Dublin to Galway Cycle

On the 25th of June 2011 a determined group of six left Dublin City in the wee hours of the morning to complete the gruelling challenge of cycling 210K in the rain from Dublin to Galway for the IMNDA. Lance would have been put to shame by their heroics! To find out how they got on on that faithful day – read their thrilling account below:

The 2011 Cross Country Race

Peak Physical Specimens: Shane O’Hara, Terry Brannigan, Sarah Kelly, Brendan Guckian, Alan O’Byrne and Conor McGlynn

Cycling from Dublin to Galway can now be scratched off the bucket list for six young and fatigued cyclists. At 07:20 on Saturday morning the 25th June, we were off to a quick start from Ushers Quay, with a stocked up support car and the wind at our backs. However it was not long before the wind changed and we discovered the joys of cycling bang on into it for 210km; to add to the misery, it was raining cats and dogs…..several of which we had to dodge on the gauntlet that was the hard shoulder! But with several stops on the way, Nutrigrain bars, Lucozade sport and jellies became the main forces keeping us motoring on – a crucial part of every champion’s diet. Also, stopping for a beef curry on the way is not recommended. Live and learn. The thrills of changing several punctured tubes en route were later added to the list of obstacles, a pat on the back for our two cyclists who turned mechanics at Tyrrellspass - Brendan and Conor. And a short 14 hours later we finally arrived in Galway. On the fundraising front, we pushed past the €4,500 threshold, and we would all like to thank everyone for their generous support. For anyone interested in buying a two month old Carrera Virtuoso racer, you’ll find six of them on eBay (used only five times and very fast).