This past year one young Limerick athlete has caught the attention of the athletics fraternity; Darragh Whelan (Limerick AC). Since winning the National Track and Field in Tullamore last July the affable Limerick athlete has been unbeaten nationally; 2024 Track 2:08.80, and 1500m 4:17.18, 2024 National u14 and u15 Cross Country (Enniskillen and Tramore), 2025 Schools All-Ireland (Galway) and the 2025 National Indoor 800m (1:59.96). With two national championship records already under his belt, the jewel in his crown of glory has to be winning the SIAB Cross-Country International in Scotland last month. While his talent is undeniable, one has to wonder whether genetics does play some part in his ability. Darragh’s mother is Susan Murnane, multiple Irish title holder at Cross-Country and Track, Irish International and a member of the providence team who won the NCAA Cross-Country title in 1995. His father, Mark Whelan, competed with Raheny Shamrocks was also an international athlete who like his wife Susan competed for Ireland in the SIAB Cross-Country.
Starting Athletics
Darragh started athletes in the Limerick AC “Little Cheetahs” programme. A programme that consists of mostly games, agility and some running. At eight he progressed from there to the running groups, training with other kids his age. His first national medal was 6th place at the National u11 Cross-Country in 2021. The following spring he finished 3rd in the u12 indoor 600m. The talent was already beginning to emerge. Wisely choosing to take things easy for 2022 and 2023 due to a growth spurt, it was not until 2024 that Whelan once again competed; winning the Minor boys’ Cross-Country Schools Championships. Like many kids his age he does play other sports, and his team sport of choice, these days is Gaelic Football. Although he has admitted that Athletics is now his main focus.
Similar athletics trajectory to his mother
What is interesting is that he is currently on a similar trajectory to his mother Susan (Murnane) at the same age. “At national level anyhow” laughs Susan. “I did not win the Junior SIAB International”. Susan has a very impressive athletics portfolio. Under the tutelage of Willie Logan (Limerick Emerald AC), Susan won every national cross-country championship age group title from u13 onwards, either in or out of her age. Her first medal was 10th place at the national u11 Cross-Country. By u13, there was nothing but gold. She also has several track titles to her name and competed in two SIAB Cross-Country Internationals and two Celtic Internationals before moving to Providence College in 1993 on scholarship. There under the tutelage of Ray Treacy she had another host of achievements, the main one being; a member of the 1995 Providence team that won the NCAA Cross-Country where she finished a very creditable 13th place individually in the same race.
Training
While their trajectories so far in athletics are somewhat similar, there are some differences in how they train. Darragh admitted he loves to run fast and his sessions are his favourite part of their training regime. He is coached by PJ O’Rourke who incidentally was also coached by Willie Logan and a contemporary of Murnane. It is no coincidence that O’Rourke implements the best of what worked for him and his fellow athletes from his own days of athletics. For Darragh the mileage is low but the sessions are of high quality, similar to what both himself and Murnane enjoyed as athletes. “What is very different in our training” said Murnane “is the groups. In my juvenile days there were larger groups, and we always had someone to work with during sessions, to push us and of course to enjoy the chats with during easy runs. I trained with Christine Geoghegan who was two years older than me and then there was a group of boys which included Darragh’s coach PJ, Frank Hahn and others. We always had someone to push us”. Darragh and another athlete, John Farrell are the oldest in the distance group and both PJ and Susan admit that this is something they would love to change. “Right now Darragh has no one to push him at sessions. Thankfully he is very focused and motivated and this does help”. However like most athletes, being part of a group is something that is very important for improvements as athletes progress.
When asked about his biggest achievements so far, as expected the SIAB International was Darragh’s instant choice. “Winning the SIAB International in Scotland. I knew I could do well as I knew the times of Theo Creed one of the English athletes, who had finished third in the English nationals. So, I knew that there were three good English lads, and they were the ones I had to focus on”. With the knowledge of the possibility of a podium place he placed himself in the midst of the English trio from the start. As the race progressed, he found himself relaxed and confident. Towards the end of the race it was this relaxed and confident state that gave him the courage to pass the English contingent and go on to win the race comfortably. Not dramatic or over emotional, a smile from Darragh speaks a thousand words. The tone in which he spoke of the race was like reading a book on how it felt after your first big international win.
Parential Involvement
Having parents like Mark and Susan who were both good athletes can affect their offspring in many ways. Both are mindful of both the pitfalls and benefits of this. “We leave the sessions to PJ” said Mark, “and we can ensure that his easy runs are easy and take care of the home stuff”. Darragh was quick to add, “I think having parents who were athletes is a big help. They get it, they both understand what it was like. My mam has been in the same races and done the same things”. He does not feel the pressure to compete just because they were athletes. All his parents want is for him to enjoy the sport and be happy doing it. “Darragh is highly motivated” said Susan, “he wants to do this, as Willie Logan said when he met him previously, he has a good head on his shoulders”. Willie Logan Susan’s former coach passed away earlier this year, a well-known figure in athletics and father to Nuala, Patricia and Paul, all great athletes. Both Patricia and Paul went to Providence, where Susan attended. In fact Darragh’s Dad Mark was on the same team as Paul Logan at the SIAB International back in 1989.
“Because we have lived it ourselves, we understand what is needed, from eating correctly, sleep and of course injury prevention. Even simple things like identifying when he is tried and needs a day off. We leave the sessions to PJ and we take care of the rest” said Susan. Having the combination of a coach you know well and parents who were former athletes, so far is working well for his progression.
Friends
Darragh also enjoys being able to continue to play Gaelic Football and hanging out with his friends. Mature beyond his years, he also knows there are certain limitations to what he can do. While most teenage boys can hang out and play football for hours, he knows that pre-race he has to curtail this somewhat. “My friends don’t really understand the work I put into my athletics, but I know I cannot kick a ball for six hours, so I have to make that decision”. Five days a week of training is a lot of time to invest in any sport and the young Limerick AC athlete is not going to let his investment go to waste. “It’s about getting the balance right” he said. The maturity in this fourteen year old astounds me once again.
2025 Goals
His favourite track is Tullamore, and his favourite athlete is Jakob Ingebrigtsen. It was while watching Ingebrigtsen and other elite athletes in Tokyo that he “first really got into it” he said of his inspiration for wanting to pursue athletics at an elite level. This young boy knows his athletics and the athletes. “Having the internet now makes it so much easier to get all the information and watch all the races” said Susan, “it is so different from when I was competing”.
His goals for 2025? “Get personal bests in all the events” he said. With a superb sub 2 min run over 800m last week and the u15 Indoor record to boost, there may be more than PB’s heading this modest teenager’s way. As Willie Logan said of him: “He understands it. He gets it. He has a good head on his shoulders”. And he does. The future looks bright for Darragh Whelan of Limerick AC and we look forward to what the summer will bring.