Location...Ballyhooly is located on the N72 road just 9 kms west of Fermoy.
The main N72 road passes through Ballyhooly taking two sharp bends in the process. Parking is at the GAA grounds. The start and finish of the race are near the church. After race presentation of prizes is at the community hall.
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This is the opposite side of the corner as shown in the picture for the Community Hall. This is the view as if you were coming from Fermoy on the N72 road. The start and finish is near the church as shown above. To get to the GAA grounds, you take a right at the sharp corner above.
Course profile...
As can be seen from the profile above, there are no major hills on the course.
Course description...This is the view of the sharp bend in the N72 road as seen from the road leading to the GAA grounds. The race starts near the church on the left and proceeds south through the village. This is also the view as you approach the finish line which is just ahead near the church as well.
After about 200m, you take a sharp left and then head east on the N72 road towards Fermoy. At 0.6 miles, you turn off left at Leacht Crossroads and head north. This is the end of the busy section of the course and from here on, the race will be on quiet country roads...
Initially there is a bit of a pull as the road climbs but it soon levels off...probably the hardest part of the course. By the time you finish your first mile, the going gets easier.
At 2.6 miles, you take a left at Brawnroe Crossroads...
From here, it remains flat as you run west on the most northerly leg of the course. You turn left at Corrabrien Crossroads at the 4 mile mark and head south for Ballyhooly.
There is plenty of downhill running in the last two miles....
Right at the fork at 5.8 miles...
....with a slight rise to get over the old railway bridge (part of the Mallow to Waterford line which closed in 1967)...
Overall......A reasonably fast course. There are some small hills but they tend to be fairly gentle and not too long. Plenty of long straight sections on quiet country roads.
John Harnett is a former Irish International runner who held several Irish records back in the 70's. He also represented Ireland at the 1972 Munich Games. He grew up near Ballyhooly and ran with Grange Fermoy AC before taking up a scholarship in the US with Villanova.
Notable races...
1970 : International Junior Cross Country Champion
1972 : Ran the 5,000 metres in a time of 13m 43.4s to set a new Irish record
1972 : Represented Ireland in the 5,000 metres in the Munich Olympic games
1973 : June - Ran the mile in a time of 3m 54.7s setting a new Irish record which at the time was faster than the British record!
1974 : Set a new Irish record for the 1,500 metres with a time of 3m 38.1s
John Hartnett currently resides in Marleton, New Jersey, USA.
1) Background on John Harnett's athletic career.....HERE
2) Unveiling of John Harnett plaque in Ballyhooly in Sept 2008.......HERE
