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Gary Murray became the first Donegal man ever to break four minutes for the mile when he clocked three minutes 59.54 seconds in the British Milers’ Club Grand Prix meeting at London’s Crystal Palace.

Running in the Nike Mile, the Stranorlar athlete sliced seven seconds off his previous best to write himself into the annals of the sport in his native county.

Murray in seventh was the final man under four minutes in the field of 11 runners.

England’s up and coming distance star Mo Farah was first across the line in 3:56.49 with Mullingar’s Mark Christie also breaking the still magical barrier for the first time with a 3:58.99 clocking in fifth place.

Murray’s place in local athletics history was on the cards following a sensational season which has seen him win national titles at both cross-country and 1500 metres.  He has also posted phenomenal times over metric mile and 5000 metres. 

His 3:41.22 clocking over 1500 metres earlier in the season was equivalent to 3:58.8 for the mile indicating that Murray could lower the Donegal record further given the right conditions.

However, the teacher at St. Joseph’s, Creggan is not yet the fastest man in the northwest over the distance.  That honour still remains with Peter McColgan who posted a mark of 3:59.37 on 18 July 1986.

Bobby Farren was also unlucky not to join the elite club registering two times between 4:00 and 4:01.  Nevertheless, the fact remains that Tyrone and Donegal can now boast sub-four minute milers while Derry awaits its first.

Flat Out For Four Minutes

Ireland's 41 Sub-Four Minute Milers in Chronolgical Order

Ireland's 39 four-minute milers

Jun 1st, '56 Ronnie Delany 3:59.0 (3:57.5, '58)

Aug 3rd, '64 Basil Clifford 3:59.80

Aug 13th, '66 Derek Graham 3:59.40 (3:59.26, '66)

Jun 1st, '68 Frank Murphy 3:58.6 (3:58.1, '69)

May 12th, '73 John Hartnett 3:58.3 (3:54.7, '73)

May 10th, '75 Eamonn Coghlan 3:56.2 (3:49.78i, '83)

Aug 30th, '75 Jim McGuinness 3:59.2 (3:55.0, '77)

May 1st, '76 Niall O'Shaughnessy 3:58.1 (3:55.4i, '77)

Jun 19th, '76 Paul Lawther 3:58.49 (3:57.81, '83)

Jun 19th, '76 Jerry Kiernan 3:59.12

Apr 30th, '77 Ray Flynn 3:59.4 (3:49.77, '82)

Jun 24th, '80 David Taylor 3:59.19 (3:54.48, '83)

Jun 23rd, '81 Frank O'Mara 3:58.82 (3:51.06, '86)

Jan 22nd, '83 Marcus O'Sullivan 3:58.84i (3:50.94i, '88)

Jul 13th, '83 Tommy Moloney 3:57.70 (3:54.68, '86)

Jun 10th, '84 Steve Martin 3:56.71 (3:56.36, '86)

Jul 3rd, '84 Paul Donovan 3:55.82

Jul 9th, '85 Enda Fitzpatrick 3:56.36

Jun 14th, '86 Gerry O'Reilly 3:54.63

Jul 8th, '86 Eugene Curran 3:58.54

Jul 13th, '86 Mark Kirk 3:59.67

Jul 18th, '86 Peter McColgan 3:59.37

Jul 7th, '87 Seán O'Neill 3:58.42

Jan 31st, '88 Frank Conway 3:58.32i (3:56.78i, '89)

Feb 6th, '88 Kieran Stack 3:59.4i

Jul 5th, '88 Séamus McCann 3:59.84

May 30th, '91 Davey Wilson 3:59.9

Jul 5th, '91 Niall Bruton 3:59.23 (3:53.93, '96)

Jul 9th, '93 Mark Carroll 3:58.64 (3:50.62, '00)

Jun 25th, '94 Des English 3:58.71

Jun 25th, '94 Shane Healy 3:59.23

Sep 4th, '94 Gary Lough 3:59.48 (3:55.91, '95)

Apr 1st, '95 Ken Nason 3:58.91 (3:58.09, '95)

Sep 5th, '98 James McIlroy 3:59.48

Jun 27th, '99 James Nolan 3:56.31 (3:54.62, '03)

Aug 7th, '99 Brian Treacy 3:59.91

Apr 29th, '00 Gareth Turnbull 3:57.89 (3:57.61, '02)

Oct 29th, '00 Andrew Walker 3:58.96

Mar 2nd, '03 Alistair Cragg 3:59.94

August 6, 05 Mark Christie 3:58.99