Fifteen August Races in Ireland Worth Getting Booked Into

August is a busy month for racing here. There's a bank holiday weekend to open it, the big summer road races through the middle of it, and a rake of half marathons at the end as people start thinking about the autumn.

These are the ones we picked out of this month's calendar, the same shortlist that went out in our email this week. A fair few of them will fill up, so don't be leaving it.

Our picks are only the start of it. For everything on this month, updated daily, have a look at all running races in Ireland in August.

Bank holiday weekend

Celtic Warrior 10k (Sat 1 Aug, Westmeath) kicks the month off with a lap of Lough Ennell. Hard to beat it for scenery on a summer morning.

Limerick Half Marathon (Sun 2 Aug) is a well run city half and a grand target if you've something bigger in mind for the autumn.

Battle of Clontarf 10 Mile (Mon 3 Aug, Dublin) is the bank holiday Monday one, and it doubles up as the Leinster 10 Mile Championships. Ten miles along the seafront and you're home for the dinner.

Second weekend

The Medtronic Streets of Galway 8K (Sat 8 Aug) is one of the great Irish road races. Thousands of people through the city centre on a Saturday evening, and well worth making a weekend of it.

Youghal Bay Half Marathon & 10km (Sun 9 Aug, Cork) heads down to the east Cork coast, and you can take your pick of the half or the 10K.

Third weekend

Irish Life Frank Duffy 10 Mile (Sat 15 Aug, Phoenix Park) is the big one. It's part of the Race Series and it's the usual checkpoint on the way to a Dublin marathon, so there'll be a crowd and it'll go early.

Sunday the 16th gives you the two ends of the scale. Streets of Thurles Fast 5K (Tipperary) does what it says on the tin, a flat run through the town for anyone chasing a time, while The Wild Atlantic 10 Miler (Mayo) is a proper ten miles out west.

Fourth weekend

Antrim Coast Half Marathon (Sun 23 Aug, Larne) is about as fast a half as you'll find anywhere and it pulls in a serious international field. Worth doing, and worth watching.

Boston Scientific Half Marathon (Sun 23 Aug, Tipperary) is the quieter option the same morning if a big field isn't your thing.

Last of the month

Portmarnock AC Beach 5K (Fri 28 Aug, Dublin) finishes off the last Friday of the summer on the sand. You won't be setting any records on it, but it's a lovely evening.

Saturday the 29th gives you two halves. BnM Tullamore Harriers Half (Offaly) is run by one of the best organised clubs going, and the Greenway Half Marathon (Waterford) is flat and traffic free the whole way along the greenway.

Donegal Half Marathon (Sun 30 Aug, Letterkenny) and the Abbott Longford Marathon (Sun 30 Aug) close out the month. The Longford is the last standalone marathon before the autumn lot, so if you fancy one, that's your day.