Monaghan Phoenix Marathon Festival Returns to Rossmore Forest Park for Full and Half Marathon Distances
The Monaghan Phoenix Marathon Festival returns to Rossmore Forest Park on Sunday, September 27, with full and half marathon distances starting at 9:00am, as hundreds of runners from across Ulster and beyond take to the scenic forest trails of the Rossmore estate on the outskirts of Monaghan town for one of the most picturesque running events in the Ulster athletics calendar.
Background
The Monaghan Phoenix Marathon Festival has established itself as one of the most popular running events in Ulster over the past several years, drawing participants from across the province and from the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and England. The event is organised by Monaghan Phoenix Athletic Club, one of the most active athletics clubs in the Ulster region, and is held under Athletics Association of Ireland permit, ensuring that times recorded at the event are eligible for use as qualification standards for other races.
Rossmore Forest Park, which serves as the venue for the festival, is a 350-hectare mixed woodland estate on the outskirts of Monaghan town that was formerly the demesne of the Rossmore family. The park, which is managed by Coillte, features a network of forest trails, a lake, and a variety of habitats that make it one of the most attractive natural spaces in County Monaghan. The combination of forest trails, open meadows, and lakeside paths provides a varied and scenic course that is challenging enough to test experienced runners while remaining accessible to those completing their first marathon or half marathon.
The festival format — with a 10km race on Saturday and full and half marathon distances on Sunday — allows participants to choose the distance that best suits their fitness level and ambitions, and has contributed to the event's broad appeal. Many participants travel to Monaghan for the weekend, staying in local hotels and guesthouses and contributing to the local economy in the process.
Key Developments
Sunday's full and half marathon races start at 9:00am from the main car park at Rossmore Forest Park. The full marathon covers 42.2 kilometres of forest trails and country roads, while the half marathon covers 21.1 kilometres on a course that takes in the most scenic sections of the park. Both races are chip-timed, with results available online within hours of the finish. Participants receive a technical t-shirt and a bespoke medal on completion of their race, along with refreshments at the finish line and at water stations along the course.
Due to limited parking at the venue, participants are encouraged to park at the nearby Retail Park and walk or jog the approximately 1.5 kilometres to the start line — an arrangement that has become a familiar part of the Monaghan Phoenix Marathon experience and that serves as an informal warm-up for many runners. The club has arranged a shuttle bus service for participants who prefer not to walk, and marshals are stationed along the route to the start line to assist with directions.
The Saturday 10km race, which started at 10:00am, attracted a strong field of runners from across Ulster and beyond, with competitive athletes and recreational runners alike taking on the forest course. The results of the 10km will be published on the Monaghan Phoenix Athletic Club website, along with the full marathon and half marathon results from Sunday.
Why It Matters
The Monaghan Phoenix Marathon Festival is more than a sporting event — it is a significant community occasion that brings hundreds of visitors to Monaghan town and the surrounding area, generating economic activity for local businesses and showcasing the natural beauty of the county to a wider audience. Running events of this kind have become an important part of the rural Irish economy, with participants spending money on accommodation, food, and local services in the days around the event. For Monaghan Phoenix Athletic Club, the festival is the highlight of the club's annual calendar and a major fundraising event that supports the club's programmes for junior and senior athletes throughout the year. The event also plays a role in promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles in a county where, like many rural areas, access to organised sport can be limited.
Local Impact
The Monaghan Phoenix Marathon Festival has a significant positive impact on the local economy, with participants and their supporters filling hotels, guesthouses, and bed-and-breakfasts in Monaghan town and the surrounding area. Local restaurants and cafes benefit from the influx of visitors, and local businesses have reported that the festival weekend is one of the busiest of the year. The event also provides a platform for local sponsors to reach a large and engaged audience, with businesses from across County Monaghan and the wider Ulster region supporting the festival. For the running community in Monaghan, the festival is a source of enormous pride and a demonstration of what a dedicated group of volunteers can achieve when they work together with a shared vision.
What's Next
Results from Sunday's full and half marathon races will be published on the Monaghan Phoenix Athletic Club website and on the Athletics Association of Ireland results database. The club will hold its annual prize-giving ceremony in the coming weeks, recognising the top finishers in each age category and celebrating the achievements of all participants. Planning for the 2027 Monaghan Phoenix Marathon Festival is expected to begin in the new year, with the club aiming to build on the success of this year's event and to attract an even larger field of participants. The club is also planning a series of training events and social runs in the coming months to maintain the momentum generated by the festival.
