Mary McCabe Trophy race at Loreto College

The top three finishers in the Loreto College Year 8 Girls Cross Country Race, pictured with Mrs McBroom, Mr James and Mrs McCullough.

This event was held first in 1996, following the presentation of the trophy by Dr McCabe, in memory of his wife Mary.

The McCabe family had three daughters, Geraldine, Jemma and Anne –Marie, who attended Loreto in the 1970s. All three girls were keen and successful athletes and their parents often came to races and were very supportive of the girls. The silver cup was for Minor Girls’ cross country and has been competed for each year.

The event saw Year 8s completing a taxing run just short of 2000m through the College campus, and this year’s winners were Connie McBride with a time of 6.38 minutes and Joe McNicholl with a time of 6.08 minutes.

The top three finishers in the Loreto College Year 8 Boys Cross Country Race, pictured with Mrs McBroom, Mr James and Mrs McCullough.

Mrs Sheila McBroom, co-ordinator of Cross Country running at Loreto, joined College Principal Mr Michael James and Head of PE Mrs Maureen McCullough in offering congratulations to all those who took part, and commiserations to those who could not do so, or who dropped out due to injury.

Mrs McBroom explained that accomplished sixth form runners Danny Burns ran in front of the boys and Niamh Carr ran in front of the girls, and paid tribute toSenior pupils and PE staff who were marshalls at different parts of the race to guide and encourage the pupils along.

Mrs McBroom also paid tribute to the members of the PE Department, commenting that the race could not have gone ahead without the help of Mrs McCullough and her PE staff and Mrs Close who recorded the finisher’s numbers.

Many of the previous winners of this event have gone on to sporting success in athletics, hurling, gaelic football and camogie at national and international level, and many of the medallists could have a bright sporting future ahead. Many of these promising young athletes were selected to represent Loreto at the Cross Country District Championships at the Ulster University, along with other talented athletes from throughout the school.Medals were presented to the top 20 finishers:

Boys: Joe McNicholl, Senan Devine, Ruairi McNicholl, Eoin Campbell, Ruairi Kelly, Jack Mulholland, Conor O’Neill, Neill Harmer, Eddie Kilmartin, Harvey Hayes, Ethan Devlin, Conor McCool, James McCann, Luka Rodgers, Francis Bradley, Lewis Cooper, Aidan Medlicott, Jan Stec, Karol Brzuchalski Sean Young.

Girls: Connie McBride, Sienna McKenna, Niamh Harmer, Meadow Toye, Katie Davidson, Emily Henry, Caoimhe Oliver, Halle Montgomery, Anna Miszxzynkska, Aisling McIntyre, Sinead Close, Grace Sharpe, Madeline Greene, Aine McAlister, Ciara Phelan, Niamh Quinn, Ruby Burns, Kerry Johnston, Lucy McQuillan, Elena Stockman.

The two individual winners, Connie McBride and Joe McNicholl, had their names added to the trophies to join an illustrious list of Loreto athletes. Mr Michael James, Principal of Loreto College, congratulated all the Year 8 students on their enthusiastic participation in the event, and paid tribute to Mrs McBroom and the team of Year 14 marshals who had organised the race.