About great ireland run

This year, take on the 10k distance and #BeYourGreatest!

The Great Ireland Run 2026 is brought to you under licence by the members of Dublin City Harriers, one of Irelands leading athletic clubs. Set in the iconic surroundings of Europe’s largest urban park, runners can take part in a truly inspiring celebration of running, as you make your way through the spectacular natural surroundings of a park filled with rich history and natural beauty.

The origins of the race date from 1953 when the Oman Cup, a race over the length of Chesterfield Avenue, from Castleknock Gate to Zoo Corner, a distance of 2 miles 234 yards was staged to honour an iconic member of Dublin City Harriers, John Oman. Eamonn Coghlan holds the record at 8 mins 51 secs.

In recent times the race has been run over 10k and a new course has been measured for 2026 which will be revealed in week commencing 1^st September 2025.

All finishers will receive a unique medallion and all entrants will have the opportunity to purchase a unique race Tshirt, which will be revealed in week commencing 1^st October 2025.

The medallion will be revealed in week commencing 1^st November 2025.

Registrations are now open for 2026. This was a sell-out event in 2025 therefore please enter early to avoid disappointment. Corporate team entries will open in week commencing 1^st October 2025.

register now!

REsults

2024 results 2025 results

eco awareness

DUBLIN CITY HARRIERS-GREAT IRELAND RUN 2025 SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMME

Dublin City Harriers will continue with its sustainability programme commenced during GIR 2023, in the organisation of the Great Ireland Run, 2025, scheduled for 13th April 2025.

With the overall aim of reducing the use of non-renewable materials to the very minimum necessary, and eliminating waste, the programme will continue through 2025 until complete.

For 2025 our direct actions will be:

Sourcing medallions made with renewable materials made of Wood. The medallion ribbons will be made from recycled materials.
Sourcing T-shirts from recycled materials.
Reducing the number of Tshirts imported by offering them on a purchase only basis. The race fee will be reduced accordingly.
All water supplied to athletes will be in decomposable tetra packs
Where possible plastic wrapping will be eliminated.
The timing system will be powered by battery rather than by fossil fuel powered generators.
The PA system will be powered by battery rather than by fossil fuel powered generators.
The use of paper will be reduced to the minimum possible.
Race numbers will be produced using recycled materials.
Additional waste and recycling bins will be available on site.
Use of public transport will be encouraged.
Access to race by bicycle to be encouraged. Cycle parking area to be made available.

the route

Set in the iconic surroundings of Europe's largest urban park, runners can take part in a truly inspiring celebration of running, as you make your way through the spectacular natural surroundings of a park filled with rich history and natural beauty.

participant info

route features

The new course for GIR 2026 will provide runners with an interesting journey through the beautiful Phoenix Park in Dublin.

The start line is on Chesterfield Avenue, 400m south of Mountjoy Cross where a left turn onto Ordnance Survey Road is taken. Runners will immediately pass the road to Farmleigh on their right. Farmleigh, in addition to holding a weekly farmers market, is used by the government to accommodate visiting diplomats.

Approaching the 1k mark the Ordnance Survey offices, originally built in 1728, can be seen on the right.

The course runs through the Glen crossroads towards the 2k point on Upper Glen Road. The shimmering lake within the Furry Glen is visible below to the right while the Papal Cross comes into view on the left.

Now running downhill, a left turn is taken onto St Mary’s Lane to bring runners towards the 3k point immediately in front of St Marys Hospital. Built originally in 1760 to treat military personnel, it was later opened for public medical care.

At the end of St Marys Lane a left turn is taken up a short hill followed by an immediate right to bring the course onto Acres Road which dissects the area known as the 15 acres and past the 4k point. The marked football fields are on the right containing facilities for hurling, soccer and Gaelic football. To the left is an open expanse where the large herd of red deer roam freely and graze.

At the end of acres road, the Papal Cross built in 1979 to commemorate the visit to Ireland of Pope John Paul 2nd, is located. It is estimated that 1.5 million people attended Mass there on 29th September 1979.

Returning to Chesterfield Avenue the entrance of the American ambassador’s residence is on the left. It was built in 1776 and was originally the residence for the chief secretary to Ireland. It became the American embassy in addition to the ambassador’s residence in 1927 and remained as the embassy until the early 1960s when it was relocated to offices in the city.

Turning left at the famous Phoenix Monument the gates to Aras an Uachtarain are to be seen on the right. Built in 1751 as the Viceroy’s residence, it became the Irish Presidents permanent home in 1938.

The Phoenix monument was returned to the centre of Chesterfield Avenue having been moved to the side in 1929 to facilitate motor car racing. In fact Grand Prix racing was held there until 1931 and some motor car racing was held in Phoenix Park until 2012.

The 5k point lies immediately on turning left back onto Chesterfield Avenue and the water station is situated at this point.

The course continues along Chesterfield Avenue back towards Mountjoy Cross and again turns left which marks the 6k point. Running back along Ordnance Survey Road the course turns right after the 7k point and follows the road turning left at Knockmaroon Gates and into Furry Glen to meet the 8k point which is positioned immediately before the lake.

Passing the lake on the left, the course runs slightly uphill and turns sharp left at the junction with Upper Glen Road, and runs in the opposite direction to the early stages of the race passing the 9k point before turning right at Furze Road and on to the finish.

After the finish medallions and refreshments will be distributed to all finishers. Some entertainment will be provided at this point.