Baby Bláithín O'Riordan, photo courtesy of her parents Natasha and Liam. All other photos by North West Newspix
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04 Feb 2026
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04 Feb 2026
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Members of the Donegal Half Marathon Committee at this year's launch. Back row, from left, Cathal Curran and Paddy Hannigan. Front row, from left, Eunan Kelly, Mary Larkin and Danny McDaid
The 2026 Donegal Half Marathon will take place in Letterkenny on Sunday, August 30th.
This year’s event, which will be held in association with Kernans, will have a slightly earlier start time of 9am.
Speaking at the launch of what will be the 13th staging of the popular long-distance race at Kernan’s Bistro in Letterkenny, Donegal Half Marathon Ambassador, Danny McDaid said: “It’s great to be looking forward to another staging of the Donegal Half Marathon. We’ve come a long way since it was first held in 2014. Last year it attracted a record entry of over 1,400 participants – more than twice the number that took part in 2024.”
“When we set up the Donegal Half twelve years ago, our aim was to attract 1,000 people. We managed to exceed that figure well last year and our goal for 2026 will be to equal that number,” the double Olympian added.
The steady growth in numbers in recent years, coupled with an increase in people running and the return of the relay section made the 2025 Donegal Half Marathon the biggest and best yet.
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“We had a steady number of entries from early on last year and they kept coming in right up until race day. We also had 52 relay teams, which were a great boost to the event,” the Donegal Half Marathon Ambassador commented.
The centrepiece of the 2026 finisher’s medal will contain a raised image of the Grianán of Aileach in Burt. Finishers will also receive a high-quality, long-sleeved three-quarter zip top.
“Our message to those planning to be part of this year’s event is to enter early,” Danny added.
To register for the 2026 Donegal Half Marathon, follow the link: Donegal Half Marathon 2026 - Buy Tickets
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