber singlet for the first time. Our Junior team secured their place in the finals when Jack Brennan and Jayden Murphy went 1-2, backed up by an incredible run by Callum Gibbs in 8th, along with Cormac Holden, Franciszek Malicki, Rian Coleman, and Oisin Roche. Alexander Guther (4th), Ben Crampton (6th), Matthew Grogan (12th), and Ciaran Coogan (30th) ensured 2nd place for the Inter team and a trip to the Leinsters. Shane Matthews, Cole Christie, Oisin Byrne, Conor Roche, Tomas Carroll, and Rian Dunne all did their bit. In their final year representing the school, Cian Roche and James Barrett finished 26th and 39th in the Senior race.
Travelling to the All-Ireland Schools Cross-Country in City of Belfast Playing Fields, Mallusk, on Saturday, March 7, there was confidence that individual and team medals could be secured. Unfortunately, injury hit us at the wrong time. Aidan was bang in contention, but with 800m to go, he succumbed to injury and sadly his race ended. In the Junior race, Jack took 2nd, with literally feet separating the top three. Jayden ran a fine race in 13th (11:25), enough to secure an Irish vest in the SIAB International. However, chances of a team medal slipped away as an injury to Callum saw him drop down the field; when you consider we finished 5th overall, only 14 places behind bronze, it was a significant blow. Callum, Cormac, Rian, Oisin, Donncha, and Franciszek all played their part. In the Inters, again, injury punctured our chances. Putting himself in position to cover a move at the front, Ronan went over on his ankle as the race crossed a car path, and his day was done. To their credit, Ben, Alexander, Matthew, Cole, Ciaran, Shane, and Oisin did their best to lead us to 6th team overall.
Onwards now to the Track & Field season, where hopes are high for more silverware.