Dublin Marathon Group has now invested more than €350,000 in developing Irish endurance athletes through Marathon Mission, its high-performance support programme established in 2009.
The Group has also confirmed that the Irish National Marathon Championships will again form part of the Irish Life Dublin Marathon, taking place on Sunday, October 25th, reinforcing the connection between Ireland’s largest mass-participation running event and the development of the country’s elite marathon runners.
As a not-for-profit organisation, Dublin Marathon Group reinvests part of the success generated by its events into the wider development of endurance running.
Marathon Mission combines direct athlete bursaries, funding for the Athletics Ireland Endurance High Performance Programme, National Marathon Championship prize money and performance incentives intended to attract Ireland’s leading runners to compete at home.
The programme has helped athletes access altitude camps, specialist coaching, international competition and high-performance training environments during a period in which the financial demands placed on emerging endurance runners have continued to increase.
In 2025 alone, Marathon Mission invested €35,000 in the individual and team prize funds at the Irish National Marathon Championships and contributed a further €27,000 to Athletics Ireland’s Endurance High Performance Programme.
An additional Irish-only performance bonus was introduced to encourage more leading domestic athletes to compete in the Irish Life Dublin Marathon and National Championships.
“As a not-for-profit organisation, we believe the success of our events should create a lasting legacy beyond race day,” said Dublin Marathon Group Chief Executive Seán Ó Riain.
“Marathon Mission reflects that commitment. We are creating opportunities for Ireland’s leading endurance athletes to develop, compete and succeed on the international stage.
“We’re proud that the success of our events enables us to reinvest in the future of the sport while strengthening the Irish National Marathon Championships and inspiring the next generation of endurance athletes.”
The programme takes on additional importance as athletes move into the qualification period for the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.
The recently published Athletics Ireland National Endurance Group for 2026 includes established and emerging distance athletes such as Fionnuala McCormack, Ava Crean, David McGlynn, Paul O’Donnell and Ryan Creech.
Athletics Ireland Performance Endurance Lead Mark Kenneally said the continuity of the support was particularly valuable for athletes working towards international qualification standards.
“Marathon Mission has been instrumental in supporting Ireland’s top endurance athletes over many years,” he said.
“The combination of financial backing and performance incentives allows athletes to fully commit to their preparation and compete at the highest level. As we look towards Olympic qualification, this type of sustained support is more important than ever in helping Irish athletes reach their full potential.”
Athletics Ireland Chief Executive Hamish Adams also thanked Dublin Marathon Group and those involved in the programme for their “continued commitment to supporting Irish endurance performance.”
The initiative highlights the broader sporting value that can be generated through a major mass-participation event. The Irish Life Dublin Marathon is both a significant commercial platform and a source of direct reinvestment into high-performance sport.
It is supported by an increasingly strong partnership network. Irish Life remains the title sponsor, Dublin City Council is a key event partner, and Sports Direct recently began a four-year agreement as Dublin Marathon Group’s Official Retail Partner and Official Pacing Team Partner.
Dublin Marathon Group, Irish Life, Dublin City Council and Sports Direct are all full members of Sport for Business.
The involvement of that group brings together an event owner, financial services brand, local authority and sports retailer around different parts of the running experience. Irish Life provides the principal event identity, Dublin City Council enables the marathon to take place through the capital, while Sports Direct’s retail and pacing partnership connects the event with runners throughout their preparation and on race day.
Marathon Mission adds the high-performance dimension to that ecosystem. It allows the commercial and participation success of the Irish Life Dublin Marathon and its associated Race Series to support athletes at the other end of the performance spectrum.
The €350,000 invested since 2009 is significant, but the programme’s greater strength may be its longevity. Endurance development requires sustained backing across several years rather than support confined to the immediate period before a championship.
Maintaining the National Championships within the Dublin Marathon also gives Ireland’s best runners a meaningful domestic target, supported by prize money and incentives, while allowing recreational participants and spectators to see national titles decided within the country’s biggest marathon.
It is a model of reinvestment that strengthens the event, the national championship and the high-performance pathway—and demonstrates how success on race day can leave a sporting legacy long after the final runner has crossed the line.
Dublin Marathon Group, Athletics Ireland, Dublin City Council, Irish Life, Sports Direct are full members of Sport for Business.
If you would like to be part of the Sport for Business community and see your organisation in our content, on our stages, and in the conversation happening every day around the commercial world of Irish Sport, email us today and let’s see what is possible.
Image Credit: Hawk-Eye Innovations
ABOUT SPORT FOR BUSINESS
Sport for Business is Ireland’s leading platform focused on the commercial, strategic and societal impact of sport. It connects decision-makers across governing bodies, clubs, brands, agencies, and public institutions through high-quality content, events, and insights.
Sport for Business explores how sport drives economic value, participation, inclusion and national identity, and how your story can be part of ours.
Through analysis, storytelling and convening the sector, it helps leaders understand trends, share best practices, and make better-informed decisions. It positions sport not just as entertainment but as a vital contributor to Ireland’s social and economic fabric.
Find out more about becoming a member today.
Or sign up for our Daily Sport for Business Snapshot email bulletins to get a flavour of the material we cover.
Sign up for our News Bulletins here.
