FAQs

Race Day, Course & More

You have been assigned a wave start based on your previous time or an estimated time if you are a first-time marathon participant.

You are not allowed to move up a wave, but you can drop down a wave.

Please follow directions to your start wave from the baggage drop area in Merrion Square North, which can be seen on the official start/finish map HERE.

Runners in the orange, green and blue waves should allow for a 15 minute walk from the baggage drop, while those in the purple wave will have a 20 minute walk.

You should arrive in your allocated start wave between no later than 8am-8:30am to ensure you have adequate time to enter your allocated start wave.

Yes, the clocks will go back by one hour and Summer Time will end at 2am on the morning of the Marathon, so please consider this when planning.

Only the clear plastic bags provided to you at the Expo will be allowed into the baggage area. All bags will be subject to inspection. Please do not leave valuables in your bag as they can be misplaced/damaged when that bags are moved. Dublin Marathon Group will not be responsible for any damage/loss to valuables.

Parking is available for runners and spectators at Q-Park St. Stephen’s Green, Q-Park Setanta, and Q-Park Christchurch and there is a discount code available for all Q-Park car parks in the city-centre other than Q-Park Four Courts and Q-Park Grand Canal.

The discount code is RACE2026, which is active from Friday 23rd October to Sunday 25th October via pre-booking only on the Q-Park website.

Parking is prohibited in the immediate vicinity of the start/finish area. Multi-story car parks nearby include College of Surgeons, Brown Thomas, and Stephens Green Shopping Centre. Please check opening and closing times and rates of charge in advance. 

Yes, with thousands of runners, volunteers, spectators and more arriving to the city on race day, there are various diversions in place, and you can find the latest race day travel information HERE.

The race will start on Leeson Street Lower and finish on Mount Street Upper, following the same route as last year.

You can see more information on the route HERE.

Official Water Supplier Ishka will provide water in 250ml bottles at stations 1, 3 and 7, with cups provided at stations 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10.

Official Hydration Partner Lucozade Sport will provide Lucozade Sport at the 9.5, 13, 19 and 22-mile marks. Please dispose of bottles and cups responsibly using the recycling facilities provided along the route.

Official Gel Partner High5 will provide energy gels at the 16 and 22-mile marks. Please dispose of gel wrappers responsibly to help keep the course safe and clear.

First aid facilities will be available at the finish area and at the 3, 5, 9.5, 11, 13, 16, 19, 21 and 24-mile marks. If you need to withdraw from the race please do so at one of these stations and inform medical personnel to ensure their withdrawal is recorded.

Toilets will be available in the start areas, adjacent to the baggage drop areas, and on-course adjacent to the stations at miles 3, 5, 7, 9½, 11½, 13, 16, 19, 21 and 24.

No, we can’t accept handbikes. We can accept wheelchairs and assisted chairs, subject to approval from our team via email at office@dublinmarathon.ie.

Yes but all packs and equipment will be subject to a detailed search and examination at the point of entry to the start area. Packs for medical reasons will be allowed, subject to inspection.

After the race, all runners will receive the 2026 finisher medal and a goody bag including a Ronhill souvenir t-shirt, a Grenade bar, Ishka Water, and Lucozade Sport.

After the race all runners with receive the 2026 finisher medal, and a goody bag including a Ronhill souvenir t-shirt, a Grenade bar, Ishka Water, and Lucozade Sport.

No, non-competitors cannot enter the course or cross the finish line. Failure to comply will result in disqualification, and you may be banned from future Dublin Marathon Group events.

Yes, the following 15 supporter zones will be in place:

  • Junction of O’Donovan Rossa Bridge and Wood Quay — 2 miles.
  • Phoenix Monument — 5 miles.
  • Myos, Castleknock — 6.8 miles.
  • Furze Road junction with Upper Glen, Phoenix Park — 8.3 miles.
  • St Patrick’s School, Chapelizod Road — 10 miles.
  • Kilmainham, opposite the Hilton Hotel — 11.5 miles.
  • Junction of South Circular Road and Crumlin Road, R811 and R110 — 12.8 miles.
  • Kestrel, Walkinstown — 15 miles.
  • KCR Garage — 17 miles.
  • Terenure Village, junction of R818 and R137 — 17 miles.
  • Milltown, opposite the Dropping Well Pub — 19 miles.
  • Roebuck Road — 21.5 miles.
  • Foster’s Avenue, close to Lucozade — 21.5 miles.
  • Junction of Nutley Road and Merrion Road, at the Japanese Embassy — 24 miles.
  • Northumberland Road, junction of R118 and R816 — 25.3 miles leading into the Irish Life Mile.
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There will be two access points available for those looking to spectate near the finish line.

Point 1 (Southside Viewing) – Herbert Street
Point 2 (Northside Viewing) – Stephen’s Lane, Power’s Court, Mount Street Crescent

Accessibility Officers will be available at the baggage areas wearing blue tabards for those who need additional support preparing for the start line, and there will be a sensory-friendly zone in place at Phoenix Park (in partnership with AsIAm).

Major road closures will be in place across Dublin city and county on Sunday, October 25th, from early morning until late evening. Some streets will close from Friday, October 23rd to accommodate event build and breakdown.

Please see all confirmed road and Marathon route closures on the official road closure web page HERE.

There will be significant schedule changes and diversions for Dublin Bus also, which can be found HERE.

Expo, Merchandise & More

In 2026, the Expo will take place in the RDS Simmonscourt on Friday 23rd October and Saturday 24th October. The Eircode D04H9P8 will bring you to the appropriate part of the venue for the Expo.



Opening Hours:
Friday 23rd October – 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Saturday 24th October – 11:00 – 6:00 pm

You can find more information HERE.

Yes, it’s free and open to everyone.

You must collect your race pack, which includes your race number, baggage drop label, chip, and number pins. Do not leave without collecting your race pack. The cut-off time for race pack collection is 6 pm on Saturday 24th October.

We request that you pick up your own race number at the Expo.

Parking is available at the Expo for €10, but due to the busyness of Marathon Weekend, we encourage you to use public transport.

RDS Simmonscourt is served by Dublin Bus and The Dart.

The Expo will offer runners the chance to prepare for race day and connect with the Marathon community. The following activations will feature over the two days:

  • Race Day & Course Information
  • Meet the Pacers
  • Live Stage, Expert Advice & Special Guests
  • Sponsor & Exhibitor Stands
  • Running Gear & Merchandise
  • Photo Opportunities

You can email office@mpm.

Yes, you can browse the official merchandise via our Official Apparel Partner Ronhill HERE. A large selection of merchandise will also be available at the Expo.

It is a metal insert for the back of your finishers medal, which will be engraved with your finishing time and posted to you a few weeks after the event. You can pre-order your personalised finisher medal HERE.

Yes, FinisherPix will capture runners on race day and you can purchase your photo package in advance or you search via their website using your name or bib number 48-72hrs after the event. Visit FinisherPix HERE to pre-order your photo package.

Irish Life Dublin Marathon

The 2026 Irish Life Dublin Marathon takes place on Sunday, 25th October, 2026.

The race starts on Leeson Street near St. Stephen’s Green, and finishes on Mount Street near the Pepper Canister Church.

You can find more information on the 2026 course, as well as the start/finish areas HERE.

The race starts in staggered waves to allow all participants to enter the course in a safe and controlled manner. The 2026 Irish Life Dublin Marathon will have the following start times.


Wheelchair – 8:40am
Wave 1 (Orange) – 8:45am
Wave 2 (Green) – 9:05am
Wave 3 (Blue) – 9:25am
Wave 4 (Purple) – 9:45am

All registered runners for the 2026 Irish Life Dublin Marathon were emailed on Friday 2nd October with an individual e-ticket, indicating their allocated start wave. We kindly ask that you check your inbox for this.

You can see more information on the wave allocation HERE.

You will need to present this e-ticket when collecting your race number, and this can be done at the Irish Life Dublin Marathon Expo taking place at the RDS Simmonscourt on Friday 23rd October 12-7pm, and Saturday 24th October 9am-6pm.

The course will be open for seven hours, starting from when the last person crosses the start line. After this time, participants will be asked to move to the footpath to allow the roads to reopen in a safe manner.

Yes, of course. We will have runners, joggers and walkers taking part in our event.

No, you can only start in your allocated wave.

Yes, we’ll have tail walkers to support our participants finishing closer to the seven-hour cut-off time.

Yes, our Official Pacing Partner, Sports Direct, provides pacers for all Dublin Marathon Group Events, including the Irish Life Dublin Marathon.

Pacers will be noticeable on race day as they’ll run with large balloons. They will support runners in each start wave, targeting the finish times below.

Yes, we host the Athletics Ireland National Championships at the Irish Life Dublin Marathon, bringing athletes from clubs across Ireland to Dublin to compete for individual and team honours.

You must be fit and well to run a marathon. Severe exertion during or soon after any kind of fever is extremely dangerous. If you find yourself in this situation you must withdraw – even if this is the first time you are running the event.

Please find additional medical advice for running the Marathon HERE.

Yes, to see our official training plans for the Irish Life Dublin Marathon, visit our training page HERE.

Official Dublin Marathon Group Emmett Dunleavy has been providing ongoing support for our runners throughout the Irish Life Dublin Race Series and all the way to Marathon Day. See his latest advice on our official Instagram page HERE.

Yes, you can track runner progress and see up-to-date race results at the official race tracker HERE.

Yes please contact us on office@dublinmarathon.ie with your costume details in advance. Please note that you will be searched at the main entry points. Your race number must be visible on your front, and failure to do so may result in removal from the race.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering. You can contact office@dublinmarathon.ie to request to volunteer.

After reviewing the arrangements required to stage the event, Dublin Marathon Group and realbuzz have made the difficult decision not to proceed with the realbuzz Shakeout Run. All who registered have been notified and received a full refund and do not need to take further action.

Registration & Entry Information

Please email office@dublinmarathon.ie

Entries are sold out for the 2026 Irish Life Dublin Marathon, but full details of key entry dates and details for the 2027 Irish Life Dublin Marathon can now be found HERE.¬

The main entry route will be a general ballot, that opens at 9am on Thursday 12th November 2026, with other options available through charity places, Good for Age qualification, the official transfer window, international tour operators and more.

The entry fee for the 2027 Irish Life Dublin Marathon will be €130 (plus platform and payment processing fees). A €4 ballot fee (plus platform and payment processing fees) will be automatically refunded to unsuccessful applicants and offset against the entry fee for successful applicants.

Participants will be notified if they have been successful in the ballot via email by Wednesday 25th November 2026.

We accept the following: Passport ID, Student Photo ID, Driving License or Government Issued Photo ID.

Runners who are unsuccessful in the ballot or not running for charity can use a qualifying time to apply for entry through the ‘Good For Age’ Window, which is open to all runners who have achieved a qualifying marathon time within the last two years, not just club members.

Entering the Irish Life Dublin Marathon ‘Good For Age’ does not guarantee a place in the 2027 Irish Life Dublin Marathon. Times are be verified, and runners are notified if they have been successful. It is the responsibility of the runner to submit their qualifying time via the requested format.

Qualifying criteria for the 2027 Good for Age window will be released on Tuesday 1st December 2026 and official applications will open on Friday 7th May.

All registered runners must collect their race number at the Irish Life Dublin Marathon Expo on Friday 23rd October (12-7 pm) or Saturday 24th October (9 am-6 pm). Find more information on the Expo HERE.

To collect your number, you must present the e-ticket sent to you by email on Friday 2nd October, along with your allocated wave. Your race number will be colour-coded to match your allocated start wave.

The cut-off time for race number collection on Saturday is 6 pm.

On the back of your race number please put any important medical information and a contact number in case of emergencies.

Your race number must be clearly visible your front so it is clearly identifiable.

The chip on the back of your race number is crucial as without your result will not be recorded. If for some reason your chip is missing please contact the help desk at registration for a replacement.

Transfers, Refunds & Deferrals

The transfer window for the 2026 Irish Life Dublin Marathon is now closed, having opened from Wednesday 22 July to Wednesday 23 September. In 2027, the transfer window will open on Wednesday 21 July and close on Wednesday 22 September.

Outside this window, transfers are not allowed. You may not transfer your application to the following year or another event. Selling or attempting to swap race numbers will result in the number being cancelled and you will banned from further Dublin Marathon Group events.

See more information on the 2026 transfer window HERE.

No, Good for Age, charity places and entries bought at resale cannot be transferred . Also, an entry can only be transferred once.

Charity places and entries bought at resale cannot be refunded.

A strict zero-tolerance policy is in place. The official transfer window ensures all registered runners are identifiable for medical reasons and protects the integrity of the race results. Any runner found to have swapped, transferred or sold a race number outside the official window will be banned from Dublin Marathon Group events.

Runners are only entitled to a refund via the official refund window, which is now closed having opened from Wednesday 1 July to Sunday 12 July in 2026.

In 2027, this will open on Thursday 1 July and close on Monday 12 July. Entry fees are non-refundable outside this period.

The fee to transfer or refund your entry fee for the Irish Life Dublin Marathon is €20 (plus platform and payment processing fees).

Yes, there is an official resale, and entries will be resold on a first-come-first-serve basis on Wednesday 14 July 2027. The number of entries available for resale will depend on how many are refunded in the official refund window.

No, we don’t allow entries to be deferred to the following year. However, if you are unable to take part because you are pregnant or postpartum, you can defer your place to one of the following three years. To obtain a pregnancy or postpartum deferral, the race entrant will need to submit a pregnancy or postpartum deferral request no later than 14 days before race day to office@dublinmarathon.ie.

Charity Running

Charity entries are closed for the sold-out 2026 Irish Life Dublin Marathon, however entries for the 2027 event will be available through our Official Charity Partner realbuzz from Monday 26th October 2026.

realbuzz connects connects charities and runners through the official charity places programme, helping charities recruit participants, secure guaranteed entries and generate vital fundraising income through the Irish Life Dublin Marathon.

Yes, but you just need to reach the minimum fundraising target requested by your charity, with support and guidance all the way through your charity running journey. Each charity has a certain amount of places on their team, which varies by charity.

You can set up a fundraiser via our Official Fundraising Partner Eventmaster HERE.

No, we encourage anyone to support our charity running community and donate to the campaign. You can donate and view the latest fundraising totals via Eventmaster HERE.

Irish Life Race Series – Irish Life Fingal 10K

The Irish Life Fingal 10K will take place on Sunday 11 July 2027 in Swords Village.

See more information on the event HERE.

General registration will open for the Irish Life Fingal 10K and the other Irish Life Race Series events on Wednesday 10 February.

Find more information on the entry details HERE.

The entry fee is €35 (plus platform and payment processing fees). Participants will also have the ability to enter all three Race Series events as a bundle for €120 (plus platform and payment processing fees).

There is no refund option and 2027 will introduce a transfer window for the first time, opening from Tuesday 1 June to Saturday 19 June.

The transfer fee will be €5 (plus platform and payment processing fees).

Race numbers will be posted out to you approximately two weeks before race day using the address you provide to us during registration.

All finishers will receive a souvenir race t-shirt, and a goody bag including Ishka water, Lucozade Sport, and a Grenade bar.

Yes, Sports Direct will provide the Official Pacing Team, with target finish times released closer to the event.

Irish Life Race Series – Irish Life Frank Duffy 10 Mile

The Irish Life Frank Duffy 10 Mile will take place on Saturday 14 August 2027 in Phoenix Park.

See more information on the event HERE.

General registration will open for the Irish Life Frank Duffy 10 Mile and the other Irish Life Race Series events on Wednesday 10 February.

Find more information on the entry details HERE.

The entry fee is €40 (plus platform and payment processing fees). Participants will also have the ability to enter all three Race Series events as a bundle for €120 (plus platform and payment processing fees).

There is no refund option and 2027 will introduce a transfer window for the first time, opening from Thursday 1 July to Saturday 17 July.

The transfer fee will be €5 (plus platform and payment processing fees).

Race numbers will be posted out to you approximately two weeks before race day using the address you provide to us during registration.

All finishers will receive a souvenir race t-shirt, and a goody bag including Ishka water, Lucozade Sport, and a Grenade bar.

Yes, Sports Direct will provide the Official Pacing Team, with target finish times released closer to the event.

Irish Life Race Series – Irish Life Dublin Half Marathon

The Irish Life Dublin Half Marathon will take place on Sunday 19 September 2027 in Phoenix Park.

See more information on the event HERE.

General registration will open for the Irish Life Dublin Half Marathon and the other Irish Life Race Series events on Wednesday 10 February.

Find more information on the entry details HERE.

The entry fee is €55 (plus platform and payment processing fees). Participants will also have the ability to enter all three Race Series events as a bundle for €120 (plus platform and payment processing fees).

There is no refund option and 2027 will introduce a transfer window for the first time, opening from Wednesday 21 July to Sunday 22 August.

The transfer fee will be €10 (plus platform and payment processing fees).

Race numbers will be posted out to you approximately two weeks before race day using the address you provide to us during registration.

All finishers will receive a the official finisher medal, a souvenir race t-shirt, and a goody bag including Ishka water, Lucozade Sport, and a Grenade bar.

Yes, Sports Direct will provide the Official Pacing Team, with target finish times released closer to the event.