On Saturday 13th September 2025, Tralee will once again host the Jerry Kiernan 10K, a road race held in honour of the late Olympian and legendary coach whose impact on Irish athletics continues to echo far beyond the finish line.
🖊️ Entries are now open here and can be secured for €30. A portion of each registration goes directly to the Jerry Kiernan Foundation, continuing the work Jerry championed in his later years: supporting Ireland’s next generation of young athletes.
Celebrating a Legacy
“This is actually our second year doing the Jerry Kiernan race,” says race director Jim McNeice. “The idea came about a good few years ago now… when people think of Kerry, they always think of football, nothing but football. But there’s a lot of other famous people and athletes that have done an awful lot for Kerry.”
And few did more than Jerry Kiernan. A two-time Olympian and lifelong educator, Jerry’s legacy in Irish athletics extends beyond his own achievements. “In his later years, he was working with young and upcoming athletes,” says McNeice. “Getting them on the right road, giving them sponsorship, good coaching, training… stuff like that.”
The race supports the Jerry Kiernan Foundation, continuing his work with the next generation. Part of the admission fee that people pay goes to the Jerry Kiernan Foundation, continuing what Jerry stared.
The Route: Flat, Fast and Full of Views
Runners can expect a 10K route that captures the best of Tralee and its surrounds. “The route is the most flat route we can find in Tralee,” McNeise jokes. “I suppose the hills and things are individual opinions ,in my opinion, there’s just one little rise in it.”
The race begins out on quiet country roads, with early kilometres offering open views across rural Kerry and out towards Mount Brandon. The second half of the course then brings runners gradually back into town, tracing the edge of the Tralee Ship Canal, skimming past the iconic Blennerville Windmill, looping by the Aquadome, and finishing in the heart of Tralee Town Park beside the Kerry County Museum.
“You’ll have great views up onto the mountains, out to Mount Brandon,” says McAneese. “You’ll be out on country roads, running by the river that goes through town, then in along the canal. There’s great scenery on the route.”
What to Expect on the Day
Finishers will receive a custom-designed medal and a race t-shirt, with a water station at the halfway mark and refreshments at the finish line.
There will be a major water stop at the halfway point, with the usual, jellies, cold water etc, along with refreshments at the finish line.
Parking is straightforward, too. The start line is within a five-minute walk of one of car parks, just the main car park. So parking really is not a problem.
Event Essentials
📍 Start/Finish: Tralee Town Park
📅 Date: Saturday 13th September 2025
🕛 Time: 9am
💶 Entry Fee: €30
🎽 What You Get: Specially designed medal and t-shirt
🚰 On-Course Support: Halfway water station
☕ Post-Race: Refreshments at the finish
🅿️ Parking: Nearby car parks, 5 mins’ walk
🌐 Proceeds: Support the Jerry Kiernan Foundation
So There You Have It
A flat and fast route. A scenic Kerry backdrop. A medal with real meaning. The Jerry Kiernan 10K returns this September, keeping alive the ideals of bravery, guidance and excellence that Jerry himself stood for.
As McNeice puts it, “We’re nourishing Jerry’s ideas and his dreams, and keeping them going.”
Don't miss it.
