Why Mám Éan should be your next race-cation: rugged trails, saintly summits, and the best of Connemara
If you’ve been waiting for the perfect excuse to head west, here it is: the Irish Mountain Running Association’s Mám Éan race returns to Connemara this summer - and it’s everything we love about mountain running in one compact hit of scenery, culture, and pure trail joy. Set in the Maumturk Mountains just north of Recess, the course is short enough to fit in a weekend yet stacked with views and technical fun you’ll talk about all year.
The race at a glance
- Date & time: Saturday, 23 August 2025, 10:00
- Distance & climb: 8.3 km / 350 m (junior course ~3.5 km / 170 m)
- Terrain & marking: Fully marked, rocky and grassy single-track with loose stones and a few punchy ramps; GPS not allowed
- Entry: €7 (seniors), €5 (U18/65+) — entries close 18:00 on Friday, 22 August; permit cap 50 so don’t dither
- Mandatory kit (Level B – final call on the day): waterproof jacket, hat/buff, gloves, whistle, charged phone (with emergency number), foil blanket. Random kit checks may occur.
Why Mám Éan is special
A summit with a story. “Mám Éan” (also written Maumeen/Mamean) means Pass of the Birds, a historic pilgrimage pass where St Patrick is said to have blessed Connemara. A tiny stone chapel, statue, and ancient stations of the cross sit on the col, lending the route a sense of place you won’t find on many start lines.
Views for days. From the high ground you’ll spy the Twelve Bens, Inagh Valley and the big, open boglands that define this corner of the Wild Atlantic Way. Even the run-in to the finish frames the Bens straight ahead - magic when you’re emptying the tank.
A course that punches above its weight. It’s predominantly an out-and-back with a neat variation around the chapel: early rocky path, a short climb to the chapel shoulder, a flowing, mixed-surface descent to ~4.2 km, then back with a grassy sting before the final fast kilometre. It’s technical in places—nimble feet rewarded.
Make a weekend of it: Galway & Connemara highlights
You’re racing for less than an hour—so give yourself two or three days to soak up the west.
- Pilgrim pause at the pass. Even off-race, Mám Éan is a beautiful, short hike with big horizons - ideal for a family leg-stretcher or a shake-out jog.
- Diamond Hill & Connemara National Park. Add an extra summit on Sunday for a panoramic sweep of coast and mountains. (It’s also a fixture in the Galway trail scene.)
- Galway city vibes. Base yourself in Galway for food, music, and the Latin Quarter’s weekend buzz, then drive the spectacular N59 into Connemara on race morning. (Parking at the Mám Éan trailhead is limited - IMRA encourages carpooling.)
Logistics you’ll care about
- Getting there: The trailhead is just off the N59 near Recess; IMRA links the exact car park and asks runners to follow marshals and carpool where possible.
- Route preview: IMRA provides the plotaroute map on the event page - handy for visualising the little mid-section variation and turning point.
- Weather & kit: West of Ireland conditions can flip fast; arrive with the full Level B kit and be ready to carry what the RD confirms at registration (08:45–09:40).
Part of a bigger Galway trail story
Mám Éan is a headline date in the IMRA Galway League, which strings together punchy, view-rich races across the county (Knockma, Diamond Hill and more). It’s the perfect entry point if you’re mountain-curious, or a satisfying challenge if you’re chasing league points.
How to secure your spot
Entries are live on the IMRA event page - and with a permit cap of 50, this one can fill quickly once the forecast turns promising. Sort your registration in advance, read the kit list, and you’re golden. Then bring a friend who’s overdue a Connemara trip. Pop over to the IMRA page for more details: https://imra.ie/events/view/id/2736
TL;DR: Come west
Short, sharp, scenic, and story-soaked: Mám Éan delivers a classic Connemara experience in under 10 km, with the chapel and the Bens as your backdrop and Galway city just down the road for the post-race feed. We’ll see you on the pass - tóg go bog é on the rocks, then let it fly to the line.
