Legendary Derry runner Harry McNulty has been recognised for his remarkable lifetime of distance running participation with the Danny Sheerin Memorial Award for 2024.
Mr McNulty, who celebrated his 75th birthday earlier this summer, received the award at the end of the Waterside Half Marathon from members of the Sheerin family and Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr.
A founder member of the Foyle Valley club, he has completed over 60 marathons and today made it 75 half marathons in a career that dates back to the early 80s.
He introduced several of the city’s best runners to the sport and is known as the city’s ultimate pacer having guided countless marathon first timers aiming for a four hour time around the course.
A sub three hour marathon runner in his prime, he continues to win titles in his age category and was the M70 category winner at the Waterside Half Marathon in recent years.
Speaking at the race finish, Mayor Barr described Harry as a legend of local running.
“I was delighted and proud to present this award to a genuine legend of Derry running, Harry McNulty,” said Mayor Barr. “The award recognises members of the local running fraternity who display the spirit of participation and encouragement that Danny Sheerin was so well known for – and no one embodies that more than Harry.
“His radiant smile and enthusiasm for running has been a feature of local athletics events for decades and he has been taking part in the Waterside Half Marathon since it’s inception in the early 80s.
“Thank you to the Sheerin family for this brilliant initiative and on behalf of all the runners who Harry has nurtured at Foyle Valley over the years I want to thank him and congratulate him on this fitting recognition.”
Danny Sheerin took part in every Waterside Half Marathon since the event’s inception in 1981, even when he was unwell with a cancer diagnosis in recent years.
He took part in scores of Marathons, Half Marathons and Triathlons in the city for decades, including every Derry Marathon, and sadly passed away following his long battle with illness less than two weeks before the 2022 Waterside Half Marathon.
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