Yesterday , on the way back from Dublin I was listening to Miceal O Murahurtaigh commentating on the Tipp - Cork match , and wondered what he would be like commentating on a bike race , maybe it would be something like this ; ' Dia dhiabh agus failte , welcome , welcome , welcome…
Today 'The Ras' blasted into Clonmel and 'The power fella' himself , Ciaran Power stormed to a very impressive victory . The town was packed and the atmosphere electric as the pink and blue Pezula kit came into view and we all knew that ' one of the lads' was going to win the stage…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAE0pfX4cEs]
Back in the late eighties a bike race was a good indicator of what the latest trend in haircuts was . Former National champion and current surgeon in St James' hospital Dublin , Julian Dalby was the first to sport the dyed blond look complete with a diamond pattern shaved into the back of his head .…
Many Irish people have an unusual way of greeting each other . When passing someone that you know on the street the common greeting is how are you ? , how are things ? how’s life ? etc . And the most common answer is very often ‘ not too bad ‘ which may often…
When you haven't trained for a while the one thing that hangs over you is the first spin back with the group . It's a lot like the leaving cert , you know you have to do it but you just don't want to face it . Throughout the winter I've been busy with family…
Yesterday afternoon whilst recovering from another fantastic spin off road we were having lunch when a blast from the past appeared before us . Both Ray and myself had to do a double take when Shane O'Meara formerly of The Shannon Transport club in Limerick appeared before us . We had all raced together up…
The racing season is over and the 'good bikes ' have been washed and hung up for the winter . The quest for an adrenaline rush and some fitness still remains so where else would we look than the adrenaline junkies paradise of off road riding , or mountain biking as we like to call…
Day two thousand one hundred and fifty nine . 9.17 am : Housemates Ray and Barry arrive for work and to open the big brother house (shop) for Business at 9.30 am . 9.31 am : First customer of the day enters the showroom and makes his way towards the counter . Customer…
A number of years ago former Murphy and Gunne team mechanic Seamie English and myself went to work in a meat factory in Holland . The factory was located in Enschede near the German border . Seamie was an experienced boner but I was an unexperienced Aer lingus trimmer . ie : Seamie would cut all…
A very wet night saw Sam Bennett take yet another victory ![youtube=ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiucmotDB_E]
The knock or the bonk or whatever you wish to call it is something almost every cyclist experiences at some stage or other . And whilst Knock may be a place of pilgrimage for many Irish people 'the knock' is another form of pennance altogether . The most common location around us to view someone…
One of the most important ways to keep your bike running smoothly is to wash it often . It will save both money and frustration as it will improve chain wear and show up most minor problems before they develop into major ones . Here's how to do it properly ! What you will need :…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_yjuw2wzmg]
With the summer now officially upon us along with the longer evenings and brighter mornings more and more people are being tempted to leave the car at home and cycle to work . The advantages are obvious , heatlthier , cheaper , faster if you live in a town or city , more enjoyable as…
Each year during the third week in May several towns in Ireland reverberate to the sound of Paddy Fitzsimons voice encouraging the people of the town to ' Give a big Templemore ( or eight other town names each year ) welcome to the Men of The Ras '. ' The Ras ' holds a mythical…
Very often we have people come in to the shop who ask us for directions . Sometimes it will be a delivery driver looking for a particular street in the town or perhaps someone looking for the community partnership offices further down our block . We also get the odd tourist who may be looking…
Each year throughout the cycling world and beyond millions of fans tune in their televisions each afternoon to view live events at the Tour de France . On the continent sidewalk cafes fill with enthusiastic supporters every day . Some people even plan their annual holidays in order to watch it live on T.V .…
I have often been to Kerry . Sometimes on holidays or day-trips , other times whilst racing . Every time I go there I have a new experience of where Kerryman jokes come from like ; A Kerryman rang Aer Lingus and asked how long it took to fly from Dublin to London. "Just a…
In a bikeshop , just like many rural shops you often become a mixture of salesperson , confidante , tourist information officer and directory inquires operator . After seven years standing behind the counter there are now very few situations which would surprise me . This , however was not always the case . I…
