Drinnahilly Brings the Curtain Down on Another Memorable Hill & Dale Series

By The Not so Civil Servants

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and after ten weeks of climbing, descending, slipping, scrambling and occasionally running, the 2026 Hill & Dale Series came to a fitting conclusion at Drinnahilly.

Although Drinnahilly lacks the lofty summits of Binnian or Meelmore, it remains one of the quickest and most fiercely contested races of the series. The relentless climbs through Donard Forest and the flowing descents demanded one final effort from legs already weary after a spring spent battling the Mournes.

The 2026 Hill & Dale Series has had everything: cancelled races, race directors going AWOL, rainbows, rain, wildfires, pop-up legal clinics, invaluable first aid, WhatsApp debates and hundreds of people voluntarily running uphill (and downhill) for fun.

Race one, in the shadow of Castlewellan Castle and adjacent to what is now the Green Lake, lured everyone into a false sense of security with runnable trails before the organisers remembered, “Oh yes… this is the Mournes.” Then came the mountains. Every week brought another reminder that “it’s only a short climb” is perhaps the biggest lie ever told in local running. Visibility ranged from crystal clear to “I think that’s a marshal… or possibly a ewe.” The weather remained wonderfully consistent in its inconsistency. One evening runners enjoyed sunshine and rainbows; five minutes later they were wondering whether they should start building an ark.

The Brannigan Brothers Deliver

Last week’s preview promised that hosts Damien and Ian Brannigan would leave no stone unturned in preparing the course. True to his word, Damien was indeed spotted throughout Donard Forest during the week lifting stones, peering underneath them and carefully replacing them exactly where he found them.

Whether this contributed to the smooth running of the event remains unconfirmed. What is beyond doubt, however, is that the brothers and their army of hand-picked and well-drilled volunteers delivered another outstanding finale.

Every marshal was exactly where they needed to be, registration ran like clockwork and with military-style planning that would have impressed the most seasoned logistics officer, what could possibly go wrong? Thankfully, absolutely nothing.

Quinn and Scott Finish First

With 322 runners gathered for one final blast around the fast and twisting forest trails, the racing was every bit as competitive as expected. Johnny Scott (Mourne Runners) once again demonstrated his class, storming to victory in an impressive 24:08.6; Andrew Tees (BARF) followed home in 24:29.5, while Newcastle & District AC’s Patrick McDaid continued his breakthrough season by taking third in 24:49.4.

The women’s race was equally decisive. Rachel Quinn claimed a convincing victory in 29:21.8, with Newcastle & District AC’s Holly Fisher finishing second in 30:53.5. Victoria Kelly (Saintfield Striders) completed the podium in 31:19.6.

Refreshments and Prizes

As the final finishers crossed the line, attention quickly shifted to O’Hare’s, where the real endurance event of the evening began.

Back at headquarters, McNeilly, Cunningham, McCrickard and McCann transformed prize distribution into a logistical masterclass. The coveted Hill & Dale rucksacks—earned by completing at least six races—were lined up with immaculate precision, ensuring every deserving runner received their reward – this year 281 runners achieved that feat, 8 short of the 289 record from 2025.

The pints of freshly poured Guinness flowed almost as freely as the Glen River after an autumn downpour, while race stories from the Series became progressively more heroic with every refill.

Before long, the trophy presentations were underway, with silverware changing hands almost as quickly as the food disappeared. The long beer tables became the social hub of the evening as runners drifted from one conversation to the next, congratulating category winners, reliving memorable races and already discussing plans for next season.

Karen Wilton again won the women’s series title with Rachel Quinn’s final night victory lifting her into second place just one point clear of Esther Dickson. The women’s category in age order, every 5 years from 35 were Sam McNeilly, Esther Dickson, Karen Wilton, Abby Andrews, Stephanie Pruzina, Pat Shields & Mary Mackin with Emily McMullan taking the junior title.

Tom Crudginton won the series title for the 4^th time (2022, 2024, 2025 & 2026) at the ripe old age of 21 with the perfect score of 6 points. In second was Johnny Scott with 11 points and third Andrew Tees with 23 just pipping Keith Johnston with 24. The men’s category in age order, every 5 years from 35 were Johnny Scott, at 40 Ian Stevenson and Roger Morgan both had 10 points, Andrew Tees, Alex Brennan, Niall O’Gorman, Francis Nugent, at 65 Michael Burton, Dominic McGreevy and Paul Le Blanc all had 11 points, Michael Morrow, Peter McGuckin and John Adgey with Caleb Lewis the winning junior man.

Massive congratulations to John Adgey, who stormed to the M80 title with a perfect six-score series despite taking a spectacular tumble on the final descent of Loughshannagh. A double fracture of his lower leg – the tibia and fibula – a few days in hospital and a spell in a wheelchair weren’t enough to stop John returning to collect his well-deserved prize.

Eagle-eyed readers might even spot him wheeling into the background of Johnny Scott’s victory photo. For those of a certain vintage, there were shades of Little Britain’s Andy Pipkin, complete with an imaginary soundtrack of “Yeah, I know…”, “Want that one!” and “Don’t like it!” Fortunately for John, unlike Andy, there was nothing make-believe about the broken leg—and by all accounts he is already looking ahead to the 2027 series.

Summit Duo Legends

Maybe the biggest cheer of the night went to the annual awarding of the ‘Runners’ Runner’ trophy. Since 1990, this award goes to the… well the most popular character on the Hill & Dale circuit each year. This year that coveted award went to the Summit Duo Legends – Mark Hanna & Ian McCracken… for decades now they are the couple who all the runners love to see as they reach the race high point – massive smiles all round.

The Prophet’s 2026 Season

While everyone else has been busy climbing mountains, The Prophet has been busy climbing the organisational hierarchy.

This year alone he has managed traffic, supervised parking, dispensed tactical advice, chaired imaginary committee meetings, inspected hydration strategies, conducted prizegiving, delivered unsolicited life coaching at crossroads and wandered around with a clipboard looking permanently important.

It remains unclear whether he is a Race Director, Assistant Race Director, Director of Strategic Vision or simply a man who has mastered the art of looking busy. One thing is certain: if you stand still for more than thirty seconds at a Hill & Dale race, he will appear beside you to explain the optimum line off the next summit… despite not having left the car park himself.

Thank You—and On to 2027

club who have given up countless hours over the past ten weeks. Without their commitment and enthusiasm, the Hill & Dale Series simply would not happen.

Congratulations to everyone who completed the series, whether chasing podium places, category prizes, personal bests or simply the satisfaction of finishing six—or even all ten—races. Physiotherapists across the region would also like to thank you for your continued financial support.

Another memorable Hill & Dale Series is complete. The trainers may be drying out, the bruises will eventually fade and the WhatsApp debates will no doubt continue throughout the summer and winter. The only people sadder than the runners are the sheep, who will now have to spend Thursday evenings without 300 brightly coloured humans charging through their front garden.

Photos

Photos by Paul Fegan

Prizegiving photos by Richard Cowan

Photos by Richard Cowan. If you would like to use Richard’s photos feel free to buy him a cuppa to say thanks

Race Results

Race results available on Webscorer:

Click here for results 

Series results:

Click here for results