Medieval Marathon
The Lowdown
The Medieval Marathon is an annual road race through Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, one of Ireland's best-preserved medieval cities. Runners choose from four distances -- the Full Marathon (42.2 km), 30K, Half Marathon (21.1 km), and 10K -- all starting from Abbey Quarter and finishing at The Water Barracks, with staggered starts at 8:15 am (Full Marathon and 30K), 8:45 am (Half Marathon), and 9:15 am (10K). Organisers bill the 2026 running (Saturday, September 12, 2026) as Ireland's 9th Medieval Marathon, and it sold out ahead of race day. The course takes in some of the most historic sites in Kilkenny's medieval city centre before heading out onto quiet County Kilkenny country roads and looping back to finish at The Water Barracks. There is no race-day registration: runners collect their bib at The Water Barracks on Friday evening (6:00-8:30 pm) or Saturday morning from 6:30 am until one hour before their own start time. All finishers receive a bespoke medal and technical t-shirt. Entry for the sold-out 2026 edition cost EUR 60 for the Full Marathon and EUR 30 for the 10K, with the 30K and Half Marathon priced in between. The race is independently organised out of Kilkenny (contact: medievalmarathon@gmail.com) rather than run by a major national athletics body, and it is not an AIMS/World Athletics-certified course or an official Boston Marathon qualifier.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Good crowd energy
Abbey Quarter -- start point for all four distances, in Kilkenny city.
Kilkenny medieval city centre -- the early miles thread through the city's historic streets before heading out to the countryside.
The Water Barracks -- finish line for all distances and the race-week bib pickup point.
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Ireland
IE
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age 18 assumed for the Full Marathon, consistent with standard practice at comparable Irish marathons (estimate; not separately stated on the official site).
Required Documents
- Photo ID for race-pack collection is standard practice at Irish road races of this size; not separately itemized on the official site (estimate).
Entry Methods
- Online registration via njuko.com (sold out for 2026)
Cancellation & Refund Policy
No day-of registration is offered; entries are managed entirely through advance online sign-up (official site).
Organisers describe the 2026 race as Ireland's 9th Medieval Marathon.
Results are on record via MyRunResults from at least 2024 onward.
No race-day registration; entries close once the event sells out.
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