More than 100 individual and team prizes will be on offer when the Eyeries 5 Mile returns to the Beara Peninsula on Saturday November 7th. It is the fourth and final race in the Beara AC Autumn 5 Mile Series, and the organisers have given it an accurate nickname: the one with all the prizes.
Entries are still available through the live booking page. Adult entry costs €20, under 16s can take part free when accompanied by a parent or guardian, and online sales are scheduled to remain open until noon on race day.
The prizes may grab the attention, but the real reason to make the trip is a challenging road course around one of West Cork's most recognisable villages.
The One With All The Prizes
The Eyeries race has built much of its reputation around an unusually deep prize list.
The organisers are promising more than 100 prizes across the individual and team competitions in 2026. That gives the event a proper club race feel, with the contest continuing well beyond the first few runners across the line.
Team entrants must be paid up members of an Athletics Ireland affiliated club and must wear their club singlet on race day. The format gives clubs another reason to travel in numbers, while individual entrants can still race without being attached to a team.
The standard at the front can be serious. Mark Walsh of Leevale AC won the 2025 men's race in 25:59, while Michelle Finn, also of Leevale AC, led the women home in 28:23. Those times tell their own story on a route that gives very little away for free.
This is not a race offering a large prize list to disguise an ordinary afternoon. The course, setting and village finish already give Eyeries an identity. The prizes simply add another reason for runners and clubs to make the journey west.
Five Miles That Must Be Managed
The Eyeries route is a measured, anti clockwise road course beginning around one third of a mile outside the village on the R575.
The opening half mile is mainly level or downhill, giving runners an inviting start. That invitation should be treated with a little suspicion. A short climb follows on the approach to the junction with the R571, before the route passes the GAA grounds and settles into a slight incline around the first mile.
The second mile contains the first proper warning. A sharp climb arrives between roughly 1.5 and 1.75 miles, followed by a long downhill section that continues towards the 5K point.
Just before three miles, runners turn left from the main Castletownbere to Kenmare road and head back towards Eyeries on the R575. The road then rises steadily for around two thirds of a mile, with the gradient becoming more demanding until shortly after the four mile mark.
The final mile begins with a few more undulations before the course finally shows some mercy. The last half mile is largely downhill, allowing runners to gather speed before the finish in the centre of the village.
It is a route that rewards patience. A reckless first mile can leave the later climb back towards Eyeries feeling twice as long, while a controlled opening gives runners the chance to use the downhill finish properly.
Four Races Across Beara
Eyeries closes a series that has moved across four very different parts of the Beara Peninsula during the autumn.
The opening race took place in Glengarriff on September 5th, followed by Allihies on September 26th and Bere Island on October 17th. The finale now brings the series to Eyeries on November 7th.
Each round has its own character. Glengarriff brought the park, Allihies took the field into the western parish and Bere Island required the small matter of a ferry trip. Eyeries finishes the series with the toughest course and the largest collection of prizes.
Runners do not need to have completed the earlier rounds to enter the finale. The current booking page offers standalone Eyeries entries, leaving the race open to anybody who wants one final West Cork five mile test before winter settles in.
A Finish Worth Travelling For
Eyeries sits on the northern side of the Beara Peninsula, overlooking Coulagh Bay and the mouth of the Kenmare River. Its brightly painted houses make it one of the most distinctive villages on the Wild Atlantic Way.
The race uses that setting well. The course moves out onto the surrounding roads before turning back for a quick descent into the village, where the colour and compact finish area should provide a welcome change from the exposed sections outside it.
Race headquarters will be at Eyeries Hall. Teas, coffee and refreshments are due to be served there after the finish, with the prize presentation also taking place in the hall.
That post race gathering matters. A remote race needs to offer more than a start line and a timing mat, particularly when clubs have travelled a long distance. Eyeries has the kind of village hall finish that allows runners to warm up, compare stories from the hills and find out just how far down the prize list their afternoon has taken them.
Entry Is Still Available
Adult and juvenile entries are currently available for €20. Children under 16 may enter free when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The race starts at 2.30pm on Saturday November 7th and will be chip timed by Pop Up Races. Online sales are due to close at noon that day, although entering earlier removes one job from the journey to Beara.
The event has an approved Athletics Ireland permit and uses an officially measured course. Water stops will be provided, with first aiders, St John Ambulance and a doctor listed among the medical support.
The race takes place on public roads. Participants are instructed to follow the stewards, remain on the left side and stay alert to the conditions around them.
Race Essentials
Event: Eyeries 5 Mile Road Race Date: Saturday November 7th 2026 Start Time: 2.30pm Location: Eyeries, Beara Peninsula, County Cork Distance: Five miles Course: Measured anti clockwise road route Entry: €20 for adults and juveniles aged 16 to 18 Under 16 Entry: Free when accompanied by a parent or guardian Timing: Chip timing by Pop Up Races Race HQ: Eyeries Hall Refreshments: Tea, coffee and refreshments after the race Prizes: More than 100 individual and team prizes Team Entry: Athletics Ireland affiliated club members wearing club singlets Online Entry Closes: Noon on Saturday November 7th Permit: Athletics Ireland approved Entry Status: Open when checked Enter:Book Through Eventmaster
