So you’ve read about the Backyard Ultra format. The loops. The madness. The bell that keeps tolling like some sort of endurance death knell. And maybe, just maybe, you’ve started to wonder what kind of lunatic signs up for something like that.
Well, let’s bring it home.
In Connacht, the answer is simple: they’re called Western Yards, and they’re not only signing up, they’re camping out, pitching tents, and planning to run until Monday morning if they have to.
Galway’s Backyard Revolution
Connacht might’ve been the last to join the All-Ireland Backyard series, but they didn’t come quietly. After years of searching for a venue, wrangling with insurers, and surviving the eternal Galway drizzle, a group of runners from the region’s only official club finally pulled it off.
The Western Yards Last One Standing was born out of chats with the Dublin race crew and a vision to bring the Backyard Ultra format west of the Shannon. But before anyone could toe the start line, there was one major hurdle: insurance.
As race director Aidan Cleary explains: “It took us nearly two years to get it sorted for the event, because, as you can imagine, insurance companies don’t like the idea of an event that doesn’t have an official end time. Even this year, it was a challenge to get insurance, because the rules keep changing.”
That perseverance paid off. In July 2024, they ran a tester with just 20 runners. By November, they’d hosted a 100 runner sell out event.
The Venue: A Walled Garden with Bite
The course is looped through Kilcornan Woods, starting and finishing in the Kilcornan Walled Garden, a pristine patch of manicured grass tucked just outside Galway city. It’s the kind of place you’d expect a yoga retreat, not a showdown between sleep deprived ultra runners trying to outlast one another.
Start/Finish line in the Kilcornan Walled Garden, peaceful by day, punishing by night.
But that’s the charm. Runners pitch tents, set up marquees, and claim their patch of turf like festivalgoers at Electric Picnic. The atmosphere is laid back, even cheerful at least in the beginning. There’s a coffee truck (The Bean Machine), hydration support from Soma, nutrition from Altra, and plenty of friendly faces offering help in the pits.
But once the clock ticks past 20 hours, it gets serious. Sportstrax will be providing live GPS tracking for the top 20 runners throughout the race this year a nice bonus if you want to see what human stubbornness looks like in real time.
A Tradition in the Making
Western Yards isn’t aiming to become a huge event. In fact, the organisers have deliberately capped entries at 100. Why? Because it works. It keeps logistics simple, parking straightforward, and the atmosphere intimate. Each runner brings their own food, their own setup, and their own reasons for taking part.
One of the most rewarding aspects, as Aidan puts it is:
“…when someone ends up going far beyond what they thought they could. Maybe they arrive planning to do six loops and end up hitting eight or ten. Or even they come thinking two and manage four. There’s this whole spirit of people pushing themselves and helping each other, especially as it gets late. Nearly everyone ends up acting as race crew or lending a hand in the pits at some point.”
Midnight pit stop: runners and supporters swap stories, snacks, and survival tactics by the fire.
That unexpected magic is what keeps people coming back. Not to win, necessarily, but to find out just how far they can go.
Mark Your Calendars and Bring a Tent
The 2025 edition of Western Yards Last One Standing kicks off at 12 noon on Saturday, May 31st the start of the June bank holiday weekend. Which is handy, because with the winner expected to run for up to 48 or even 50 hours, so there’s a decent chance someone’s still looping into Monday morning.
This is Connacht’s official Backyard Ultra qualifier for the All-Ireland Championship. It’s also one of the warmest, toughest, and most beautifully brutal races you’ll find on the Irish calendar.
If you’ve ever been tempted by the format, this is your chance. The community’s strong. The route is scenic. And the vibe? Relentlessly good-natured, even as your legs fall apart.
Ready to See What You’re Made Of?
Entries are now open. Places are limited to 100, and they will go. If you’re chasing 50 hours or even just curious to see how far you can push yourself in a walled garden in Galway, Western Yards is waiting.
Sign up here
One loop. Every hour. No finish line. Just the bell, your legs, and the madness of Connacht.