3,500 to participate in Connemara marathon

Over 3,500 people are to take part in this years' Connemara International Marathon.

It is the largest ever athletics event to take place in the West of Ireland.

Participants from around 37 countries will converge on Lough Inagh and Leenane for the Ultra marathon, the full marathon, and the half marathon.

Over 60 buses will transport the athletes to the two starting points - it is the largest movement of buses in Co Galway since the visit of Pope John Paul II nearly 30 years ago.