More than 400 people took to the roads of Inis Meáin in Galway Bay today for the annual "Inis Iron Meáin" road race.
Now in its 20th year, with a choice of five, 10 and 12km races, the race continues to attract competitors from Ireland and abroad with the 12km course featuring challenges like a run across the sand dunes and beach.
The race was first organised to raise funds for the island's secondary school, Coláiste Naomh Eoin.
Organisers of the event claim Inis Iron Meáin is the original island road race and that other communities have copied them by staging similar races.
Mayor of Galway city Eddie Hoade sounded the starting horn along with the Galway Rose, Deirdre Ní Cheoinín.
Connacht Rugby’s fullback Tiernan O’Halloran, who announced his retirement from the game this week, was at the starting line along with more than 400 other athletes from as far afield as Sweden and Austria.
Some Irish people returned from abroad for the Bank Holiday weekend to join members of their families in the race.
Primary school student Méabh Kealy travelled from Dublin to take part in the 5km race.
Inis Meáin has become very important to her family as her parents Eithne and Gerry met at the Inis Iron Meáin race and have been coming every year since.
The 10k and 12k races have become very popular with runners, as they take them across the island’s dramatic landscape from the rugged uninhabited southern end through the 'carcair’ or the jagged area, down the steep run to the pier at An Chóra.
From there, participants of the 12km race must follow the signs to the sand dunes and on to Trá Leitreach beach and Ceann Gainnimh with the island airstrip to their left, before continuing along the fields which are surrounded by the famous dry stone walls.
Principal of Coláiste Naomh Eoin, Mairéad Ní Fhátharta said that people often ask why the race’s name includes the word iron.
"It’s a very tough race across a variety of terrain. If you ask me why the word ‘iron’ forms part of the name, I can guarantee you won’t need to ask again once you have finished this race."
Rodhlann Mossap from Dublin was the winner of this year’s 12k race with a time of 43:21, followed by John Leahy with 44:23 and Mike O’Connor in third place with a time of 46.51.
