Dublin City Council Dublin City Half Marathon

Dublin City Centre will come alive on Sunday, May 3rd as the sold-out Dublin City Council Dublin City Half Marathon returns for its second year, bringing thousands of runners onto the capital’s streets for one of its largest mass participation events.

Starting on O’Connell Street from 8:30am, participants will take on the 21.1km route through the North Side, out towards Raheny and along the Clontarf seafront, before finishing in the North East Inner-City. Spectators are expected to line the course throughout the morning.

Following strong demand in its inaugural year, the 2026 event sold out in advance, with a ballot entry system introduced by the organisers Dublin Marathon Group to ensure fair access.

Working closely with key stakeholders, race capacity for 2026 has been increased from 12,500 to 13,200 participants. Of these, 11,200 places were allocated through the public ballot, with the remaining entries allocated to charity partners, elite athletes, international tour operators and community participation programmes.

Alongside the mass participation field, a competitive elite race will take place, with leading domestic athletes expected to contest both the men’s and women’s titles.

A new initiative for 2026, the Thrive Squad brings together 10 everyday runners sharing their journey to race day. The group highlights the community spirit behind the event, focusing on participation, resilience and real-life running experiences. Their stories can be followed across the event’s social media channels. (https://www.instagram.com/dublincityhalfmarathon/?hl=en)

Starting on O’Connell Street, the 21.1km route will take runners through the city, passing iconic landmarks including Croke Park, the tree-lined avenues of Killester and Raheny, the Clontarf coastline and the historic Five Lamps, before a North East Inner-City finish on Guild Street. With thousands of participants and strong community support expected along the route, the event celebrates a shared city centre experience and embodies the spirit of “Run Together, Thrive Together.”

For further information on the start area, visit the official start/finish web page. (https://dublincityhalfmarathon.ie/course/)

Pacers will be available across a range of target finish times from 1:30 to 2:50, supporting runners aiming to achieve specific goals.

Water stations will be located along the course; 5km, 10km, 14km and 18km, with Lucozade also available mid-race.

First aid stations will also be positioned along the route at 5km, 10km, 15km, 20km, and at the finish line.

A wheelchair start will take place at 8:20am, followed by staggered waves.

Participants are advised to arrive at their assigned wave by 8:00am and follow their assigned wave start.

For further information on the start area, visit the official start/finish page. (https://dublincityhalfmarathon.ie/start-finish/)

Baggage drop will be located at Custom House Quay, with a one-way system in operation for access and exit.

For further information on race day instructions, visit the official race day instructions page. (https://dublincityhalfmarathon.ie/race-day-instructions/)

This year’s finisher medal pays tribute to Luke Kelly of The Dubliners, a native of Sheriff Street. The design is inspired by the nearby statue created by Vera Klute, connecting runners to the North East Inner–City finish.

Significant traffic restrictions will be in place across Dublin City on race morning.

Dublin Bus, Luas and Irish Rail services may operate altered routes or schedules, and both runners and spectators are strongly encouraged to plan their journeys in advance and use public transport where possible.

Parking will be limited, with event parking discounts available at selected city centre locations by using the code RACE 26; Smithfield, Four Courts, Parnell, The Spire, Christchurch, Fleet Street, and Stephens Green.

For more information on transport, visit the official transport page. (https://dublincityhalfmarathon.ie/transport/)

Spectators are encouraged to line the route and support runners, helping to create a strong race day atmosphere.

Key viewing locations include:

Entertainment and cheer zones will feature along the route.

Family and friends will be able to track participants’ progress on race day via the official event tracker. (https://track.rtrt.me/e/TDL-DUBLINCITYHALF-2026#/)

For the latest updates follow the Dublin City Council Dublin City Half Marathon Instagram and TikTok channels.

For full race day details, including transport updates, baggage information, course maps and final instructions, visit the official Dublin City Council Dublin City Half Marathon website (https://dublincityhalfmarathon.ie/).

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