In a season highlighted by Colin Costello's 1,500 Gold Medal performance at the European Junior Championships, it was tough for any other junior runners to get any ink or attention by the athletics media. Introducing, Rose-Anne Galligan, who had an amazing 2005 season and with another year of junior eligibility promises to top it.

Rose-Anne Galligan, who turns 18 on 9th December, has already won her first senior medal along with a plethora of junior accolades on her impressive athletics curriculum vitae.

At 16, Galligan won the Inter County Cross Country individual gold in Dungarvan on 28th November 2004 qualifying for the European Championships.

Galligan ran a brilliant race at the European Championships in Seebad Heringsdorf (Germany) placing 13th overall.

Galligan, who competes for Newbridge AC set a new national junior indoor record of 9.28.67 for the 3000 metres at the Norwich Union European Trials & British AAA Championships in Sheffield on 12th February 2005. This is especially impressive as she was known as a two-lap specialist having run 2.08.72 as a 16-year-old.

Eight days later, she followed the record with her first National Junior Cross Championship title edging Linda Byrne (Dundrum South Dublin) by four seconds at Santry. Next up was the World Cross Country Championships in Saint-Galmier, France where she placed 49th and was the first Irish finisher.

Galligan is unbeaten at the junior level for over a year having won the National Junior 800m (2.11.21) title in Cork along with a double (800m & 1,500m) at the senior schools in June.

Beginning in mid-June, armed with 4:31.68 1,500 metre best, Rose-Anne ran a string of four massive personal bests beginning with a 4.28.32 at the Internationale DLV-Juniorengala in Mannheim, Germany on 18th June where she place third in strong junior field.

Three weeks later Galligan ran 4.26.01 to place 10th at the Norwich Union World & Commonwealth Trials & AAA Championships in Manchester, England. Her next PB was run at the British Milers Club in Watford on 27th July where she placed 2nd in 4.25.99 - less than a second off the World Junior Athletics Championship standard or 4.25.00.

She would not have to wait long to get the elusive standard running 4.22.49 to place 7th at the Dublin International in Santry on 30th July.

Galligan also lowered her 800m best at the British Milers Club Crystal Palace Grand Prix on 6th August where she placed 8th in 2.08.61.

Sandwiched between all of these remarkable races was the only sub par performance of the 2005 athletics season by her high standards was a 7th place finish in the 3,000-metre event at the European Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania . Whilst her time of 9.44.02 was technically an outdoor personal best, it was vastly inferior to her National Indoor Junior Record time of 9.28.67.

Irish Runner.com caught up with this rising star who humbly commented on her mercurial season.
"I'm pretty happy with my season particularly as it was my Leaving Cert year and I couldn't spend as much time training as I wanted to. I didn't have as many wins as last season but that of course is because I took a big step up in class to compete at senior International level."

What's the plan for next year?
"I'm taking a gap year as I think I'm a little young to go to College this year. I don't know yet if I will go to a College in Ireland, the UK or take the US option."

You had a brilliant season. Which race sticks out in your mind?
"My favourite race of the season though was the Dublin International when I ran a PB, 4:22.49. It was a top quality field and also included all the top Irish u23 and juniors girls. I was pleased with my time 'cause it was my 3rd hard race in a week, I set a pb 4:25.99 in Watford just 3 days earlier, and I had run the European Juniors in Lithuania 7 days before."

It will hard to top these few months, what are focusing on next in cross country?
I'm now looking forward to the European Junior Cross Country, in Tilburg, Holland on Dec 11th. I finished 13th last year, so my target is to get a top 10 finish this year. This year it's going to be a much more competitive race though. The British are going to have a fantastic team, they are certain to win the team gold. They've got their two European gold medal winners Emily Pidgeon and Morag McClarty, as well as Sian Edwards who was the first European home in the World Youths 3k. Add to that, the English schools cross country champion Danielle Sale, and the double International schools champion Non Stanford. Of course there will be a few Russians and Romanians in there as well!"

Have you thought about next year's track season?
"I can't wait for next years track season. I hope to have a crack at the Irish junior 1500m record, 4:17.84, set by Natalie Davey in 1991. Sonia holds the Irish junior 800m record, 2:05.72, so it may also be a target, but not an easy one!"

Since September, Galligan has been coached by Robert Denmead, the same coach who guided the aforementioned Colin Costello to European Gold. Prior to that she was coached long distance by an English David Farrow though March. Sorry, there's no conspiracy theory here, Galligan simply said, "The long distance between us had its drawbacks so I spent most of the summer without a coach and taking things easy because of my Exams."

A fan of The Killers and 50 Cent musically, a hobby of hers is to follow horse racing. She lives near the Curragh Racecourse and even does some training on the racecourse. Her Da purchased a 2-year-old racehorse a few weeks ago. Galligan commented, "I have a small share in him. I'm thrilled because he will race in my name.He is called SIR GERARD. I'm looking forward to having a lot of fun with him."