Navy Running - Ireland

Sterling 5k BHAA Road Race

A challenging and hilly course through Ringaskiddy and Shanbally didn't deter our wily and wonderful four-strong squad yesterday evening.

A hard-earned 2nd place prize in the C team category was just reward for a real shoulders-to-the-wheel joint effort from all of our guys on the night.

Michael Coakley 18:13 🥈
Cian McParland 18:26 🥈
Bob Anglim 21:32 (2nd O65) 🥈
Pat Murphy 25:34

The next race will be on Tue Aug-19-2026 @ 20:00, with registration from 18:00 at Blackrock Hurling Club. The race route will start at Blackrock Castle car park and run along the greenway.

Any current or former Irish Naval Service personnel interested in signing up to compete for the Navy in these BHAA races, please contact SCPO Cian McParland or message this page directly.

The Cork Business House Athletic Association is a wonderful and welcoming scene, where competitiveness mixes seamlessly with fun, where new friends can be made at virtually every single race, where generous refreshments and prizes are to be had after every run... all for a steal at only €5 per race once you're signed up. Sure, give it a lash!

📸 credit to the one and only Joe Anne Photos

Three Grogs For The Three Scurvy Dogs, Arrrr!

Is there any stopping these three warhorses?
The Cork BHAA Gas Networks Ireland 5K race played host to Naval veterans, Bobby Anglim, Norman Allen and Pat Murphy, plus a further 723 competitors out along the Mahon and Blackrock Marina course of a beautiful balmy summer's evening.

All three recorded impressive times, with Bobby bagging an age category prize, Norman giving his customary all-in effort and, dare we say it, he's a testament to living a healthy lifestyle as this man is in great shape, plus Pat nobly running as a guide for a visually-impaired athlete and still recording a sweet time and voucher to boot.

As the Yanks are want to say, thank you for your service, gentlemen 🫡⚓
😁😁😁

Bobby Anglim 21:12 (2nd O/65)
Norman Allen 25:15
Pat Murphy 25:33 (guide runner)

Irish Navy Photo Section
Irish Naval Service
Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces
Cork BHAA
Bobby Anglim

💿 3 Hits in the Top 30 for the Navy! 💿

Superb efforts from our triumvirate of Navy athletes at the BHAA MTU 5K this morning.

Toughing it out in wind and rain, all 3 put in stellar performances to place inside the top 30 amongst the 409 who competed.

A notable mention for Darren McCann, who achieved the highest placing for a Navy athlete in several years with his 2nd place podium finish.

Results:

2nd Darren McCann (16:55)
19th Michael Coakley (18:18)
26th Adam Barry (18:49)

📸 credit: Joe Anne Photos

Just a kid with a crazy dream, he wants it all before he's 17. Or 70, in this salty seadog's case.
Old but gold, Bobby Anglim ripped it up at the BHAA J&J Innovative Medicine 5K held in Little Island last Sunday.

76th from 350+ athletes and trousering a prize for an excellent 2nd place in the O/65 category, Bobby Anglim crossed the line in a mightily impressive 20:19.
A couple of Fig Rolls and a blood transfusion later and he was as right as rain.

Head pounding, couldn't see nor hear, and losing the will to live. That feeling you get 3k into a 5k race.
He was, though, on point for a spanking new PB, until he proceeded to sn**ch defeat from the jaws of victory by bonking. Bonking hard. Not to worry.
30th place in18:15 and 3rd O/50 was the sum total of Shane Meyler's morning's labour. Go hard or go home, as they say.

Bualadh bos to our two Naval representatives flying the flag for the Naval Running gang. And indeed, to our currently injured stalwart, Pat Murphy, who gave generously of his time to marshall the route for the safety and enjoyment of fellow athletes.

BOB BAGS 1ST PLACE; NORMAN & RYAN RUN & LOOK PRETTY

Wed 17-Jul-2025

Of a sultry summer's evening in magnificent Mahon,
659 smiley souls took on the Cork BHAA Gas Networks Ireland 5k, the athletes traversing a U-shaped route through this residential area onto the nearby greenway, before making a breathless bolt for the finish line in the shadows of the city's historic Blacrock Castle.

He weighs everything he eats, doesn't touch the deoch and his catchphrase is "little pickers, bigger knickers". A mighty run by our bleedin' Jaysus Dub, Ryan O'Driscoll.

1798.
Wexford Bullring.
Meyler's Fishmarket.
Fr Murphy.
The Battle of Enniscorthy.
Republic of Wexford.
Vinegar Hill.
Martin Storey.
Lee Chin.
Tadhg Furlong.
To that illustrious list of Wexford people, places and events you can now add Bobby Anglim's name... 1st place O/65 in yet another tremendous time. Hup outta that, Bobby.

On it like a millennial on free WiFi, Norman Allen needs to tell us what it is he's having for breakfast, as he looks and runs easily a decade younger than his age category - the same one as the above-mentioned Bobby.
That has us wondering who'd win in a cage fight?
Handsome running, Norman.

Full Navy results:

106 Ryan O'Driscoll 18:46
202 Bobby Anglim 20:53 (1st O/65🏅)
325 Norman Allen 23:59

Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces
Cork BHAA
Irish Naval Service

NORRIES, WEXFORD YOBS & PODIUM PLACINGS

We're nothing if not punctual. Okay, we're not punctual - we're way behind time.
It's catch up time here at Navy Running, as we ink our parchment paper with the finest hand-cut, cured, goose-feathered quill direct from our provision stores.

A pair of Cork Business House Athletic Association races took place from mid to late June, with the Navy proudly hitting the podium at both of these well-attended events hosted by fellow BHAA organisations:

Apple Employees Sports & Social 5k
Wed 17-Jun-2025

436 athletes took on this notoriously hilly yet ridiculously fun 5k that traverses Cork city's northern suburbs.

Twitching at the start line like a meerkat on guard, you could tell he was up for it. Darren McCann raised more eyebrows than a northside beauticians with a run of real substance, solidifying his burgeoning reputation as a serious athlete on the Cork running scene with an 8th place finish.

As a juvenile delinquent, when not boxing, he played out much of his misspent youth in dozens of dingey laneways and dark alleys of Wexford town. Yes, Bobby Anglim was a proper Timmy Toughknuckles - until the Navy polished this rough diamond into the sparkling gem that we see before our eyes.
But he's lost none of that teak toughness, evident in a superb time for a 65+ year old athlete over one tough course.

Don't let the good looks fool you. This all around good guy has more than one string to his bow. He has more BHAA races under his belt than you've had lunches.
Securing a team podium position for the Navy with a high-placing finish that saw us just pip Cork Prison Officers for 2nd place, demonstrating the importance of every single team member finishing as high up the field as they can, Pat Murphy brought home the bacon, plus 3 winner's prizes courtesy of Apple Sports & Social.

8th Darren McCann (17:03) 2nd Team in C category🥈
97th Bobby Anglim (21:58) 2nd Team in C category 🥈
130th Pat Murphy (23:13) 2nd Team in C category 🥈

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

J&J MedTech 4 Mile
Wed 25-Jun-2025

Another Wednesday and another hilly course.

This one was held in Ringaskiddy, an area that every sailor who has ever passed through the Navy will be quite familiar with.

From it's origins as a sleepy little fishing village to a locale embedded over the years with big pharma and productive industry, most of which has nestled very well into the surrounding countryside and does not take away much from the aesthetics of this very scenic harbour area, Ringaskiddy's hills asked some testing questions of the 360 athletes who put their toes on the line.

Leading the charge on the night for the Navy was the gorgeous gael with the film star name, Eoghan O'Hara.
Pumping out a serious pace just north of 6 minute miles, Eoghan, who's secret to looking so young is his unparalleled knowledge of Instagram filters, kicked off his summer's racing with one serious statement.

Currently knocking on more doors than a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses, chasing that elusive age category placing and having been tantalisingly close of late, Bobby Anglim finally succeeded as he crossed the line looking more shook than a hand at mass. Twas worth the pain.

The Murph machine rolls on. Pat Murphy on this occasion was afforded the luxury of being able to depart from home at his leisure, nonchalantly strolling to the race, what with the start line being 600m from his front door.
Pat's local knowledge reaped dividends, as our wily veteran raced cute, pushing hard on the uphills and utilising the downhills with great efficiency to secure for the Navy for the second week in a row a coveted team podium placing.

Debuting for the Navy was the talented athlete, Norman Allen. This Dublin native has ran multiple road races, competed in several triathlons over the years and has finally stepped into the light and donned the Navy colours once again.
Bringing the heat and feeling the burn, the camera-shy Norman ran a very respectable time in his age category and we are only delighted to welcome this absolute gentleman onboard with us.

44th Eoghan O'Hara (24:46) 3rd Team in C category🥉
96th Bobby Anglim (27:17) 2nd O/65🥈 & 3rd Team in C category 🥉
146th Pat Murphy (30:05) 3rd Team in C category🥉
184th Norman Allen (31:24)

Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Defence Forces
Irish Naval Service
Cork BHAA