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sport · Saturday 18 July 2026 · 11:00am 
Beast of Beara Trail Race - Allihies
At Allihies Village · Allihies, Beara Peninsula, Co. Cork
At Allihies Village · Allihies, Beara Peninsula, Co. Cork
The Beast of Beara is a 21km trail race that takes runners and walkers across three peaks of the Slieve Miskish mountains, starting and finishing in Allihies village on the far western tip of the Beara Peninsula. It is a fundraiser for Garnish GAA - a small rural club keeping the lights on at the peninsula’s edge - and the atmosphere that comes from that community rootedness makes it a different kind of race day. Adventurer Pat Falvey, who endorsed the route ahead of the first edition, called it one of the best in Ireland. That is high praise for a race only launched in 2024, yet 339 runners showed up for the second edition in July 2025, a 44% jump in one year.
The course is honest about what it is. Sections go straight up, steep enough that the treeline beside you sits above your head as you climb. There are easier stretches in between where you get your breath and take in the view - and the views across Bantry Bay and the Atlantic are considerable at that elevation. The terrain is mountain trail throughout: rough underfoot in places, dramatic throughout. The race is open to walkers as well as runners, which matters on a peninsula where the point is the landscape as much as the time on the clock. Marshals and supporters along the route - including what one 2025 finisher described as “the lady shouting and cheering with the bell” - keep the mood warm even on a damp Beara day. Entry is via garnishgaa.ie.
Allihies sits at the western end of the Beara Peninsula in West Cork, roughly 120km south-west of Cork city. The main approach is the N71 through Bantry, then the R572 along the southern side of the peninsula through Castletownbere and out to Allihies. The road narrows considerably on the peninsula section so allow more time than the map suggests, particularly if you are unfamiliar with single-track passing places. There is no public transport serving Allihies directly. Parking in the village is limited - arriving early on race morning is advisable. Castletownbere, about 20km back along the peninsula, has more accommodation options if you are making a weekend of it.
Allihies is copper-mining country - the old workings on the hillside above the village are a striking reminder of the industrial past in this remote place, and the Allihies Copper Mine Museum in the village is worth an hour. There is more to see in Allihies and across Co. Cork.
Heading to Allihies Village in Allihies? Cork has plenty more to see. Read the Allihies area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.