Road closures in place as women's mini-marathon kicks off at 3pm

SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC delays and road closures will feature in Dublin again today, as the 29th annual women’s mini-marathon takes place.

Following extensive disruption to car users yesterday to make way for the Bavaria City Racing event, the city centre again faces closedown as up to 40,000 athletes take part in this afternoon’s 10km run.

The annual women’s mini-marathon, which began in 1983, starts at 3pm at Fitzwilliam Square and ends at St Stephen’s Green.

From Fitzwilliam Square, participants will jog, walk or hobble along Mount Street to Northumberland Road and into Ballsbridge past the RDS. They will continue out along the Merrion Road towards St Vincent’s hospital, turning right up Nutley Lane past RTÉ at Montrose, turning left on to the Stillorgan dual carriageway, before doubling back down the dual carriageway towards Donnybrook, Morehampton Road, Leeson Street and into St Stephen’s Green.

There will be four water stations in the Dublin race – at the start of the race, at the RDS, at RTÉ and at the finish. There will also be a free supervised baggage area, open until 6pm, at the south side (near the Dublin Unitarian Church) of St Stephen’s Green.

Meanwhile, in Cork, thousands are expected to take part in today’s full and half marathon events, which also includes a relay event. The marathon and relay are due to start at 9am on St Patrick’s Street while the half marathon will start on the Ringmahon Road at 11am.

Among the expected 8,000 runners will be Lord Mayor Cllr Terry Shannon, who is swapping his mayoral chain for a pair of trainers to participate on one of the relay teams. He will be joined by fellow councillors John Buttimer, Mick Nugent, Emmet O’Halloran and Laura McGonigle.

Cllr Shannon said he was looking forward to the “banter” on the course.

“It’s going to be a real challenge but I feel that my team and I are well up for the task ahead.

“There’s always great banter on the course and I’m looking forward to seeing first hand the great support that the people of Cork are sure to deliver in their thousands.”

Also among the runners today will be John Hayes (39) from Youghal, Co Cork, who is running the course to raise awareness and funding for Ovacare, a new charity set up by his sister-in-law, who is a survivor of ovarian cancer.

Another notable participant will be South African native Denzil Jacobs (34) who is based in Tullamore, Co Offaly. He will be taking part in his 40th marathon when he takes to the streets of Cork today. The occupational therapist will be raising money for Down syndrome charities.

To accommodate the Dublin mini-marathon, St Stephen’s Green South and East and Cuffe Street/Wexford Street will close from 6am to 6.30pm.

Fitzwilliam Place and Fitzwilliam Street Upper/Lower will close from 6am to 4.30pm. Merrion Square East and North will close from 8am until 4.30pm and Lower Leeson Street, Leeson Street Bridge and Earlsfort Terrace will close from 8am until 6.30pm.

Kildare Street will close from 12.30pm to 6.30pm. Merrion Square South and West and Merrion Street Upper, Hume Street and Ely Place will close from 8am to 7pm. St Stephen’s Green North will close from 11.30am to 6.30pm, and Hatch Street and Pembroke Street will close from 8am until 6:30pm.