The 2018 Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon, on Sunday 3rd June, will start a HALF HOUR EARLIER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS (YES, we are shouting!). The marathon and relay will start on St Patrick’s Street at 8.30am. The Half Marathon will start in the Albert Road area at 10.15am (details to follow).

Our shift to a Sunday last year was hugely popular with runners and volunteers, but it has impacted on many in our community, not least those attending religious services and sporting events of many disciplines.

This year, to facilitate our friends organising the Eucharistic Procession, we’re moving the start time of the marathon, relay and half marathon back a half hour. For those who aren’t aware of this important Cork tradition, this will be the 93rd Eucharistic Procession through the streets of Cork. It’s a tradition that transcends religion and is truly a part of Cork’s heritage and we’re working with the organisers to ensure that both events can take place harmoniously on the same day.

We are also very grateful to the Cork and Munster GAA for facilitating the Marathon by making significant changes to their scheduled matches at Páirc uí Chaoimh. We reckon that the clash of Cork and Limerick on Saturday evening (2nd June) will be a fabulous occasion that our visiting runners would do well to attend!