Introduction

Neamhspleách??? Yes I know whatever happened to ‘ciúnas bóthar cailín bainne’ at least that way people might understand at first glance that I am bringing in my Irish language skills to this blog. Before I begin to the write about the noteworthy and soul nourishing Navan parkrun I will begin by invoking my Shakespeare english education and start with a soliloquy on the Irish langauge as it is seachtain na Gaeilge 2025.

Soliloquy

I’m going to write this part similar to the movie Pulp Fiction not to add confusion put the independent parts all add up my Irish parkrun journey. In the 2022 Republic of Ireland census I ticked the box that said fluent in the Irish language. When I got to the frequency of use question I ticked none and my mind hissed “that isn’t fluency”. I found myself slightly miffed by this lack of authenticity. I learned the hard way when I took up running that lying to yourself is a sure fire way to pain, suffering and failure. I however had a fluency in a language that ultimately I had no use for yet. By the time it came to graduating from secondary school (2007) I remember one of my Irish teachers asking “would I not do something with my Irish?”. What? that was always the question? Becoming a teacher was one option from a very short list of career paths that included Irish. I had completed TY(transitions year) work experience in a primary school and I learned quickly that I was a better sports coach. In the early 90s my mother and father had fought a huge battle to get me, my brother and sister into Gaelscoil Uí Riada in Bishopstown, Cork. The school incorporated a new national programme to revive the Irish langauge and thought everything through Irish. They did it so so well I didn’t have to crack open an Irish textbook from my exit of national school in sixth class (2001) to three months before the leaving cert (final exams prior to college) when I finally got round to learning stair na teanga (history of the Irish Language). On another side note I spent the first six months in secondary school translating maths lessons into in Irish to make sure I understood them. I have various memories of the language like one of my early days in college talking in Irish to my great friend and fellow gaeilgeoir (Irish Speaker) Daithí Ó Sé as we left a late night physics tutorial. Even here the topic was on how we were now young scientists and how our national language was well useless to us. I also used the language on holiday in France once to get us better service in Disneyland. We had spent the first three nights shoved into a corner of the restaurant being ignored by the French staff who mistook us as British. Our British friends complained madly for three nights until on the third night I approached the head waiter and asked “An bhfuil Gaeilge agut? Vous parlez Irlandais Monsieur (Do you speak Irish Sir?)”. I could see the embarassment rising on his face as I told him we were Irish but had some English. I then quietly explained in English to a now flustered French server that we were all Irish in that corner and would like some more water. The man sent a small army of servers to our corner of the room for the rest of the holiday. My British friends now delighted with the service even learned Go raibh maith agut (Thank you very much).

Somehow Irish always seemed to demand that I chased after it to keep it alive or use it to get me out of being mistaken for being British or American but yet somehow it remained irrelevant to my daily life. In Irish society we don’t as yet say good morning in Irish (Maidin Mhaith) and then carry on in English. This all annoyed me though mildly and infrequently. Late in 2023 I received an email offering an opportunity to take part in an Irish course to help the civil service meet its obligations to deliver service in Irish. Finally I could feel a thrust to remove the barriers to use of the Irish language. I spent 12 weeks in 2024 clawing back years of decay in my fluency. The teaching this time was remarkably different. TEG (Teatsas Eorpach Gaeilge) encouraged us to listen to podcasts in Irish. An Spota Dubh gave me a great breakdown of the weekend sport and still does. The presenters when stuck for a word used the English word instead and no one corrected it. The zealot approach to the Irish language was collapsing in a heap and in its place came the hope that basic use of the language may return. The boring poetry was gone and stair na teanga was what we were part of now. We role played citizen queries that had happened in the last twelve months. I could see a direct connection to my job. I listened carefully to the different canúintí. I could hear people on phone calls trying to access basic services in Irish. TG4 had come on leaps and bounds they had cartoons I could watch with my then infant son. They were ten minutes long and pitched at the new born learning the language. Moreover they were fun. Eadbhard enjoyed them. The final thing that happened though was that the TEG mentors suggested to me that I should consider shooting my coaching videos in Irish. And just like that they matched my biggest strength to the purpose of the course. I made the 60 seconds instruction videos in Irish I kept doing it after the course was finished and I’m bringing that Irish into my parkrun visit blogs and videos now. Even better parkrun abú is an active part of parkrun. It incorporates the Irish language into the weekly parkrun. Irish might become a parkrun lanaguage.

But wait why the soliloquoy? Well Shakespeares English hasn’t helped been useful to me yet and this really is the only way I’m ever going to get in a reference to it. And Neamhspleách well that word means independent. And Navan parkrun had independence written all over it.

Summary of Solilquoy

Táim chun an blag seo a usáid chun cur síos a dheanamh ar stíl mhaireachtála láidir agus gníomhach go fisiciúil. I’m trying to use this blog to describe a physically active and strong lifestyle bilingually from now on.

Journey Around The Parkrun World

It was International Womens Day when our nationwide parkrun tour came to Navan parkrun. Julie and I have completed a parkrun 44 different locations world wide. We have finished our own made up challenge level Dublin.

Course

I loved the course the three and a quarter laps flew by. The park is extremely well kept and largely flat with a playground adjacent.

Video is here

Stroller Safe?

As you can see form the video the stroller was never in any trouble. The surface is tarmac and the paths are wide. There is a hill that you need to surmount three times but the long downhill more than balances that out.

Live A Little

The river flowing by course as you approach the start area if you needed a great way to relax at the weekend this Navan parkrun has a lot to offer. If you’re looking for breakfast after parkrun try Chekhovs in the centre of town they delivered possibly the best omelette I’ve had in my life. That being said the independent cafe’s around Navan all seemed busy. I’m sure Navan will see you right for post parkrun nourishment.

Volunteers

I noticed two unique Navan parkrun volunteer activities. Firstly the Run Director conducted the start in most casual way I’ve ever experienced. At the end of the RD speech she added a brief light hearted moment to celebrate International Women’s Day “a lot wouldn’t get done without our lovely ladies happy International Women’s Day …timekeepers are you ready?…Go!”. I think this approach should be adopted wholesale across parkrun. There was no pre race jitters moment or moments depending on the location. Instead there was a little celebration a quick timekeeper check and get to running or walking. If you had apprehension about parkrun well this RD put you at ease. That was the kind of easy going start everyone needed at the weekend.

I had never seen Marshalls migrating from point to point before at parkrun. I couldn’t help but notice that the marshalls walked backwards and forwards on the course between two points shouting encoouragement. I had never seen this before I’m used to someone standing guard at a direction point for fear someone might take a wrong turn. I felt like I had someone watching out for me the whole time on the course. A marvellous innovation. As always the contact email for Navan parkrun is navan@parkrun.com if you want to volunteer.

I did get talking to a wonderful barcode scanner at the end. She asked me all about what I did with the GoPro camera and whether I was planning visiting every parkrun in Ireland. The honest answer is I’ll visit as many as I can but my wife has to be with me and Edward reserves the right to request a revisit when he is old enough to run. To me this is a family challenge and at the moment we pick where we go based on the playgrounds that Edward might enjoy afterwards. I’m going to offer a positive remark on every parkrun because I’ve been involved in too many core teams. I know the volunteers are notoriously friendly and uplifting characters.