Congratulations to GEN for putting on a very well organized Leinster Championships, on a new map in Wicklow. I think it's the first time that I have been Orienteering on a completely new area in Wicklow. The map and the planning were excellent, and even the weather, although pretty miserable, actually contributed to the orienteering challenge. Fingal prize-winners were Fearghal Burke, 1st M12A, Erika Jones, 2nd W12A, and Tom Burke, 1st M45S. Also there were Val and Helena Jones, Meghan O'Driscoll, Cathal Burke, Rob Flanagan, Mick O'Keeffe, John Rowe, Jean O'Neill, and Doug Corrie.
The Connaught Championships took place last weekend in Barronscourt, Kinnity, Co. Offally. Many club members made the trip, and Fearghal Burke won the M12 class. Other Fingal results were Ian Murphy, 4th in M21L, Mick O'Keeffe, 3rd in M40, Jean O'Neill, 3rd in W50, and Kathryn Walley, 2nd in W21S.
There are a number of other championship events over the next few weeks. On the 21st of April, the Leinster Championships are being held on a new map of Brockagh, near Laragh in Co. Wicklow. This map is actually a new area to the north of the old Brockagh map and is mostly open mountain terrain. On the May bank holiday weekend the British Championships are being held on Benone Strand near Limavaddy in Co. Derry. The main individual event is on the Sunday and is on an area of sandunes. It will be one of the biggest events ever held in Ireland, and should be well worth the trip. On the following weekend the Irish Championships are being held. The individual event on Saturday, May 11th , is being run by CNOC on Scarr mountain, also near Laragh in Wicklow. It is also a new area, mostly open mountain with some forest lower down. The relays are being held the following day in the Phoenix Park, in Dublin, organized by 3ROC.
Dún A Rí Results, 24th March 2002.
Our first standard Leinster League event in 3 years was reasonably successful. The numbers
were a bit disappointing, at 86, even though 15 LVO and FERMO members made the trip south.
No doubt the World Cross Country Championships in Leopardstown was a bigger attraction for
many. Most of the top runners on each league colour were there, which resulted
in a good competition for the available league points. Most people were pleased with the
laser-printed premarked maps. Thanks to John Rowe for printing them. Some people mentioned
that it was difficult to distinguish the earthbanks from contours. We will adjust this
next time we try laser printed maps. Please send us any other feedback on this issue
as it is a format that will be used more often in the future as the cost of printers
come down and resolution improves.
Thanks to all who helped out on the day, Tommy for organizing, Rob, Ciara, Fearghal, Helena,
Doug, Bernie, and Alex. Special thanks to Donal Ó Murchú of CNOC for Controlling,
and for manning the map exchange which had been vandalized on Saturday evening.
The latest standings on the Leinster League are available on the IOA web site, at www.orienteering.ie . There are only 5 events remaining in the league, including our own at Dún A Rí. Check out your standing and see if you can improve your placing before the end. There are plenty of prizes available for various age classes as well as the overall 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, in each course.
We now have an officially certified Controller in the Club, myself ( Val Jones ). I attended the Controllers Course in Glendalough last weekend. It was organized by Aonghus O'Cléirigh and very well presented by Carol McNeill from Lakelands Orienteering Club in England. As well as the lectures and discussions in the Glendalough Youth Hostel, there were very good exercises on assessing control sites and legs on the Trooperstown and Glendalough maps.
Helena Jones, Ciara and Cathal Burke went on a junior squad training weekend to Wicklow recently. If they put what they learned into practice in the forthcoming championships they may be selected to travel to the home international in Scotland in the Autumn. Thanks to Mary Healy of GEN for organizing the weekend and inviting them along.
A club Meeting was held on Tuesday, 12th February. We failed to find a new treasurer to replace Lillian, so the position is still open. Our Chairperson, Jean, is doing on a temporary basis for now Membership fees are also due for 2002 so please send €13.70 to Tommy Burke, at 2 Sycamore Ave., Beaufort Place, Navan, Co, Meath, or give it to a committee member.
St. Anne's Park Night-O Results, 15th Jan. 2002.
Thanks to all who came to the event. Thanks to Mick for planning, Val for Controlling and organizing, Deirdre for collecting the money, and Jean for doing the results. It was a cold and dark winter night, however the event passed off without incident. Those with 'lighthouses' had a distinct advantage in the wooded sections where the birds were disturbed from settling down for the night.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all club members, and other visitors to this site
The Mountain runners are planning a Wicklow Way relay next June, to take in the whole of the Wicklow Way from Kilmashogue to Clonegal. Some of us are keen to enter a Fingal team. Teams are up to 8 runners, but if we don't have a full team some runners can do 2 legs. Let us know if you are interested.
Thanks to all who came to the event. Thanks to Jean for planning and Bernie for organizing, and to Tommy, Alex, Deirdre, Val, Helena, and Erika for helping out. And also to our former chairman, Frank Flood, who has returned from assignments abroad. The event went off well although we did lose 2 controls. Although the forecast was for a dry day, one shower appeared from nowhere. There are three times missing from the results, Mary Healy, Vera Murtagh, and one other, due to a certain person going home with the cards in their pocket. The times will be added when the cards are located.
The prizes for last year's truncated Leinster League were given out recently. Fingal prize winners were Deirdre O'Neill, 1st W on Blue, Helena Jones, 1st overall on Orange, Ciara Burke, 1st W14 and 2nd overall on Orange, Erika Jones, 1st overall on Yellow, and Fearghal Burke, 1st M12 on Yellow. Michael O'Keefe and Jean O'Neill also got prizes on the Brown and Green courses.
At the Connaught Championships, Erika Jones was 1st in W12, Jean O'Neill 2nd in W50, Meghan O'Driscoll 2nd in W12, Deirdre O'Neill 3rd in W21E, and Helena Jones 3rd in W12. Also there were Ciaran and Eileen Young, Kathryn Walley, Tommy, Cathal, Ciara, and Fearghal Burke, and Val Jones. Like the Leinster Championships, it was a novelty to complete an orienteering course in Ireland almost entirely in white forest. Bawnreagh is tougher going than Mullaghmeen though, mostly coniferous plantation forest. There were a lot of controls on drain junctions, and lots of other drain junctions to add to the confusion. The full results are at //orienteering.ie/results/connachtChamps2001.txt
The Munster Championships took place at Clonmore, near Cahir. The area was an extension of the old Ballydrehid map. It was mostly dry open mountainside, which was very runnable on the upper slopes. The forest was mostly mature but conditions underfoot were quite rough in places which made it slow going. The autumn colours in the woods and the pleasant mild weather made it a very enjoyable day. Placings for Fingal members were Erika and Helena Jones, 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in W12. In the absence of a W14 class Ciara Burke was moved up to W16 where she came 5th. Also there were Fearghal Burke on M12, Val Jones and Tommy Burke on M45, Eileen Young on W21L, and Ciaran Young on M35. Eileen and Ciaran combined the Orienteering with some caving in the area on the Saturday. The results should be on the Cork-O web site .