Navy Running - Ireland

💿 3 Hits in the Top 30 for the Navy! 💿

Superb efforts from our triumvirate of Navy athletes at the BHAA MTU 5K this morning.

Toughing it out in wind and rain, all 3 put in stellar performances to place inside the top 30 amongst the 409 who competed.

A notable mention for Darren McCann, who achieved the highest placing for a Navy athlete in several years with his 2nd place podium finish.

Results:

2nd Darren McCann (16:55)
19th Michael Coakley (18:18)
26th Adam Barry (18:49)

📸 credit: Joe Anne Photos

Just a kid with a crazy dream, he wants it all before he's 17. Or 70, in this salty seadog's case.
Old but gold, Bobby Anglim ripped it up at the BHAA J&J Innovative Medicine 5K held in Little Island last Sunday.

76th from 350+ athletes and trousering a prize for an excellent 2nd place in the O/65 category, Bobby Anglim crossed the line in a mightily impressive 20:19.
A couple of Fig Rolls and a blood transfusion later and he was as right as rain.

Head pounding, couldn't see nor hear, and losing the will to live. That feeling you get 3k into a 5k race.
He was, though, on point for a spanking new PB, until he proceeded to sn**ch defeat from the jaws of victory by bonking. Bonking hard. Not to worry.
30th place in18:15 and 3rd O/50 was the sum total of Shane Meyler's morning's labour. Go hard or go home, as they say.

Bualadh bos to our two Naval representatives flying the flag for the Naval Running gang. And indeed, to our currently injured stalwart, Pat Murphy, who gave generously of his time to marshall the route for the safety and enjoyment of fellow athletes.

BOB BAGS 1ST PLACE; NORMAN & RYAN RUN & LOOK PRETTY

Wed 17-Jul-2025

Of a sultry summer's evening in magnificent Mahon,
659 smiley souls took on the Cork BHAA Gas Networks Ireland 5k, the athletes traversing a U-shaped route through this residential area onto the nearby greenway, before making a breathless bolt for the finish line in the shadows of the city's historic Blacrock Castle.

He weighs everything he eats, doesn't touch the deoch and his catchphrase is "little pickers, bigger knickers". A mighty run by our bleedin' Jaysus Dub, Ryan O'Driscoll.

1798.
Wexford Bullring.
Meyler's Fishmarket.
Fr Murphy.
The Battle of Enniscorthy.
Republic of Wexford.
Vinegar Hill.
Martin Storey.
Lee Chin.
Tadhg Furlong.
To that illustrious list of Wexford people, places and events you can now add Bobby Anglim's name... 1st place O/65 in yet another tremendous time. Hup outta that, Bobby.

On it like a millennial on free WiFi, Norman Allen needs to tell us what it is he's having for breakfast, as he looks and runs easily a decade younger than his age category - the same one as the above-mentioned Bobby.
That has us wondering who'd win in a cage fight?
Handsome running, Norman.

Full Navy results:

106 Ryan O'Driscoll 18:46
202 Bobby Anglim 20:53 (1st O/65🏅)
325 Norman Allen 23:59

Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces
Cork BHAA
Irish Naval Service

NORRIES, WEXFORD YOBS & PODIUM PLACINGS

We're nothing if not punctual. Okay, we're not punctual - we're way behind time.
It's catch up time here at Navy Running, as we ink our parchment paper with the finest hand-cut, cured, goose-feathered quill direct from our provision stores.

A pair of Cork Business House Athletic Association races took place from mid to late June, with the Navy proudly hitting the podium at both of these well-attended events hosted by fellow BHAA organisations:

Apple Employees Sports & Social 5k
Wed 17-Jun-2025

436 athletes took on this notoriously hilly yet ridiculously fun 5k that traverses Cork city's northern suburbs.

Twitching at the start line like a meerkat on guard, you could tell he was up for it. Darren McCann raised more eyebrows than a northside beauticians with a run of real substance, solidifying his burgeoning reputation as a serious athlete on the Cork running scene with an 8th place finish.

As a juvenile delinquent, when not boxing, he played out much of his misspent youth in dozens of dingey laneways and dark alleys of Wexford town. Yes, Bobby Anglim was a proper Timmy Toughknuckles - until the Navy polished this rough diamond into the sparkling gem that we see before our eyes.
But he's lost none of that teak toughness, evident in a superb time for a 65+ year old athlete over one tough course.

Don't let the good looks fool you. This all around good guy has more than one string to his bow. He has more BHAA races under his belt than you've had lunches.
Securing a team podium position for the Navy with a high-placing finish that saw us just pip Cork Prison Officers for 2nd place, demonstrating the importance of every single team member finishing as high up the field as they can, Pat Murphy brought home the bacon, plus 3 winner's prizes courtesy of Apple Sports & Social.

8th Darren McCann (17:03) 2nd Team in C category🥈
97th Bobby Anglim (21:58) 2nd Team in C category 🥈
130th Pat Murphy (23:13) 2nd Team in C category 🥈

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J&J MedTech 4 Mile
Wed 25-Jun-2025

Another Wednesday and another hilly course.

This one was held in Ringaskiddy, an area that every sailor who has ever passed through the Navy will be quite familiar with.

From it's origins as a sleepy little fishing village to a locale embedded over the years with big pharma and productive industry, most of which has nestled very well into the surrounding countryside and does not take away much from the aesthetics of this very scenic harbour area, Ringaskiddy's hills asked some testing questions of the 360 athletes who put their toes on the line.

Leading the charge on the night for the Navy was the gorgeous gael with the film star name, Eoghan O'Hara.
Pumping out a serious pace just north of 6 minute miles, Eoghan, who's secret to looking so young is his unparalleled knowledge of Instagram filters, kicked off his summer's racing with one serious statement.

Currently knocking on more doors than a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses, chasing that elusive age category placing and having been tantalisingly close of late, Bobby Anglim finally succeeded as he crossed the line looking more shook than a hand at mass. Twas worth the pain.

The Murph machine rolls on. Pat Murphy on this occasion was afforded the luxury of being able to depart from home at his leisure, nonchalantly strolling to the race, what with the start line being 600m from his front door.
Pat's local knowledge reaped dividends, as our wily veteran raced cute, pushing hard on the uphills and utilising the downhills with great efficiency to secure for the Navy for the second week in a row a coveted team podium placing.

Debuting for the Navy was the talented athlete, Norman Allen. This Dublin native has ran multiple road races, competed in several triathlons over the years and has finally stepped into the light and donned the Navy colours once again.
Bringing the heat and feeling the burn, the camera-shy Norman ran a very respectable time in his age category and we are only delighted to welcome this absolute gentleman onboard with us.

44th Eoghan O'Hara (24:46) 3rd Team in C category🥉
96th Bobby Anglim (27:17) 2nd O/65🥈 & 3rd Team in C category 🥉
146th Pat Murphy (30:05) 3rd Team in C category🥉
184th Norman Allen (31:24)

Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces
Irish Naval Service
Cork BHAA

O'DRISCOLL DEBUTS, BOB BAGS HIS VOUCHER, PLUS SILAGE, POEMS & MORE!

Cork Business Houses Athletic Association
Musgrave 5k Race
Wed 10-Jun-2025

A whopping 615 participants took on this fast 5k course along Cork city's vibrant Marina area.

A muggy heat carried on the June evening breeze, in addition to the discharge mid-race of a long-threatened downpour, was never going to overcome our half dozen Naval athletes who gave it their all yet again.

Darren McCann led the charge for the Navy, putting in a top drawer effort to finish extremely high up the field in 11th place.
He's shaved his legs again though, hasn't he? We don't know what it is about the man. He's hard but tender.

The big man from west Cork ran well, too. He possesses this aura that tells us here in Navy Running Towers he could bring in the cows, spread the silage, then come indoors and write you a poem. Swoon! What a man! 35th place for Michael Coakley it was.

Debuting for us after we bribed him with a case of Château Pontet Canet Grand Cru Classé 2016, Dublin-native, Ryan O'Driscoll, laid down quite the marker with a very strong run into 40th place. He said he wants a 3 bed semi before his next race, but "it has to be near me ma's".
Honest to God, if you offered him the Taj Mahal, he'd say it was too far from Finglas.

Shane Meyler attacked the race like we've never seen him do so before. He was on song right up until 4km. Then he bonked. Badly.
Some bloke walking his dog gave him the ''you alright, mate?''-look. It broke him a bit.
Shane finished the race like someone chasing a bin truck in slippers.

Devilishly deprived of a category prize at the previous BHAA race due to an administrative error at registration, Bobby Anglim had felt as down as a fat kid on a see-saw.
"I shan't sleep until I right this wrong", he'd boo-hooed.
Running on pure, unfiltered, human excellence, Bobby righted this wrong to secure a very well-earned 3rd place O/65.
A useful prize of a Super Valu gift voucher was the fruit of Bobby's labour, so Betty, (Bobby's better half), should be happy, too.

Pat Murphy ran the race as a guide to a visually impaired athlete, and no better man to chaperone a fellow athlete than our own Pat. We salute your sporting decency, Pat.

Bravo Zulu to our Army colleagues, who earned some eye-catching results themselves. Sure they wouldn't be nearly as handsome though.

Navy results in full:

11th DARREN McCANN 16:14
35th MICHAEL COAKLEY 17:29
40th RYAN O'DRISCOLL 17:35
63rd SHANE MEYLER 18:01
199th BOBBY ANGLIM 21:13 (3rd O/65 🥉)
330th PAT MURPHY 24:30

Cork BHAA John Buckley Sports 5k

Tue 20-May-2025

They're back, baby. Rising from the depths, the Irish Navy's runners took on over 1,200 fellow competitors at this ever-popular annual 5k road race held on a fast, flat course along the rejuvenated City Marina, onto Centre Park Road, then down Monaghan Road and complimented by a lovely straight finish under the shadows of Cork's hallowed Páirc Uí Chaoimh stadium.

As wide as the Marina pedestrianized walkway is, there's only so many disgustingly fit and fast athletes that can squeeze across it's width at any one time. When the starter's gun went off, it was like the chaos that ensues at 3 a.m. outside Supermac's when a guy tries to steal your order of chips, cheese and garlic mayo.

Thankfully, our 5 serving and former Navy athletes made it through the carnage and settled in nicely to each eke out superb performances, one and all.

He's the housewife's choice, this fella. He spends 5 hours per day in the gym. And only 4 of them looking in the mirror.
He's Darren McCann and he was the first Navy athlete over the line in a lightning-fast 16:16.

We suspiciously couldn't find a finish line photo of this man, so we had to make do with the attached one around 1km in that looks like something you'd draw with a pen in your mouth.
But how old is he, really? Wow! In dog years, he's... dead.
A pacy 17:45 effort earned Shane Meyler 3rd place in the O/50 category and a few fist pumps all round. Gettin' nifty for 50.

A military man to the core, Cian McParland gave it some serious heave ho as he attacked it from the gun in full battle mode, taking no prisoners as he passed one athlete after the next with blistering pace. Could he hold it?
Cian showed he still has some of that grit, spit and polish in the locker as he cruised home comfortably under the 18 minute mark in an excellent 17:54.

"Bobby Anglim", said Bobby to the poor volunteer at registration handing out the race bibs. "Try Bob Anglim". "No, not Anglin. It's Anglim"."Here, I'll spell it for you... A, N, G, L-". "Navy! Is it under the Navy?" "I'll start again. B, O, B, B-".
And so it was that 'Bob Antlan' was registered as a non-registered athlete (unbeknownst to Bobby Anglim) and was never to be in the reckoning for any prizes, which of course he won, but he didn't win.
A hugely impressive 20:47 should've earned Bobby 2nd place in the crazily-competitive O/65 category, but then sure... he wasn't registered.
Suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, did poor oul Bobby.

The benefits of working in the Navy's Galley, (a.k.a. the kitchen, for the benefit of soft soldiers and other land lubbers): Pat Murphy fuelled up pre-race on 3 dozen leftover Basque Country-style quince, ham and blue cheese pintxos, washed down with a Babycham followed by a red wine chaser.
It seemed to grease his moving parts more than adequately though, with Pat putting in yet another superb run as this O/60 category athlete left many a younger man in his wake, clocking a savage time of 23:12.
He's a great pair of getaway sticks on him too, in fairness to him.

Seriously well done to all 5 athletes and to our brothers and sisters in arms in green from Collins' Barracks, Cork, who all put in first rate performances.

A big bualadh bos to our first three Navy athletes over the line who secured 1st place in the Men's B Team category also.

31 Darren McCann 16:16 (1st Men's B Team)
93 Shane Meyler 17:45 (3rd O/50) (1st Men's B Team)
111 Cian McParland 17:54 (1st Men's B Team)
408 Bobby Anglim 20:47 (2nd 0/65)
504 Pat Murphy 23:12

ROLLING STONES & ILLEGAL STILLS

They say a rolling stone gathers no moss.
Footloose, moss-free and definitely older than you, the Navy's Bobby Anglim ripped up the boardwalks of Bishopstown last weekend at the BHAA MTU 5k with a phenomenal performance that earned him a 3rd place podium position in the dog-eat-dog O/65 category.
Bobby celebrated in his usual flamboyant manner the next day by hosting one of his famous Margarita Monday parties. 🍹

We hear amazing things about his pre-race go-to snack of rehydrated crapaudine beetroot. And his blowtorched scallops are supposed to be absolutely divine, darlings! But this Navy chef ain't just a one trick pony, no siree.
Pat Murphy can still rip it up with the best of them and that he did with gusto, producing a fabulous effort as he clocked a very impressive time of 23:01.
Off he then went to brew moonshine in his illegal still out in the far reaches of Shanbally, where men are men and sheep are afraid.
Keep us a bottle, Pat.

Business Houses Athletic Association MTU 5K
Sun 02-Mar-2025

Bobby Anglim 21:31 (3rd O/65)
Pat Murphy 23:01

Entries open 15th March

Óglaigh na hÉireann 10 Mile Road Race 2025 The DF 10 Mile Road Race is back, and takes place in a new venue for 2025 due to the commencement of the M28 Motorway project in Ringaskiddy

●●● DAZZA & DAZZLER STEAL THE SHOW ●●●

Fell in on the Cork BHAA start line for the JANSSEN 5K in Little Island last Sunday morning were the Naval quartet of:

Darren 'Dazza' McCann 15:46 (3rd)
Bobby 'Dazzler' Anglim 21:03 (3rd O/65)
Pat 'Dropkick' Murphy 23:24
Shane 'Dilly-Dally' Meyler 25:19

Serving member, Dazza McCann, who is so accurate with his pacing that he could flick the sprinkles off an ice cream cone from 100 metres away, pushed phenomenally in the closing stages to bag a 3rd place finish in a bumper field of 418 athletes.

Civilian, Dazzler Anglim, a man not unaccustomed to trousering moolah from podium placings, blagged even more b***y for himself with a brilliant time to cement 3rd place in the O/65 category.
He has since stated to us that he wants to make himself richer than Batman.

Not a million miles off a prize himself in an impressive 5th place in the O/60 category, the legendary sailor, Dropkick Murphy, served up a very tasty sub-24 minute 5k that was as satisfying to observe as his dry-aged wantons in hot and sour kimichi soup are to taste. Pat, you put the yum in our yummy.

Civilian (and very much a non-combatant on the day), Dilly-Dally Meyler ran the race at the tail end of his weekend long run.
He had all the signs of it too - he smiled at us mid-race - a mouth on him like a dropped kebab. What's next for you, Shane, we asked, unfortunately not getting the athletics-related answer we were looking for: "a spoice bo**er an' chips wi' cuddy sorce and the Sunday Wurdled."

Go Navy! 🫡 🚢

Thanks to Graham Meikle for the photos.

Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces
Irish Naval Service
St. Finbarr's AC
Ballymore Cobh A.C.
Cork BHAA

WE ARE BACK FOR 2025!!

Save the date: Thurs 16th May

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/oglaigh-na-heireann-10-mile-road-race-2025-tickets-1218489568099

Entries open 15th March

Some good news to share.

The Óglaigh na hÉireann 10 Mile Road Race will return in 2025!!!!!.

New Race HQ
New Flat Course
New Location

More details to follow in the New Year!!!.