Kilrush will host a series of events from 20th to 24th May to mark the return to the town of Ireland’s foremost cycling event.
The West Clare Cycling Club, in association with Kilrush Town Council, have announced details of the ‘CyKilrush Rás Weekend’ which provides four‐days of family‐orientated, cycling‐related activities, culminating in the exciting spectacle of the arrival and departure of the An Post Rás 2011.
CyKilrush will feature a new format for one of Ireland’s oldest cycling trophies – the Crotty Cup, which will now be run as a Time Trial. There will also be family cycles, a cycle treasure hunt, children’s races, leisure and trail rides and, of course, the chance to see a field of top Irish and international cyclists battle it out for the Stage 2 finish of the An Post Rás.
Mayor of Kilrush Councillor Liam Williams said the upcoming series of events would not only celebrate the town’s rich cycling heritage but would also help attract visitors to Kilrush.
“The west Clare town of Kilrush is steeped in cycling heritage. Founded by Miko Crotty back in the early 1930’s, the West Clare Cycling Club has had many memorable moments. In 1998 Stage 4 of the then FBD Milk Rás finished in Frances Street, with the following day’s stage starting in Listowel, Co. Kerry. Thirteen year’s later, on Monday 23rd May, Stage 2 of the An Post Rás 2011 will again finish in Frances Street, but this time Kilrush can also watch Stage 3 depart from the town the following day.”
“The An Post Rás is an exciting event for Kilrush to host as it will attract a huge crowd into the town on the 23rd May for the Stage 2 finish and again on the 24th May for the start of Stage 3. I would encourage the people of Kilrush and people from across Clare to take part in the many events taking place around the town in the days surrounding the Rás”, added the Mayor.
CyKilrush will be launched at Vandeleur Walled Garden on May 20th and will be followed by a Trail’s Ride through Kilrush Wood. Saturday 21st is a Family Day, starting with a family cycle to Millennium Park in Cappa village in the morning. In the afternoon there is a Cycle Treasure Hunt in the Kilrush Wood, followed by a fun Mini‐Duathlon at Kilrush Marina.
On the morning of Sunday 22nd May there is chance to experience the beautiful and varied scenery of the area on the ‘Discover West Clare’ Leisure Cycle. In the afternoon things get serious when the 77‐year old ‘Crotty Cup’ is the prize in the inaugural West Clare Cycling Club Time‐Trial Competition at Frances Street. The ‘John Ryan Cup’ will also be awarded to the winner of the Junior Time‐Trial event. Then on the Sunday evening children’s races and activities will be held at the Marina.
Kilrush then becomes ‘Cycle‐Town’ on Monday 23rd May, in preparation for the arrival of the 2011 An Post Ras. Everyone will be encouraged to ‘get on their bike’ to come to town and as a reward there is a free entry to win a bike, donated by Gleeson’s Shop. There is a chance to cycle the finish route around the town that the An Post Raps riders will take later in day.
To end the day the town will come alive with music and craic, the west Clare way.
The CyKilrush ends on Tuesday 24th with the departure of the 2011 An Post Rás through the town, led out by a cavalcade of children on their bikes, before they speed off on the Ennis Road towards the Stage finish in Castleisland, Co Kerry.
An Post Rás 2011, which features eight days of racing along 1247 kilometres of Ireland’s roads, begins in Dunboyne, Co. Meath on May 22nd and moves counter-clockwise around the country.
Rás schedule:
• Stage 1, Sunday May 22: Dunboyne – Portumna, 148 kms
• Stage 2, Monday May 23: Portumna – Kilrush, 164kms
• Stage 3, Tuesday May 24: Kilrush – Castleisland, 175kms
• Stage 4, Wednesday May 25: Castleisland – Castletownbere, 142kms
• Stage 5, Thursday May 26: Castletownbere – Blarney, 156kms
• Stage 6, Friday May 27: Blarney – Tramore, 172kms
• Stage 7, Saturday May 28: Tramore – Kildare, 157kms
• Stage 8, Sunday May 29: Kildare – Skerries, 133kms
For more information on the Rás visit: www.anpostras.com. For more on the CyKilrush – Rás Weekend see www.kilrustowncouncil.ie or www.westclarecc.ie.
The West Clare Cycling Club, in association with Kilrush Town Council, have announced details of the ‘CyKilrush Rás Weekend’ which provides four‐days of family‐orientated, cycling‐related activities, culminating in the exciting spectacle of the arrival and departure of the An Post Rás 2011.
CyKilrush will feature a new format for one of Ireland’s oldest cycling trophies – the Crotty Cup, which will now be run as a Time Trial. There will also be family cycles, a cycle treasure hunt, children’s races, leisure and trail rides and, of course, the chance to see a field of top Irish and international cyclists battle it out for the Stage 2 finish of the An Post Rás.
Mayor of Kilrush Councillor Liam Williams said the upcoming series of events would not only celebrate the town’s rich cycling heritage but would also help attract visitors to Kilrush.
“The west Clare town of Kilrush is steeped in cycling heritage. Founded by Miko Crotty back in the early 1930’s, the West Clare Cycling Club has had many memorable moments. In 1998 Stage 4 of the then FBD Milk Rás finished in Frances Street, with the following day’s stage starting in Listowel, Co. Kerry. Thirteen year’s later, on Monday 23rd May, Stage 2 of the An Post Rás 2011 will again finish in Frances Street, but this time Kilrush can also watch Stage 3 depart from the town the following day.”
“The An Post Rás is an exciting event for Kilrush to host as it will attract a huge crowd into the town on the 23rd May for the Stage 2 finish and again on the 24th May for the start of Stage 3. I would encourage the people of Kilrush and people from across Clare to take part in the many events taking place around the town in the days surrounding the Rás”, added the Mayor.
CyKilrush will be launched at Vandeleur Walled Garden on May 20th and will be followed by a Trail’s Ride through Kilrush Wood. Saturday 21st is a Family Day, starting with a family cycle to Millennium Park in Cappa village in the morning. In the afternoon there is a Cycle Treasure Hunt in the Kilrush Wood, followed by a fun Mini‐Duathlon at Kilrush Marina.
On the morning of Sunday 22nd May there is chance to experience the beautiful and varied scenery of the area on the ‘Discover West Clare’ Leisure Cycle. In the afternoon things get serious when the 77‐year old ‘Crotty Cup’ is the prize in the inaugural West Clare Cycling Club Time‐Trial Competition at Frances Street. The ‘John Ryan Cup’ will also be awarded to the winner of the Junior Time‐Trial event. Then on the Sunday evening children’s races and activities will be held at the Marina.
Kilrush then becomes ‘Cycle‐Town’ on Monday 23rd May, in preparation for the arrival of the 2011 An Post Ras. Everyone will be encouraged to ‘get on their bike’ to come to town and as a reward there is a free entry to win a bike, donated by Gleeson’s Shop. There is a chance to cycle the finish route around the town that the An Post Raps riders will take later in day.
To end the day the town will come alive with music and craic, the west Clare way.
The CyKilrush ends on Tuesday 24th with the departure of the 2011 An Post Rás through the town, led out by a cavalcade of children on their bikes, before they speed off on the Ennis Road towards the Stage finish in Castleisland, Co Kerry.
An Post Rás 2011, which features eight days of racing along 1247 kilometres of Ireland’s roads, begins in Dunboyne, Co. Meath on May 22nd and moves counter-clockwise around the country.
Rás schedule:
• Stage 1, Sunday May 22: Dunboyne – Portumna, 148 kms
• Stage 2, Monday May 23: Portumna – Kilrush, 164kms
• Stage 3, Tuesday May 24: Kilrush – Castleisland, 175kms
• Stage 4, Wednesday May 25: Castleisland – Castletownbere, 142kms
• Stage 5, Thursday May 26: Castletownbere – Blarney, 156kms
• Stage 6, Friday May 27: Blarney – Tramore, 172kms
• Stage 7, Saturday May 28: Tramore – Kildare, 157kms
• Stage 8, Sunday May 29: Kildare – Skerries, 133kms
For more information on the Rás visit: www.anpostras.com. For more on the CyKilrush – Rás Weekend see www.kilrustowncouncil.ie or www.westclarecc.ie.
