Are you ready to book your place in a race like no other? Entries will be hopping!

Entries Open on April 1st https://eventmaster.ie/event/Kl7ntpnHGx

All photo Credits: Darragh Kane

Olympic Athlete Marian Heffernan with her daughters Regan & Tara launch the 2025 Eagle AC Cheetah Run at Fota Wild Life Park, alongside Ruairi Egan & Karen Bevan Eagle AC Race Directors.

Cheetah Run 2025

We are thrilled to announce that entries for the Eagle AC 2025 Cheetah Run, in Fota Wildlife Park will open on April 1st via Eventmaster.ie.

This milestone event is set to take place on Thursday May 15th, 2025, and it is the 15th year of our Cheetah Run! Get ready for an unforgettable experience as you run alongside the incredible wildlife that calls Fota Wildlife Park home, supported along the way by your family, friends and Eagle AC members for an evening of fun & excitement.

Regan, Marian & Tara Heffernan present the Eagle AC 2025 Fota Wildlife Park Cheetah Run.

This year we were thrilled to be joined by Marian Heffernan to launch the opening of our Cheetah Run entries on April 1st. Marian is wonderful athlete, a former Irish Olympian who has achieved significant success through her career, particularly in the 4x400 metres relay. Her incredible accomplishments include representing Ireland in the 4 x 400-meter relay at the London Olympics in 2012, a gold medal at the European team Championships in 2011, as well as winning multiple national championships in the 400 metres both indoors and outdoors. Marian has contributed to athletics as an Olympic World European Athletics Team coach 2012-2016. She continues to act as a coach and community ambassador, fostering a new generation of athletes through her involvement with Cork City Athletic Club.

Two of these athletes are her own daughters Regan & Tara Heffernan, they also joined us today and did an amazing job of launching the 1-mile juvenile event. Regan and Tara love all sports, and they have National & Munster medals in both athletics & gymnastics. They are also keen members of their soccer & GAA teams where they love training and playing matches with their friends.

Marian explained why she was delighted to support the Cheetah Run “The annual Cheetah Run embraces so much of what is important to me, family, fitness, supporting a great cause and of course community. I’m delighted to get involved and launch the race this year as it helps raise awareness for conservation work that Fota Wildlife Park does as well as providing a great reason to get out there and get active, no matter what your level of fitness is. Every year, I’m thrilled to see runners of all ages and abilities come together for this fantastic event.”

Marian Heffernan with daughters Regan & Tara, passing on a love of athletics & sport.

We are so proud that these wonderful ladies took time out from their busy days to promote our Cheetah run. The all-female celebrity line-up is notable in the Cheetah Run 5K, where the first woman to finish wins the Anne Lucey Murphy Memorial Cup. Anne will always be fondly remembered as a popular member of Eagle AC, and a friendly runner & photographer at so many Cork running events.

The Cheetah Run is always a hugely popular and fast-selling event, so be sure to book your places quickly to avoid disappointment. Whether you're running the 5K race for adults (aged 16 years and above), or the 1-mile race for those aged 11-15 years, you'll be surrounded by the amazing animals of Fota Wildlife Park. Imagine running past giraffes, ostriches, zebras, cheetahs, wallabies & kangaroos, its 'bound' to be an amazing evening.

A run like no other, Tara, Marian & Regan are ready to race!

Last year, your participation helped raised an impressive €5,000 for wildlife conservation, supporting the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. This initiative is crucial in protecting the majestic Rothschild Giraffe, a species facing numerous challenges across Africa. Let's aim to make this year's event even more successful!

The gates open at 6:30 pm, first up is the 1-mile race for juveniles commencing at 7:15pm, this reaches capacity at 125 runners, don’t miss out here! The 5K race will start at 8pm and includes prizes for the first 5 men and women, as well as age category prizes. The entry fee for the 5K event is €18 (+ processing fee), and the entry fee for the 1-mile junior race is €10 (+ processing fee). Race entrants will receive an email containing participant information details before race day.

Book your place on: https://eventmaster.ie/event/Kl7ntpnHGx

We are extremely grateful to our sponsors, John Buckley Sports and Brooks Running, for their ongoing support for 2025. We thank the OPW for their assistance and accommodation of our race each year. This year, the teas, coffees, and prize-giving ceremony will take place in the Education Conservation & Research Centre, a splendid venue offering an ideal space to socialise after the adult’s race.

Are you Set....These tickets will be gone quickly!

Save the dates & don’t delay on booking your place; this is one event that sells out quickly each year as it is a truly unique event.

Fota Wildlife Park

Fota Wildlife Park has been listed as one of Ireland’s Top Ten visitor attraction) and is the most popular tourist destination in Cork. Hundreds of thousands visit the park every year. Fota is a non-profit organisation and is also a registered charity. It is completely self-financing, relying entirely on gate receipts and membership fees for its income, and any financial surpluses generated are reinvested in order improve infrastructure and promote the company’s core objectives of conservation, education, and research.

Their website is http://www.fotawildlife.ie/

Our Sponsors

John Buckley Sports.

Eagle A.C would also like to acknowledge the continuing generous sponsorship of John Buckley Sports for this year’s race. John Buckley’s has been a great supporter of road races and athletics in the Cork region over the years. It is one of the main sports shops in Cork for running shoes & clothing, offering valuable advice and expertise to all customers.

Please note that John Buckley Sports are offering a 20% discount if you bring your race number into their store for the 2 weeks after the race.

Their website can be found at http://johnbuckleysports.com/

Brooks Running.

The club would also like to thank Brooks Running another generous sponsor of the race. Brooks Running are one of the major brands for running gear worldwide and have a wide selection of running shoes and apparel for men and women.

Their website for the UK and Ireland is http://brooksrunning.co.uk/