Valerie O’ Mahony – Athlete of the Month
This month’s athlete and legend will be the race starter for our upcoming 5K!
Valerie O’ Mahony, better known these days as Val Collins, is a former Togher AC athlete with a long list of medals and titles to her name.
Valerie joined Togher AC aged 10, after moving from Ballyphehane to Togher, and started her journey with the club by taking part in the local Togher Sports. The result of winning a medal in these local races meant that you were automatically entered to the next sports day, that could be anywhere in the county, like Midleton or Fermoy. And so it started from there. During the 1980s the coaches in the club were founder members like Ted Murray who was secretary and coach in the club, Mossie Cotter, Tom Morgan, with Mr. John Hayes coming along a couple of years later, and is still there, how lucky Togher are to have him. Coached by Mossy Cotter, from juvenile up through to Senior level, Valerie specialised in the 800m, 1500m and Long Jump. As with all athletes training with the club, she was entered into cross country, at which she also excelled! Cross county was for strength training for all athletes. Valerie remembers the great camaraderie at the time, as there were loads of young juvenile girls in the club, and they had great friendships, and fantastic experiences. Valerie also spoke about the camaraderie that existed between athletes from other clubs, that everyone was always so friendly and supportive of each other, no matter if you ran with Togher, The Barr’s or Leevale. Among the list of accolades that Valerie has, winning many titles at club, province and national level is up there, citing the Togher girls team coached by Mossie Cotter as being a force, including Catherine McGrath, Norma Cotter, Mary Delaney, Helena Depuis, Maria Noonan, Christine Dennehy (RIP).
Valerie’s long list of personal honours includes her first national cross country title age U13, and included many more county, Munster and national titles in both cross country and track and field. When Valerie turned Senior, most of the juvenile girl’s dropped off, and for many years Valerie was the only Senior Woman running for Togher AC, choosing to stay and run with her home club, and this meant training with the lads, rather than switch to a club with more chance of Senior women’s teams. This didn’t stop Valerie from running both cross country and track and field, and at the highest standard too, continuing to clock up the titles. From chatting to Valerie, it sounds like her true love was track and field, and her county, Munster and All-Ireland titles continued in this domain in the 800m and 1500m, having dropped the long jump after turning senior. Valerie has represented Ireland on numerous occasions, including on a Irish B 4X400m team, was chosen three times for the cross country World Championship Irish team, several representations at the Home’s international cross country competitions, and even represented Ireland in Japan for the Ekiden relay race in 1986. Valerie has also clocked up a few Cork Evening Echo Mini Marathon titles, when it was a 10k race.
Valerie is still running a few times times a week, either solo or with old Togher AC buddies Owen Fitzgerald and Shane Hennessy, who like to “run the legs” off her, and to feed the inner speed demon, does a bit of friendly pacing too. Valerie recently paced a friend’s daughter at her first parkrun and brought the young woman home easily in under 22 minutes. Valerie also paced a few friends for the first half of the Ballycotton 10 a few years ago; the group wanted to come home in 80 minutes so Valerie clocked the first 5 miles with them in 39.50, then galloped on at her own pace, no watch gazing, and completed the final 5 miles in a breezy 32 minutes.
The last club race that Valerie ever ran was when she was 29, the 1500m at the National Champs at Regional Tech (now MTU) and of course won, what a way to end a stunning career.
Valerie says “What was I doing Cross Country for, I was a half miler”. I think if Valerie was still willing, she would be snapped up for any national Master’s squad.
Martin Casey, one of our juvenile coaches, and former title winning athlete himself with the club, recently caught up with Valerie’s coach Mossie Cotter. Mossie spoke about his stand out moments as a coach such as when Valerie ran for Ireland in the World Cross Country in Neuchàtel Town in Switzerland 1985, and Mossie was out there with her. Other great memories include when Valerie won the Senior All Ireland Individual Gold in Waterford 1985 and when she won an Inter County Gold Medal in the Farm Bishopstown as well as many other achievements in her running career. Mossie said Valerie would be too modest to talk about her many achievements.
Martin also knows Valerie, having run with her over the years and would say to Valerie she is a lovely person. “We had great times in Togher AC going to Cross Country races in the bus, singing and having chats along the way. Valerie was always a smiler and enjoyed the craic”. Thanks to Martin and Mossie for sharing those great memories.
Valerie looks forward to starting the Togher AC 5k on 31st December for the club, where we can all share a smile, handshake or a friendly word with one of our club legends.