Photo: © Dublin Marathon Group / Sportsfile▶Irish Life Dublin Marathon
Dublin, Ireland46th edition · since 1980At a glance
Irish Life Dublin Marathon 2026 takes place on 25 October 2026 in Dublin, Ireland. Distances: 42.195 km.
- Date
- Sunday, 25 October 2026
- Location
- Dublin, Ireland
- Distances
- Marathon · 42.195 km · Competitive
- Organiser
- Dublin Marathon Group ↗
- Official website
- irishlifedublinmarathon.ie ↗
- Edition
- 46th edition · since 1980
- Series
- World Athletics Elite Label · Boston qualifier · World Marathon Majors qualifier
- Status
- To be confirmed
Last updated: 19 October 2026
The race
The Irish Life Dublin Marathon is one of Europe's largest city marathons: first run in 1980 with 1,300 participants, it celebrated its 45th running in 2026 and reaches its 46th on 24 October 2027, with an 8:45 start on Leeson Street Lower and 22,500 places. The course takes in Dublin's best-known sights: St Stephen's Green, the Liberties and St Patrick's Cathedral, Christchurch, the Liffey, then Phoenix Park with the zoo and Chesterfield Avenue, Kilmainham, Terenure and the southern suburbs, finishing on Mount Street Upper in front of the Pepper Canister Church.
The race hosts the Irish national marathon championships, welcomes walkers and has a strong charity tradition: more than 200 Irish and international charities are official partners and by 2026 runners had already raised over €3 million. It is organised by Dublin Marathon Group. Most places go through the ballot (17,200 places, 12–17 November 2026), with further routes via Good for Age times, charity places and official tour operators.
On race day there are pacers from 3:00 to 5:00 in every wave, tail walkers for those finishing near the 7-hour limit and fifteen support zones along the route, including the Irish Life Mile over the final mile.
Videos
Course
The course, described on the website for 2026 and similar to previous years, mixes flat sections with demanding climbs. It starts downhill from Leeson Street, passes St Stephen's Green, the Liberties and St Patrick's Cathedral; the first climb is on Patrick Street towards Christchurch, then a descent to the Liffey and onto the Northside, with the first water station around Aughrim Street.
At 6 km runners enter Phoenix Park, Europe's largest enclosed park, passing Dublin Zoo and running along Chesterfield Avenue; they leave towards Castleknock with a short climb and re-enter at Knockmaroon Gate, descending towards Chapelizod and Inchicore. After Kilmainham Gaol the terrain becomes undulating towards Dolphin's Barn and the Crumlin Road, where halfway falls.
Flatter stretches follow on Cromwellsfort and Fortfield Roads, then the descent of Templeogue Road into Terenure (30 km). The last 10 km bring real ups and downs: downhill on Dartry Road, a climb on Milltown Road, a 3 km climb along Clonskeagh and Roebuck Roads and, around 35 km, the famous 'Irish Heartbreak Hill', before dropping down Fosters Avenue.
The route then follows Stillorgan Road, crosses a flyover and turns onto Nutley Lane at RTÉ (38 km), and the straight along Merrion Road past the RDS leads to the finish at the Pepper Canister Church.
Rules and requirements
Runners must be 18 or over, in good health and prepared for the distance; the race follows World Athletics rules and the regulations do not ask for a medical certificate or licence, including for foreign runners. The 2027 entry fee is €130 plus platform fees (5%). The main route in is the ballot: applications from 9:00 on 12 November to midnight on 17 November 2026 with a €4 ballot fee (refunded to unsuccessful applicants, offset against the fee for successful ones), results on 25 November and payment by 30 November.
Other routes: Good for Age with times from 2025, 2026 or 2027 (criteria published from 1 December 2026, applications 7–26 May 2027, fastest times in each category succeed), guaranteed charity places through realbuzz from 26 October 2026, and official international tour operators. Walkers are welcome; racing wheelchairs need the organisers' approval, hand bikes are not allowed.
Start waves are allocated by declared time: you can move down a wave but not up. The course stays open for 7 hours from when the last participant crosses the start line. Bibs are collected only in person at the Expo with photo ID (passport, driving licence, government ID or student card).
Refunds only from 1 to 12 July 2027 with a €20 charge; transfers only on Eventmaster from 21 July to 22 September 2027 (€20 paid by the recipient). Bikes, prams, skates, skateboards, animals and non-competitors are not allowed on the course or across the line; hydration packs and vests are searched at the start-zone entrance.
