After a long time organising, Shannon Athletics Club hosted their very first open training session at their Grand Reopening on Wednesday the 31st of January, 2024.

With almost one-hundred children from across Shannon and beyond in attendance, it was an excellent showcase of how much need there is for robust athletics facilities in the town. It was also great to see so many of the parents stay for the full duration of the session to show their support. The long jump, in particular, seemed to be a favourite among much of the younger cohort, and is just a taste of the range of athletics activities that will be available at the club. With the evenings beginning to get brighter again, it's an ideal time to bring your kids down for some fun and fitness!

We at Shannon Community Partnership are eager to see the club supported by other groups and stakeholders in the community so that Shannon Athletics Club can continue to push for a full four-hundred metre track at the site. Members from several groups in Shannon, including Illaunmanagh parkrun, Mná le Chéile (The Women's Shed) and our own group were all there on the night to help out. These groups, along with Shannon Athletics Club, spent several hours of their time last weekend prepping the site for the reopening - there were many blisters by Sunday afternoon!

Following the huge turnout on Wednesday, the club are also looking for more volunteers to get involved. If this is something you would like to help out with, please get in touch with them directly and they can let you know what's required.

The club will be running registrations throughout February and all payment will be taken online. More details about the club and their training sessions can be found via their Facebook page below.