On Saturday, March 9, a team of eight Mount Lourdes students made history by winning a first-ever national cross-country title for the school at the Irish Schools’ Cross Country Finals in Tymon Park, in South Dublin.
The team, made up of Erin McPhillips, Eimear Mulligan, Kacey Gallagher, Ciara McCrystal, Moya Magee, Megan Kelly, Kate Kelly and Naoisa McKenna won the title with 11 points to spare, ahead of their nearest opponents from Ennis, to lift the John Buckley Cup for the first time.
Mount Lourdes PE teacher Kiera Owens spoke of the immense pride everyone in the school has for the team following their superb performance;
“This was a fantastic achievement for our athletes and we are extremely proud that they have brought the title back to Fermanagh.”
“It was an occasion that will live long in the memory of the young athletes too as they continue to strive for more success in track and field.”
Youngest member of the team, 12-year-old Kate Kelly, who is also the Year 8 Mini Girls’ Ulster Champion made her presence felt in the navy and purple of Mount Lourdes, finishing a brilliant 5th.
“I was really proud to be part of the winning team,” said Kate.
“I was so overcome with joy in Dublin when I heard we had won the All-Ireland title. We are the first team in Mount Lourdes to win the title. I will remember this win forever,” she said.
13-year-old Megan Mullally ran one of her best races of the season that day, finishing 23rd against some very stiff competition;
“It was really rewarding as we had done so much hard work leading up to it and it was so exciting when we found out we had won,” recalled Megan.
With the top three scores from each team determining the medals, Naoisa McKenna and Erin McPhillips were the 3rd and 4th Mount Lourdes pupils sprinting for the finish line with 53rd and 54th place finishes respectively.
Erin remembers the jubilation after a nervous wait for the results to come through;
“We were all jumping around, and I was really surprised that our team had won an All-Ireland title. It was a really great experience, and it was amazing to jump off that podium with the trophy. This is something I will always remember.”
And for Eimear Mulligan it was a whole new and brilliant experience;
“This was my first-time running cross country and it felt like such an achievement,” she explained.
“ I now have a real interest in running and I cannot wait to get training again next year.”
As Ireland has excelled on the track at the European Championships in Rome over the last few days, with Portaferry’s Ciara Mageean winning gold in the 1500m, only days after the 4x400m mixed relay team also took top honours, there’s a real sense of the sky is the limit for Irish athletes right now.
This is something that their PE teacher Miss Owens is very conscious of;
“Our athletes will get much inspiration from the recent Irish success at the European Athletics Championships. We have immense talent in Fermanagh, and we look forward to being a part of their journey.”
And as with every great success story, the team behind the team is so important and she is well aware of the hard work and effort that so many of her pupils and their families put in;
“I would like to thank their parents for their continued support and to our local athletics clubs; Enniskillen Running Club and Clones Athletics Club, where some of the team are club members.”
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