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History

The Shamrock Run & Walk first started in the early 1990’s. It was the third event added to the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in Indianapolis to complement the Parade and Irish Citizen of the Year Luncheon. It is one of Indy’s longest standing race traditions. The start and finish of the Shamrock was near the former Indianapolis Athletic Club which was home of the Indy Sports Foundation. The Athletic Club made for a great post race celebration. With the closing of the Club in 2004 and the growth of the event causing logistical issues, the Shamrock was moved to the campus of IUPUI. From 2004 through 2007 the race started and finished at the IUPUI John A. Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium and Natatorium.

In 2008, the Shamrock moved to a weekend and a new course was created. The course is four (4) miles long. The course takes participants on a trip to historic Fountain Square, home of the “Irish Hill.” The Irish Hill was a heavily settled Irish neighborhood in current day Fountain Square back in the 1850’s. Other notable locations on the route include the Wholesale District and Fletcher Place. There will also be plenty of sightseeing. Some neat sights along the way include the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Indy’s oldest bar (Slippery Noodle), South Street Park (site of Indy’s first pro baseball team near the intersection of Virginia and South Streets), the Morris-Butler Home and the Abraham Lincoln Statue in University Park. There is also a “St. Patrick Street” on the course which takes participants by the site of the “St. Patrick Church” that was first built in 1865. For the past two years, Pioneer Fountain in Fountain Square was dyed green for the race. In 2010, Pioneer Fountain will have a whole new look and location on the course as part of the Cultural Trail construction.