As we build towards the next Dublin Marathon, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on some of the great names who’ve graced the race’s storied past. With that nostalgic nod, let’s head back to 1982, a time of shoulder pads, synth music, and a particularly special win for the late, great Jerry Kiernan.
Ireland in 1982: Trials, and Triumphs
To understand the significance of Kiernan’s win, we must first appreciate the backdrop against which it happened. Ireland in 1982 was very different from the one we know today. The economy was struggling, unemployment was high, and emigration was at the forefront of national conversations. The Troubles in the North cast a long shadow over the country, and on a global scale, the Falklands War and the Cold War dominated headlines.
But there was a lot more than doom and gloom. The Ireland of the early ‘80s was one brimming with cultural pride and a sense of community. RTÉ had just celebrated its 21st anniversary, U2 were on the rise, and sports provided a much-needed release from the everyday challenges. Running, in particular, had been on the up, with marathon races seeing a surge in popularity. And at the heart of it, the Dublin Marathon was quickly becoming one of the key dates in the Irish sporting calendar.
Kiernan’s Victory: Battling the Road, Battling Himself
On that crisp morning of 27th October 1982, Jerry Kiernan stood at the start line. Already a prominent figure in running circles, having become the seventh Irish athlete to break the 4-minute mile in 1976 and setting an Irish record over 3000 metres in 1977, his victory at the Dublin Marathon would cement his place as one of the nation’s most beloved athletes.
A schoolteacher by profession, Kiernan’s unassuming nature made him all the more endearing. He wasn’t flashy or boastful. He was simply a man who loved to run, who had the talent to match, and who was prepared to put in the miles.
In a field of 10,950 runners, the 29-year-old Clonliffe Harriers runner set off on his first marathon, and his approach was nothing short of fearless. He charged out of the gates with the kind of pace that suggested he was on course to break records.
The first mile was blisteringly fast, clocking in at 4:48, with Kiernan setting a relentless pace that left most of the field in his wake. By the three-mile mark, he had passed through in 14:30, alongside a select group of runners including Neil Cusack, the previous year’s winner, and Belgian challenger Frederick Van Der Vannet. Even by the 10-mile mark, the race seemed destined to be something extraordinary, with Kiernan on track for a finish that may threaten the Irish marathon record in his debut at the distance.
But as anyone who has run a marathon knows, the race truly begins after the halfway point, and this is where Kiernan's drama unfolded. At 16 miles, he felt the first twinges of cramp in his legs, forcing him to slow down. By mile 17, the pain was so severe that he had to stop, desperately trying to stretch out the cramp. “I felt cramp in my legs at 16 miles and thought I was in serious trouble,” Kiernan recalled to the Irish Independent afterward. Coghlan, who had been following Kiernan in the timing van, jumped off to offer encouragement, running alongside him and giving him the emotional lift he needed.
Despite the setbacks, Kiernan pushed on, but the cramps returned at mile 21 and again just a mile from the finish at Merrion Square. The finish line seemed further away with every painful step.
At 22 miles, Kiernan had built up a lead of nearly four minutes over Van Der Vannet, but as he struggled in the final miles, that lead began to shrink. By mile 25, the gap was down to just over a minute. Kiernan was now running on fumes on stopped again. In a moment of desperation, he almost gave up, telling his former training partner, Eamonn Coghlan, "I cannot go on". "This is your day," Coghlan told him, spurring Kiernan on as the cramps continued to gnaw at his legs.
Sheer willpower carried him through the final stretch, crossing the finish line at St. Stephen’s Green in 2:13:45, completely spent but victorious. His time stood as the fastest ever recorded by an Irishman in the Dublin Marathon until 2019, when it was surpassed by both Stephen Scullion and Mick Clohisey, who finished 2nd and 6th, respectively. Remarkably, 43 years later, despite advances in training, nutrition, and footwear, it still ranks as the 4th fastest time by an Irishman.
Shortly afterwards, utterly exhausted, Jerry was asked by a doctor for a blood test. He quipped, "If you can find some."
The Women’s Race
The 1982 women’s race was no less dramatic, with 23-year-old Debbie Mueller, The "Twiggy" from Massachusetts taking the title in her first marathon. Mueller, who had won a trip to Dublin as part of a U.S. athletics competition, put in a strong, steady performance, finishing in 2:40:58. Her strategy was simple but effective: a gradual build-up that allowed her to overtake the race favourite, Mary Purcell, at the 20-mile mark.
Purcell, who had been leading the race and was two minutes ahead of Mueller at one stage, hit the infamous "wall" at 21 miles and faded to finish sixth. Mueller, meanwhile, showed no signs of struggle, describing the race to RTÉ as "not too exhausting," largely due to the downhill sections of the course that suited her style of running. Dublin’s Deirdre Nagle finished a close second in 2:42:08, the third-fastest time ever recorded by an Irishwoman at the time. Switzerland’s Verena Forster took third in 2:46:09, completing a competitive women’s race.
The Legacy of a Legend
In just his first attempt at the distance, Jerry Kiernan not only won but did so in a time that would hold up as the fastest by an Irish man in Dublin marathon history until just five years ago. His courageous run, marred by cramps and near-collapse, was a testament to his mental strength as much as his physical ability. In the moment of victory, Jerry acknowledged that the effort had been worthwhile, although, as he remarked, “but coming down the Howth Road, I was not so sure.”
His race-day struggles and determination to fight through the pain remain a key part of Dublin Marathon folklore. The fact that his winning time, 2:13:45, would have been fast enough to win the marathon in 2014 is a testament to the level of performance he achieved that day.
However, Kiernan’s win wasn’t just about the 26.2 miles he ran that day. It was a chapter in a much longer story. He went on to represent Ireland at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where he finished a very respectable ninth in the marathon. He would go on to be considered one of the best 10-mile racers in the world during the 1980s. Then in 1992, he would win the Dublin Marathon again, completing the Dublin Marathon double exactly ten years apart.
But it was his deep commitment to Irish athletics that made him a true icon. Kiernan’s passion for the sport never waned, and he went on to coach elite Irish athletes, including this year’s European Gold medallist Ciara Mageean. Throughout his life, he remained a vocal advocate for running in Ireland, always unafraid to speak his mind and call things as he saw them.
An Enduring Memory, A Lasting Inspiration
As the streets of Dublin prepare to welcome thousands of runners once again, it’s hard not to feel the echoes of those who’ve come before. Jerry Kiernan’s 1982 win is one of those timeless moments in Irish athletics history, a win that reminds us of the power of determination and perseverance.
In a year when Ireland was struggling economically and socially, Kiernan’s win offered a rare moment of collective pride, with the magic of the Dublin Marathon offering temporary respite. His victory demonstrated anything is possible, even when the odds seem stacked against you.
And as Dublin Marathon runners take to the streets this year, perhaps they’ll channel some of the same grit and determination that carried Jerry Kiernan to the finish line all those years ago.
Image: RTÉ