Sean Kelly is one of the greatest cyclists in the history of the sport. A man with 193 professional victories to his name. An Icon to many and a hero to all. If you could ask him a question, what would it be ? You can ask your question in the comments section below, or on…
Ireland is full of small village communities. Very often a group of neighbours in a rural village can come together to create something unseen in larger towns and cities. Being in such close contact with your limited amount of neighbours can create bonds that make the impossible seem possible. Ballymacarbery in County Waterford is a…
[iframe width="1280" height="720" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/l71TPMGvgGE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe] Barry www.thecyclingblog.com
First stop as I headed off from the Falls Hotel today was the post office. It wasn't that I needed to post a letter, I just wanted to stop and admire the handy-work of the local community. By making a feature of a derelict building that could have been an eyesore the people of Ennistymon have…
The sun had yet to rise as I made my way from The Falls Hotel this morning onto the bicycle path that leads all the way to Lahinch. It was a real pleasure to ride along the four kilometre purpose built piece of cycling infrastructure. Arriving in Lahinch I detoured via the promenade where I…
Heading for The Falls Hotel in Ennistymon this morning I took a slight detour via Lahinch to watch the surfers in action. The morning was wet and windy as The Wild Atlantic Way lived up to its' name. As I watched the neoprene clad adventurers walk gingerly towards the sea a thought flashed across my…
Today I was doing a little organising when I came across a piece of paper that I had almost forgotten about. It was a GC sheet, not one from a race I myself had taken part in but from The Nissan Classic, and one stage in particular. The Nissan Classic time trial from Carrick on…
I normally don't mind a dog popping out to say hello and often reply by giving them drink from my water bottle. The drink sometimes sprays into their face and they have to stop on the road before they can thank me but there was no offering this guy a drink, he was more interested in food.
[iframe width="960" height="720" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-2eD5AAK7Fc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe] Barry www.thecyclingblog.com
Cycling clubs, just like cyclists themselves come in all shapes and sizes. Some focus predominantly on racing, others on touring whilst some focus solely on the social aspect of people getting together to go ride their bikes. One of the best clubs in the country to take all of this in and more is The…
Gregans castle makes a great base for exploring much of what County Clare has to offer. From spectacular coastal roads right into the heart of the unique landscape of the Burren it has everything a cycling enthusiast could ask for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5QWXDD6SBs Barry www.thecyclingblog.com
As I sat down to dinner in Gregans Castle, one of Irelands blue book hotels, last evening looking out at the purple hue form the limestone mountain across the valley I noticed the the sky beginning to change colour. As each course of my meal was presented the sky went form pink to orange to…
Breakfast in Gregans Castle is an experience all on its own. The finest selection of the freshest offerings greeted me upon arrival in the dining room. With tables allocated by each individual rooms identity, I returned to my table by the large conservatory window looking out across the magnificent Burren landscape all the way down…
Gregans Castle, one of Irelands Blue Book Hotels, is situated on the lower slopes of the famous 'Corkscrew hill'. With its well earned place amongst Irelands most iconic climbs, it has been a feature of many races such as The Ras, The Junior Tour, Ras na mBan, The Tour of Ireland and The Nissan Classic.…
This is where online coverage and social media are hugely important. To capture the hearts and minds of young people and to encourage them to take up the beautiful sport of cycling they must have a steady stream of content available in the form that they are going to be accessing. Online video and live streaming may well hold the key to the continued development of cycling in Ireland and beyond.
The UCI Youtube channel is showing all of the action from every event at this years World Championships live here : [iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qY1pUU55DnA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe] Barry www.thecyclingblog.com
This past week I have had a new addition fitted to my bike. It is small and barely noticeable, but seven different people have asked me what the story is with the elastic band on my bars, so here it is : Lately, I have been doing quite a bit of travelling, staying overnight at…
A fabulous part of Ireland that displays The Wild Atlantic Way at its best including the ascent and descent of The Healy Pass. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjIL3itq0UE&feature=player_embedded Barry www.thecyclingblog.com
Here is a downloadable map of the Kenmare Bay 24k Here is the Strava file And here is a smartphone downloadable file on mapmyride A glimmer of bright sunshine made its way into my room in The Kenmare Bay Hotel this morning giving hope of a bright day ahead. Being my final day the plan was…
Here is a downloadable map of the Kenmare Bay 110k Here is the Strava file And here is a smartphone downloadable file on mapmyride Heading out the road towards Sneem from The Kenmare Bay hotel this morning I found bright orange and fifty shades of green leaves falling like snowflakes from the tunnel of trees overhead.…