Athletics

ATHLETICS

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Our new school, Coláiste Muire Máthair, draws on a rich history of athletics, and hopes to continue to build on the reputation developed by our founding schools, St. Mary's College and Our Lady's College (whose founding schools were Mercy Galway and Presentation Galway). A look through the record books shows that between the three original schools a total of 372 Connacht titles have been won by the schools, 333 to St. Mary's and 39 to the Mercy and the Pres. In 2022 we competed as CMMG for the first time and succeeded in adding another ten titles to that total, in what hopefully will be a new era in athletics for our school

The name of St. Mary’s College Galway has been synonymous with all that is best in Connacht Schools Athletics for almost a century. Records in the school show it as having competed in the inaugural Connacht Track and Field Championships back in the 1930’s. It was also one of the six schools to compete in the first Connacht Cross-Country championships in the early 1960’s. This link shows a record of all the Connacht champions since the start of the Connacht Schools championships

Over the years Mary's has produced a number of excellent performances both at Provincial and National level and was the outstanding school in Connacht for the past number of years, winning the overall schools title in both Cross-Country and Track and field regularly. All this hard work eventually culminated in Mary's winning the College of Science Cup for best overall School at the All-Ireland Track and Field finals in Tullamore in June 2017. This was only the fifth time in its 100-year history that this magnificent trophy, and achievement, has crossed the Shannon to Connacht.

Outstanding performances include the triumph of Anthony Hebron in the Irish Schools 400m Hurdles in June 2011, the consistently excellent performances of Keith Fallon in both 800m and cross country, and the wonderful raw talent of Padraic Creaven and Samuel Samson. Padraic was the first Mary’s athlete to win the Connacht minor cross-country title for 10 years, and then further enhanced his reputation with a medal winning performance at the National Finals, before producing a stunning performance to win the minor 1500m, breaking a record that had stood for 30 years. In 2012 he created history by becoming the first Mary’s athlete ever to win a national schools cross-country title when he romped to victory in the Junior boys All-Ireland hosted by St. Mary’s. Samuel Samson is another athlete who has tasted national success, winning a bronze medal at both the Irish Schools Track and Field finals (in the Junior 800m) and at the All-Ireland Schools Combined Events finals in 2012 and 2013, and then following this up with a bronze medal in the Inter 400m Hurdles at both the National finals and the Tailteann Games in 2013. Sam won further medals in the Senior 400 Hurdles. Both Padraig and Samuel have been selected to represent Ireland in schools' athletics events. Samuel’s brother Kelvin is another who has performed excellently, winning a national bronze medal in both the Triple Jump and the 400m Hurdles at Inter level in 2016. The relays have been successful medal winning territory as well, with the College winning bronze in the Inter 4 x 100m in 2015, silver in the Senior 4 x 100m in 2016 and followed these up with an excellent silver in the senior 4 x 400m in 2017. All three teams featured the talented athlete Shane Traynor-Canavan, who also medaled in the national senior Combined Events finals in 2016. Naoise Walsh became the first CMMG athlete to medal at the nationals when he finished 3rd in the Senior Discus in 2022.

St. Mary's College were the premier performing school in Connacht Schools’ athletics from 2007 to 2019. Although recent performances haven’t matched those of the past for seven years from 2007, we were the best overall boy’s school shield winners at the Connacht Cross-Country finals and have been overall champions at the Track and Field finals since 2007. We have also performed exceptionally well at the Connacht Combined events championships regularly producing Connacht Champions and medal winners, as well as achieving medal success at the national finals.

Recent shield winning athletics performances at Connacht Championships are detailed in the table below.

Track and Field (Boys)

Cross-Country (Boys)

2022 Cross Country (Girls) senior 2nd

* DNC due to a bereavement

^DNC due to weather

ALL-IRELAND ATHLETICS MEDAL WINNERS

2023: Lemar Lucciano Gabriel (Intermediate 100m 2nd)

2022: Naoise Walsh (Senior Discus 3rd)

2017: Shane Traynor Canavan (Senior Combined Events 3rd), (Shane Traynor Canavan, Ryan Traynor O’Toole, Diarmuid Mulkerrins, Gabriel Dossen (Senior 4 x 400m 2nd), Jason Lydon (Minor Shot Putt 3rd)

2016: Kelvin Samson (Inter 400m Hurdles and Triple Jump 3rd), Kamil Szymaszek, Selassie Seshi Doe, Kelechi Asonye, Shane Traynor Canavan (Senior Relay 2nd)

2015: Samuel Samson (Senior 400m Hurdles 3rd), Ryan Traynor -O’Toole, Selassie Seshi Doe, Kelvin Samson, Shane Traynor Canavan (Intermediate 4 X 100m Relay 3rd)

2014: Samuel Samson (Inter 400m 3rd)

2013: Samuel Samson (Inter 400m Hurdles 3rd, Tailteann Games 400m H 3rd, Inter Combined Events, 3rd)

2012: Samuel Samson (Junior 800m 3rd, Combined Events 3rd); Padraig Creaven (Junior Cross-Country 1st, Tailteann Inter-Provincial Games 3000m 2nd)

2011; Anthony Hebron (Intermediate 400m Hurdles 1st); Padraig Creaven (Minor Cross-Country 6th)

2010: Keith Fallon (Senior Combined Events 2nd)

2009: Osaze Osagie (Junior 100m 3rd, 200m 2nd)

2008: Naoise O’Lionaird (Senior Combined Events 3rd)

1997: Stephen Casserly (Intermediate 1500m Steeplechase 1st)

1994: Intermediate Cross-Country Team 3rd (Simon Daly, Garret O’Neill, Aidan Wallace, Daibhi MacDomhnaill, Brian Langan, Gerard Forde, David Burke, David Byrne)

IRISH INTERNATIONALS

Lemar Lucciano Gabriel (Intermediate 100m, 4 x 100m 2023) Padraig Creaven (Junior Cross-Country 2011), Samuel Samson (Junior Combined Events 2012, Inter 2013), Osaze Osagie (Junior 100/200m 2009) Barry O’Sullivan Intermediate 1989)

2022 Season

2023 Season