Fr Liam Kelleher (right) recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of his ordination, 28 of which he has dedicated to athletics. Since East Cork was formed from a number of smaller clubs back in 1986, he has played a major role in the organisation and coaching at all levels.
Eight years ago he founded the juvenile section Glenbower and has also managed numerous international teams at senior level.
Membership: The numbers vary every year but right now we have about 100 registered athletes with nearly 80 of these in the juvenile club Glenbower which competes at BLOE level. There is a big decline at senior level as there were up to 250 members in the past.
Status: The club came out of areas like Midleton and Youghal to provide a senior team in competitions at the national championships in track and cross-country. The senior men are currently in Division Two of the track and field league after a disappointing relegation four years ago. Glenbower have had a huge impact at juvenile level and this year were best overall juvenile club in cross-country, where I do most of the coaching.
Honours: The senior men have won three National Road Relay championships and just failed to defend the title this year. The junior women had three National cross-country titles in a row between 199497 while Glenbower girls are current Under-12 and Under-13 cross-country champions and the boys are Under-13 champions. But it's Liam O'Brien who has brought the most honours to the club with an incredible 12 National steeplechase titles.
Finest hour: It has to be the triple National titles of both the Road Relay team and junior women's cross-country team. Some of the junior girls started running with us from eight years of age so that was a very special occasion.
Worst moment: That's definitely the relegation from Division One of the track and field league in 1994.
Club hero: Liam O'Brien is one of Ireland's greatest. He's competed in World Championships and Olympics where he made the semi-final of the 3000m steeplechase in LA in 1984. He won his first National senior title as a 16-year-old back in 1971 (when I first coached him) and is currently the second fastest veteran in the world of all time at the distance.
Greatest rivals: Traditionally, it has been Leevale in the Cork county championships but more recently the main threat is from other sports. There is huge competition from soccer and GAA and athletics has really suffered as a result.
