Every year thousands of children from all over Ireland travel to the Community Games National Finals. Previously they have been held in Mosney Co. Meath, but 2009 saw a change of venue and Athlone Institute of Technology was selected as the new home. In total, 4 Athenry area athletes made the short trip up the M6 to Athlone for the first of 3 weekends of competitions; their results and progress are as follows:

Mixed U13 Cross Country – Athenry were well represented on the Galway Team with Shannen Lee (Athenry A.C.), Niamh Keane (Athenry A.C.) & Oisin Doyle (Craughwell A.C.), the team consist of a panel of 10, the County Panel is made up of 5 Boys & 5 Girls duly qualified in order of their finish at the Galway County Finals competition. The score of the first 4 Boys & 4 Girls of each team over the finish line to count. The first 4 teams in each Semi-Final qualified for Sunday’s Final.

In the Semi-Final on Saturday the Galway team finished 1st and in Sunday’s final they finished 2nd to a very good Clare team and so claimed the Team Silver Medal, in the individual section Oisin finished 3rd in the Boys section thus winning the Bronze medal.

Girls U14 Cross Country – Athenry were represented on the Galway Team by Grace Cahill (Athenry A.C.) the team consist of a panel of 6, the County Panel is made up of 6 Girls duly qualified in order of their finish at the Galway County Finals competition. The race is run over a cross country course in the following order 1st runner - 600 metres, 2nd runner - 400 metres, 3rd runner - 600 metres, 4th runner - 400 metres. First 4 teams in each Semi-Final qualify for Sunday’s Final.

In the Semi-Final on Saturday the Galway team finished in 5th place just outside the qualifying positions.

Well done to all the Athletes who competed and special congratulations to Shannen, Niamh & Oisin on the Galway Team Silver medal and Oisin doing the double in taking the individual bronze.

Special word of thanks to Mike Tobin (Galway Cross Country Team Manager) who arranged training session for all the Galway Athletes competing in the National Finals, also a special word of thanks to Athenry A.C. and Craughwell A.C. coaches for the excellent work they done in getting the above athletes ready for the National Finals.