September 8th Date for Castleisland Day Care Centre Cycle

Management and friends of Castleisland Day Care Centre with guests at the launch of the 2019 fundraising cycle at the centre. Included are: front from left: Freddie O’Dwyer, Adrian O’Connell and Marcus Cronin, all Currow Cycling Club. Back row: Eileen Lane, Castleisland Day Care Centre; Éamonn Breen, Currow Cycling Club; Maxi Fleming and Kathleen Griffin, Castleisland Day Care Centre; Ciara Griffin, Irish Women’s Rugby Team Captain and Marcella Finn, Nurse /Manager, Castleisland Day Care Centre. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Guests, management and staff pictured at Castleisland Day Care Centre during the visit of the Sam Maguire Cup on Ash Wednesday 2015. Included are, seated: Donal Nelligan, Marie Cronin, Monsignor Dan O’Riordan, Marcelle Finn, nurse/manager; Monica Prendiville and Charlie Nelligan. back row from left: Helen Greensmyth, Mag Lenihan, Sheila McGuire, Rita McCarthy, Mary O’Sullivan, Eileen Cronin, Noreen O’Sullivan, Eileen Murphy and Noreen Geaney. ©Photograph: John Reidy 18-2-2015

Call it presumption if you like but it was felt, months ago, that the date of this year’s All-Ireland Senior Football Final and Kerry’s involvement on September 1st would impact on the organisers of the annual Castleisland Day Care Centre Cycle.

Consequently, they’ve had to move their date for the annual event further than ever into September and in will now be held on Sunday 8^thwith registration from 9am for an all-together start at 10am.

Currow Cycling Club Support

This year’s event was launched at the centre by Irish Women’s Rugby Team Captain, Ciara Griffin on Wednesday afternoon. Currow Cycling Club representatives, Freddy Dwyer, Marcus Cronin, Adrian O’Connell and former Kerry Rás Tailteann team cyclist Éamonn Breen were on hand to lend their invaluable support to the event as they have done from day one in September 2007.

GAA Changed All That

It was a constant on the first Sunday of September – traditional ‘Hurling Final Sunday’ but the GAA went off and changed all that. Last year due to the Papal visit the G.A.A. rescheduled the football final to the first Sunday in September and it now seems September 1st will be the future date for the All Ireland football final.

Sanctioned by Cycling Ireland

This change of date has been sanctioned by Cycling Ireland and the cycle, which has been ‘running’ since 2007 will get under way at 10am from the centre on Creamery Lane.

This year the event will provide a choice of four distances: 15Km., 40Km., 80Km. and 100Km to suit all levels of cyclists.

Getting the Word Out

Last year’s event was a tremendous success and the organisers are hopeful that this year’s will be as successful

“We were hoping to officially launch the cycle in the summer, towards end of July beginning of August – but these things change.

“For now we just need to get the word of the date change out to our many participants who have shown us fantastic support over the years.

Will Sam Maguire be Around ?

“We are calling again on all cyclists to support us on September 8th. Proceeds of this event go directly to to the day care centre.

“And we’re hoping to have the Sam Maguire Cup here on the morning also. He was here the last time after the 2014 win – he knows his way here by now,” said a seriously serious and reassuringly certain Marcella Finn – the nurse /manager at the centre.