Event number 46.
I’m hoping to reach my half-cowell (50 different parkruns) some time in 2018. Part of this will be acheived using various weekend trips here and there, but I’m also lucky enough to have a few Irish ones not too far away. My NENDY (Nearest Event Not Done Yet) was Monaghan Town, about 50 miles away, and the sat nav reckoned 1 hour 15 would get us there.
The suggested route wasn’t the one I’d normally have chosen, going instead through Aughnacloy, and when I hit a “Road Closed – Diversion” sign, I did have a moment of panic. But the diversion didn’t add too many minutes to my eta. The route brought me into Monaghan from a different direction, but serendipitously passed this fab service station, with clean loos, coffee, snacks, plenty of parking for a leg stretch.
Access:
No postcodes in the south, so I had written out the directions from the website – follow the Clones Road, then turn left on 3 Mile House road, past the football stadium, and Rossmore Forest is on your left.
I arrived just after 9, and started looking for the familiar parkrun signs to assure me I was in the right place.
Facilities:
There is ample parking, and a small toilet block, which I would describe as “emergency use only”.
(Parkrun tourist tip #5: carry your own loo roll). There were a couple of flasks for tea afterwards, but I gather this isn’t a regular occurence.
Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle:
It was a beautiful morning, and as I got out of the car I was struck by all the chirpy birdsong.
So I decided to leave the headphones in the car, and let the twittering of the birdlife, and the tinkling of the streams be my natural soundtrack.
Course:
2 laps through the woods, surprisingly flat with a welcome downhill stretch towards the finish line.
It’s all gravel paths, very well signposted and marshalled. It is stunningly attractive, with a little bridge, streams, swans on a lake, and a host of inspiring trees.
The finish is at the car park, and the start line a short distance away. I was able to leave my jacket and keys under a table at the finish point.
Time:
I set off fast, and realised that the first lady was about 10m ahead of me. My mind briefly flirted with the possibility of a podium place, but at km 2 I was overtaken, and at km 3 my podium place evaporated. So I decided to take my own advice and not push too hard on any first visit – make it easy for yourself to nab a PB on any subsequent re-visits.
I took the second loop at a gentle canter, and stopped to take photos en route.
Crowd:
The average crowd size is smallish, there were 53 the day I was there. So it’s a good one to get a solid finish position! I bumped into some other tourists from Marlay at the brief, and the volunteers were all really friendly and encouraging. Is there a term for being the “runner with the most parkruns done” there? It was me, anyway.
Gear:
My Garmin amazingly worked without any issues! I wore my foresty leggings and my 100 shirt, only cow cowl there.
And the Rest:
This was the first time I got stuck beind a pony and trap on the way home! A delightful morning’s run, and I look forward to returning.
All My parkruns:
NI (and other) parkruns: summary list
Dancing At Lunacy 
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