Cathal Dennehy: Nichola Sheridan found her way back to running after father's ill-health

In her childhood, she juggled various sports but drifted away from running in her late teens. It was only in 2015, as her father struggled with severe health issues, that she found her way back.

Female Race winner Nichola Sheridan pictured at Dublin city half marathon 2025…Pic Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

At one stage, running was a form of therapy for Nichola Sheridan. It still is, in many ways, only these days it’s also much more – the rapidly progressing Meath native hoping to win a national medal at this year’s Irish Life Dublin Marathon.

On her debut marathon in Dublin last October, she finished fifth in the national championship, 14th in the women’s race overall, clocking 2:42:57, a personal best she lowered to 2:42:31 in Valencia last December. But Sheridan, at 28, is still a relative novice in this world.