For the latest instalment of our Next Generation series, Run Republic turns the spotlight on one of Ireland’s brightest young track talents. We caught up with her coach, Martin Curley, to reflect on an impressive 2023 campaign and to find out what’s next for Caoimhe Byrne O’Connell.
“It’s been a busy year for Caoimhe,” Curley tells us, and that’s putting it mildly.
The Ennis Track Club athlete has quietly built a reputation as one of the most versatile young athletes in the country. While her focus is now on the long hurdles, the 300m distance at U17 level, the road to this event has taken in plenty of scenic stops. She’s a former National Indoor Champion in the high jump (2022), a 200m silver medallist in 2021, and no stranger to the sprint hurdles either.
The season began indoors, with Caoimhe joining forces with Gráinne Kennedy, Alexandra Ward, and Mirabel Emineke to secure a bronze medal in the National Indoor Relays for Ennis Track Club. Then came her first trip abroad, travelling to Glasgow for the Scottish Indoors, where she announced herself on the international stage with a third-place finish in the 60m hurdles. Not bad for a debut outing in foreign competition.
With the outdoor season came the real business, the long hurdles. And Caoimhe wasted no time making her mark, winning the Munster 300m hurdles title and setting a new championship record along the way.
Success followed at every turn. Representing Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, she swept to victory at the North Munster Schools Championships, before claiming gold again at the Munster Schools Finals. Her dominance earned her a place on the Munster team for the Tailteann Inter-Provincials, where she edged a thrilling final, the top three separated by less than a second and pulled on her first Irish singlet.
If 2023 was about building experience, she made sure to collect plenty. In Grangemouth, Scotland, at the Schools International, she finished just outside the medals in fourth, but then stormed back with a superb anchor leg in the 4x300m relay, helping the Irish team to a silver medal. Another medal came soon after at the All-Ireland Schools Championships.
With her confidence growing, Caoimhe chased fast times at the National Championships, not just for medals but for qualification standards. Her efforts were rewarded with a ticket to the prestigious English Schools Championships in Birmingham, where she lined out at the iconic Alexander Stadium and battled through to the final, returning home with a bronze medal.
Now, with 2024 on the horizon, a new challenge awaits: the move up to the 400m hurdles. It’s a step into unknown territory, but judging by the year she’s just had, you wouldn’t bet against her taking it all in her stride.
Having spoken to those closest to her, there’s real excitement about what lies ahead for Caoimhe Byrne O’Connell. And here at Run Republic, we’ll be watching every step of the way.