When East Down Athletics Club decided to commission three trophies for presentation at Jimmy’s 10k, they were honoured to receive a visit from Lady Mary Peters to perform the official duties. Lady Mary (previously a Dame) was recently installed as “Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter” in recognition of her long service to sport through the Mary Peters Trust which was set up to support Northern Irish athletes who aspire to compete at world level. Her own legendary performances including her Gold Medal in the pentathlon event at the Munich Olympics in 1972 have made her an iconic figure and her presence at the EDAC Clubrooms in the Ballydugan Estate caused a flurry of excitement in both young and old.
After a DVD of archive footage which relived her golden moment and the legacy which that created, Lady Mary gave a short talk which was truly inspirational. She recounted the events leading up to her win in Munich and was keen to stress that she was not a standout athlete in the early stages. Her mantra is that determination and self belief are as important as talent and she encouraged all to adopt that attitude. The juniors were clearly impressed and listened intently. She also explained how her charitable Trust has aided many NI athletes to pursue their dream. She then dedicated the three Shields. The Jimmy Murray Memorial for First Male (in memory of Jimmy Murray who founded the East Down Club in 1987) was in fact an existing trophy which was being replaced due to lack of space to record the names of winners since this trophy was there from the outset.
The Joe Quinn Perpetual for First Female and the Frank Cunningham Perpetual for First U20 were inaugural presentations to honour the enthusiasm and commitment shown by the two named men in relation to East Down AC and their involvement in the wider running community in Downpatrick and beyond. Joe Quinn has been associated with the Club since its inception in 1987 and with the arrival of Frank Cunningham, he found an able ally as they were both keen to drive the club forward and had the energy to do so.
They have been responsible for not just the delivery of Jimmy’s 10K but for scores of other local races in the area. Between them they have held almost every position on the Club’s Committee as well as acting as coach and mentor for innumerable athletes. They were responsible for securing premises for the Club in 2015. This base opened up training possibilities and provided us with a place to call home. Under their guidance the Club has gone from strength to strength. Frank has now stepped back a bit but Joe despite a recent knee replacement is still at the club daily and hopes to resume duties as soon as he is fit. Naming the trophies is a long overdue recognition of their contribution and it is hoped that they will enjoy seeing the shields handed out in the years to come.
As testimony to the respect in which they are held, there was a great turnout to see the commissioning of the awards. There were the top athletes who then received the commissioned trophies for their wins in 2018 and 2019. Mark McKinstry First Male in both years and Catherine O’Connor (2018) and Kerry O’Flaherty (2019) as First Females. Patrick McNiff the U20 Winner was unable to attend. Also present were the Jimmy’s 10 sponsors who have helped to raise the profile of the race and provide the financial backing that is needed to deliver a top quality event. M.B McGrady& Co, the headline sponsors, have been onboard for a full decade and have indicated that they intend to continue which is great news. Other local businesses are also longterm supporters including Bells Supervalu Crossgar, P.Gardiner Carpets, Gordons Chemists, Plus2print, Wrap and Roll, Athlos Triathlon, McDonalds Downpatrick, Asda Downpatrick, Soaring Productions and Translink and many were represented on the night. There were others there from the local community who have helped over the 21 years that Jimmy’s 10K has been in existence as well as past members, current members and Juniors and Parents.
After the presentations, Joe and Frank received gifts on behalf of the Club and Lady Mary was given flowers as a thank you. There were light refreshments and a chance to mingle when members past and present and friends of the Club were able to catch up and relive mutual memories. Joe and Frank were delighted with evening and thanked those responsible for putting together the occasion.
More photos of the night can be seen at https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHiQHDB Official photos credit to Chris Halpin Mourne Observer. This album also includes some taken by members.