the BBC reportsMary Cullen will carry the bulk of Irish hopes in Sunday's European Cross Country Championships in Dublin.
Cullen finished fourth in last year's event in Belgium but with holder Hilda Kibet an absentee, the Sligo athlete is being tipped for a medal.
The Irish woman's main rivals at Santry could be Portuguese pair Ines Monteiro and Jessica Augusto.
Britain's Mo Farah will again go head-to-head with eight-time winner Sergiy Lebid in the senior men's event.
Cullen pushed on from her performance 12 months ago in Brussels to clinch a European Indoor bronze medal in March.
Her summer track season was then wrecked by injury but Cullen looked in good form when winning the Irish Inter-Counties Championship last month.
"The European Cross Country has been building up for six months now and I have really been focused on that through everything this year," said Cullen.
"It was tough to miss the track season but I was always looking at Santry and thinking that it would be my focus once I would be back to full fitness."
Cullen was delighted by her recent Irish Inter-Counties win at Kilbeggan and the terrain is likely to be similar at Santry Park.
This is the first time that Ireland has hosted a major European athletics event and Cullen believes this will be a huge advantage to the Irish team.
"The whole team knows how big an event it is and how many people will be there to cheer us on come Sunday and that always gives athletes a big boost when you are competing.
"The fact that Ireland has such a great tradition in cross country, we know the history and everyone is going to want to make their own history on Sunday."
Farah, the 2006 men's champion, is under no illusions about how difficult it will be to prevent Lebid winning a ninth title.
Farah expects his Ukrainian rival will again be in peak condition for what is forecast to be a close contest between the pair over a muddy 10 kilometre course.
Ciara Mageean hopes to follow her brilliant track season with an impressive showing in the European Cross Country in Dublin on 13 December
Lebid claimed his first gold medal 10 years ago and the veteran is aiming for a third straight triumph.
Farah himself is in good shape after a recent five-week high altitude training stint in Kenya and finished fifth against a world-class field in Dunkirk a fortnight ago.
"It is going to be tough, there is Lebid who has won it eight times and he comes out once a year," said Farah.
"It is a big thing (for him) and it is not going to be easy.
"He does not get ready for the European or World Indoors.
"His one focus is this one race a year. He does not do anything other than that race and he looks forward to competing in it."
Span's Alemayehu Bezebeh and Sweden's Mustafa Mohamed are also expected to challenge while a vocal home crowd could also inspire home men Martin Fagan and Alistair Cragg.
After three successive junior victories, Britain's Stephanie Twell moves up to Under-23 level and the world junior 1,500m gold medallist looks a good bet to add to her glowing reputation at the championships.
Irish hopes in the junior events will be carried mainly by emerging talent Ciara Mageean who clinched a European Youth Olympics gold and World Youth Championship silver during the summer.
European Cross Country Championship
Venue: Santry Park, Dublin Date: Sunday, 13 December Coverage: BBC Red Button 1000-1310 and 1400-1500; BBC 2 1300-1400; All on BBC Sport website (UK only)
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