Former World Mountain Running Champion, John Lenihan took to the bike for Sunday morning’s St. Kieran’s GAA Club Cycle Tour which started at Desmond’s GAA Club grounds. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Pictured at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland on Sunday morning were: Bill Doyle, Abbeyfeale (left) and Tim Moynihan, Spa, Tralee. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Liam Murphy, Scartaglin (left) pictured with: DJ Walsh and Pa Walsh, Cordal and Lee Mangan, Castleisland at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Event co-organiser, Jack Brosnan pictured at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Locals: Michael Barry (left) and Derry Prendiville pictured at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy
The Scart team: Patrick O’Connor (left) pictured with his cousins, Nuala and Fred O’Connor from Scartaglin at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy
St. Kieran’s local supporters: Jack O’Connell (left) with Mary and Denny Lyons at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Denis Walsh, Tralee pictured at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club Annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Brosna couple, John and Antoinette O’Keeffe saddling up at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Cordal cousins, Mike (left) and Jimmy Kearney were on stewarding duty on Sunday morning at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Former RÁS cyclist, John Blackwell (left) pictured with Pat Brosnan, Castleisland at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy
Marian Meehan, Tralee (left) pictured with Breda Dunne, Firies and Mairéad O’Connell, Castleisland at the start of the St. Kieran’s GAA Club annual Cycle Tour in Castleisland on Sunday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy
They rolled out the upper gate of Desmonds GAA Club and onto the road at the set time of 10am and they were on their way a couple of minutes later.
The annual St. Kieran’s Cycling Tour of its parishes is growing in reputation and status with each year. On Sunday morning 294 cyclists lined up on the road outside the designated meeting point. That was 55 more bums on saddles than last year’s total and there were far more leisure cyclists too this year.
Delighted at the Turn-out
“We couldn’t be but delighted at the way everything went for us on Sunday morning. We’re delighted at the turnout, we were lucky with the weather, we had a great time on the road and we got everyone home safely and that was the object of the exercise,” said event co-organiser and ‘spokesman’, Jackie Brosnan.
“We had fantastic back up and guidance from Sgt. John O’Mahony and Garda Ronan Coleman and all our safety people and stewarding team.
We were worried that the Ring of Beara Cycle on Saturday might have taken a lot of people out of our event but we more than held our own and gained those vital numbers over the past week,” said Jackie.
Backing and Encouragement
“Can we say thank you to all those who helped in any way on Sunday morning and to our sponsors Divanes of Castleisland for their backing and encouragement.
We’re delighted to see an event that started off on a trial basis a few years ago taking off in such a positive direction in those few short years. That it’s looking good to continue well into the future is also a great source of satisfaction to us. It was heartening to see so many leisure cyclists involved this year and it’s something we’re keen to encourage and promote as part of a healthy lifestyle for the people in our catchment area,” Jackie concluded.
