Dublin City's first-ever Half Marathon sells out in less than two hours

Entries for the inaugural Dublin City Half Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, March 30, sold out less than two hours after going live this morning, January 8.

Runners keen to enter the Dublin City Half Marathon will still have an opportunity to secure places via transfer of places, organizers said on Wednesday.

The transfer window for the Dublin City Half Marathon 2025 will open from February 21 to March 9.

Jim Aughney, the Race Director of the Dublin City Half Marathon, said: “We knew there was a demand for another high-quality half marathon in Dublin, and today has shown that to be true as we sold out in a couple of hours.”

He added: “We are aware too that given the high demand, some users experienced difficulties with registration.

"We will review this fully and consider options for 2026 entries”

Starting on O'Connell Street, the 13.1-mile Dublin City Half Marathon will take runners through the north of the city before finishing back in the city centre.

The event is organized by the team behind the Irish Life Dublin Marathon and Race Series, in partnership with Dublin City Council, the official event partner.

The theme for the Dublin City Half Marathon 2025 is "Run Together - Thrive Together." The race will welcome runners of all abilities, from beginners to experienced athletes.

The mission, organizers say, "is to create a vibrant racing experience that celebrates the runners, the city of Dublin, and its people."

Aughney said earlier on Wednesday: “We look forward to bringing a top-notch event to the streets of Dublin and are excited to partner with Dublin City Council to make this Spring Half Marathon event a reality." 

He added: “We have over 43 years of experience organizing a marathon on the streets of Dublin. We understand and appreciate the city’s commitment to bringing this new event to life. We pride ourselves on delivering quality events and meeting the needs of runners, and we are thrilled that this event will open for them today.”

Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain said: “This event is the perfect opportunity to set one of your New Year's Resolutions!

"I look forward to supporting the runners as they take on the half-marathon challenge in our fantastic city and showing my support for their incredible efforts."

Also speaking at Wednesday's launch was Irish Half Marathon record holder Efrem Gidey, who runs for the Dublin club Clonliffe Harriers.

“It is fantastic to have a half marathon on the streets of Dublin," Gidey said.

"This city has a rich running culture, and I’m sure this event will inspire many to take on their first half marathon or for the experienced runner to chase a personal best time!”