Second win of the day at Mick Murphy 4 mile
WHILE most of us would struggle to get off the couch to complete one race, remarkably the first man past the post in the annual Mick Murphy 4 Mile in Ferns picked up his second winner’s medal of that day! Freddy Sittuk of the Raheny Shamrocks Club not only won the annual Ferns race for the fourth time, but he had also recorded a victory earlier that morning in a 10k Race in Wicklow.
‘I think this is Freddy’s fourth or fifth time to win it,’ said Race Director Luke Kehoe. ‘That was his second race that day and he had already won a 10k up in Wicklow that morning. He’s based down around Wexford a lot of the time. It wasn’t an easy run for him either and he was pushed hard. He’s a great man though.’
When the late Mick Murphy said that he wanted to put on a four mile road race shortly before his death in 2005, he could scarcely have imagined the event it would grow into over the years. A total of 195 runners whizzed through Ferns Village recently as the 13th annual Mick Murphy 4 Mile took centre stage once again recently.
Athletes from all over the country come to take part in the event, which is organised by Sliabh Buidhe Rovers in memory of a great clubman - Mick Murphy.
‘He came to me about a month before he died and said he wanted to organise a four mile run,’ said Race Director Luke Kehoe. ‘That year then we approached the family about doing it in his memory and we’ve been going ever since. Mick was a great man for the club. I think he spent about 15 years as Chairman.’
Sliabh Buidhe Rovers weren’t the only club represented at this year’s event, however. Up to eight clubs were represented on the day, along with unaffiliated runners from right across Leinster. While Freddy was the overall winner with a time of 20:48, Fiona Kehoe of Kilmore AC was first woman past the post with a time of 23:32.
Luke wished to thank everyone who took part and helped the success of the run, particularly thanking Louise Kehoe who he described as the ‘driving force’ of the event.