Catherine Reilly speaks with Dubliner Gerard McDonald
His favourite sports club in Dublin
“Well it’d be a biased to say my own, wouldn’t it?” wonders Gerard, in response to CityFolk’s question. He is assured it wouldn’t be.
Suitably placated, Gerard’s favourite sports club is revealed as Donore Harriers athletics club in Chapelizod.
Gerard explains that the club was founded in 1893 and is “steeped in history”. Indeed, it is home to the longest-running organised cross-country race in Europe, the Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield, which was established in 1896.
“It takes place every Stephen’s Day morning, it is a 10-mile cross-country which is quite pleasant – not,” says Gerard with a laugh.
Gerard was involved with the club as a child before falling away from running for some years and he resumed the sport about seven years ago.
He enjoys “the sport, the camaraderie, social events, training with my club-mates, going to competitions down the country and there is the usual banter on the bus.”
His favourite pub or landmark
“I don’t like pubs,” says Gerard. “Let’s think. I like the pub the Lord Edward, because they don’t look at you as if you have two heads when you order a pot of tea, which is what I usually order in a pub. And they have a fireplace upstairs, it’s a traditional type pub and it’s not like a theme bar – it’s not one of those theme bars, which I hate. It’s loyal to the traditional Irish pub.”
As for his favourite landmark, it is probably the Phoenix Monument in the Phoenix Park.
“You can only see it in the summer. When we go training in the winter, we can’t see anything because it’s dark in the park. But when you can see the Phoenix Monument it is usually springtime or summer.”
As in, nice weather for running?
“Any weather is nice weather for running,” he responds.
– in conversation with Catherine Reilly
