Half marathonCompleted

Donegal Half Marathon

August 30, 2026 · 9:00 AMLetterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland

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Race snapshot

Race Day

59°F

52–64°F · Feels mild

Total elevation gain

492ft

Relatively flat course · Net elevation change +66 ft

Participants

1,200

Medium-sized race

Crowd Rating

6/ 10

Good crowd energy

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The Lowdown

The Donegal Half Marathon is an annual road race held in Letterkenny, County Donegal, first run in 2014 and organised with the support of Letterkenny Athletic Club. Now one of the most popular running events in Ireland's northwest, the race draws close to 1,200 entrants each August, with sponsorship from the Kernan Retail Group. Runners can compete solo over the full 21.1 km or as part of a three-person relay team, each leg roughly 7 km. The course starts on the Conwal straight near the Aura Leisure Centre and opens with a flat four miles through the town before heading out over the Oldtown Bridge and through the rural townlands of Bomany, New Mills and Rashedog. The route returns to Letterkenny along the Glenties Road via Tullygay and Conwal, finishing on the Danny McDaid Track at the Aura Leisure Centre. The women's course record of 1:16:33 has stood since 2015, set by Letterkenny AC's Natasha Adams. For 2026, the race moves to a 9 am start and expects entries to reach around 1,200. Every finisher receives a medal featuring a raised image of the Grianan of Aileach, the ancient stone ringfort overlooking nearby Inishowen, along with a long-sleeved three-quarter-zip top. Online entry for 2026 ran from mid-January through August 27; the organisers also take walk-in entries at the Aura Leisure Centre in race week.

Course Highlights: 01Aura Leisure Centre and the Danny McDaid Track -- race start/finish.
02Oldtown Bridge -- crossing point over the River Swilly on the outbound loop.
03Conwal -- parish on the town straight where the race starts and finishes its loop.
04Grianan of Aileach -- ancient stone ringfort near Burt, depicted on the finisher's medal.
Also on this race weekend: Half marathon
Time Limit: 3 hours 30 minutes

Minimum Age: 16 years
Entry Methods: Online (eventmaster.ie)
Walk-in entry at the Aura Leisure Centre in race week
Eligibility: Minimum age 16 for the half marathon (estimate, consistent with Athletics Ireland convention for half-marathon-distance road races; not separately confirmed on an official FAQ page).
Required Documents: Photo ID for race-week bib collection (estimate, standard practice for Irish AAI-permitted road races; not separately confirmed on an official FAQ page).
Cancellation & Refund Policy: No published refund or deferral policy found; based on comparable small AAI-permitted Irish road races, transfers/refunds are typically not offered once entered. Estimate, not separately confirmed on an official FAQ page.

Questions about the Donegal Half Marathon 2026

When is the Donegal Half Marathon 2026?

This edition ran on Sunday, August 30, 2026. The 2027 date is to be confirmed.

What is the Donegal Half Marathon time limit?

3 hours 30 minutes.

What is the Donegal Half Marathon course like?

150 m of total elevation gain. It passes Aura Leisure Centre and the Danny McDaid Track -- race start/finish, Oldtown Bridge -- crossing point over the River Swilly on the outbound loop and Conwal -- parish on the town straight where the race starts and finishes its loop.

What is the weather like at the Donegal Half Marathon?

Race-day temperatures are usually 11–18 °C (52–64 °F).

Prepare for This Race

Pace CalculatorPlan splits for half marathon Race PredictorPredict your half marathon time BQ CalculatorCheck BQ time for half marathon Fuel PlannerPlan nutrition for half marathon, moderate weather Difficulty Analyzer492ft gain, 59°F avg, half marathon Training PacesTraining zones for half marathon

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