Crutchley & Wilton Sparkle in the Glorious Mid-Summer Weather 

Reported by Bogboy on behalf of the race directors, Older Brother & Younger Brother Brannigans... 

All photos courtesy of Paul Fegan on Flickr 

Traditionally the Drinnahilly Race is an evening of celebration mixed with a tinge of sadness that it is the 10th of the 10-race series that started back in early April in Castlewellan when the evenings were just about bright enough for the final runner to get home before dark. 

The race is the shortest, designed to get everyone home in time for the post-race feast in O’Hare’s Lounges which arrived as requested on the dot of 8:45pm opening the mike for the evening’s and series’ results announcements and the presentation of trophies.  

The summer solstice is a brilliant time of the year with beautiful quality of light and a glow in the western sky towards midnight. This race has been quite special with a warm spell of weather in late March / early April – and then anther beautiful spell that ended the day after race 8 of the series – Millstone and finally another series of fine days to greet the final race of the series – all in time for the heavens to open as exam season ends and schools out – welcome warm, wet and windy.

Newcastle AC Members on the final night

This year’ 278 competitors surpassed last year’s 260, a reflection of numbers right across the series. Running is popular sport these days and the Hill & Dale Series has its roots in a small series of races as far back as the 80s but has never had higher numbers than this year: 

Overall numbers were up above 3,000 for the series for the first time, 11% up on 2024. Last year the least popular race in terms of numbers running was Lukes but this year it rose in popularity to 5th place overall – from bottom to mid-table – I’d take that for Leeds next year in their return to the Premier League J Least popular race this year was the ‘Meels’ which had to be shortened due to the torrential rain and some runners clearly decided they didn’t want to endure that. 

Beck then to Drinnahilly and the race director leadership is formidable. Older brother Brannigan takes the lead and is meticulous in his planning with a checklist that NASA would be proud of. Today as I write, 364 days before the 2026 Drinnahilly Race, preprations are already underway. Younger brother Brannigan does what he is told but this doesn’t make him any less effective. It truly is a dream team. One disappointing aspect though is that despite older brother Brannigan’s excellent 69th place and 5th in his age category in 2022 he has not again toed the start line. Noe that his apprentice, younger brother Brannigan has plenty of Race Director experience maybe 2026 will see a return to the startline for older brother Brannigan? 

In some pre-race news, the buzzard is back and earlier on race day, Stuart Cunningham was minding his own business moving gracefully through Donard Forrest when he felt pressure on the top of his head. The bleeding started but their was only one thing to do, keep the return path back to Donard Park as planned. As he apperared in the park his face was covered in blood, like returning from the Front. His injuries? Nothing more than 2 scratches on his scalp but as many of you will know, bleeeding from a scratch on the head can take some stopping. Doubtless Stuart will dine out all summer on this experience!

Who’s This…

Who is this I hear you ask? Well that is not an important question to answer. More important is what is that? Answer? It’s a pair of OMM Running Shorts – the latest thing in quality apparently but just as well it was this week and not last – not a lot of protection there – I’d have to see them down to my ankles to justify the £36 retail price… 

For the record the winners of the final race were Ashley Crutchley adding a 3rd victory in the series (after winning Slieve Martin and the Meel(s)) and Karen Wilton also adding a 3rd victory (after winning Millstone and Loughshannagh). 

Drinnahilly winner Ashley Crutchley in the home straight

A quick glance at the table below shows the series overall and age group winners and the same for 2024 has been added out of interest. One overall coment is that there is a lot of youth coming through on the men’s side but more limited on the women’s side. Karen Wilton was a worthy series winner and admits to racing Hill & Dales over a few decades now – brilliant to see her racing so well into her 50s and also interesting to note that Diane Wilson and Shileen O’Kane – both Hill & Dale Series winners and this year marks the former’s 10th anniversary victory at the Classic Ben Nevis – are also in their 50s. Congratulations to Karen, Esther, Diane and Shileen on their 1,2,3,4 in the women’s series. 

This year was Tom Crudgington’s 3 overall series victory having won in 2022 and last year and he’s still only 20. Thanks to all the volunteers without whom the Series could not function and also thanks to all who turned up to race over 11 weeks of spring escapism. 

With the Hill & Dale Series coming to a close Newcastle AC donated £2,000 to support the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team and help fund their new base and a further £200 to Richard Cowan to help replace photography equipment that was water damaged at the Meels Race last week.

The 1st 3 at Drinnahilly – Karen Wilton 397 Meadow McCauley 46 and Shileen O’Kane 118

Results and photos:

Drinnahilly Results here:

Click here for results 

Series Results here:

Click here for results
Photos by Paul Fegan

Video by Franky McGivern 

Photos by Richard Cowan – If you want to use any of Richard’s photographs for your web site/profile pictures/Instagram etc. this link will give you a chance to say thanks by buying Richard a cup of tea: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thekillinchyphotographer