This article is from page 31 of the 2007-09-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 31 JPG
CAR Free Day in Ennis is being marked by an unusual cycle event organised with the support of En- nis Town Council and Clare County Council.
Owners of bicycles of all shapes and sizes are invited to participate in a fun ReCycle Your Bike event around Ennis on Saturday, Septem- ber 22.
Event spokesperson Susan Griffin says the emphasis for this cycling
event is on getting the unused bi- cycles that lie in most sheds dusted off and used. There will be a special emphasis on the old black bikes or “High Nelly’ that were once seen as part and parcel of Irish life. According to Susan Griffin, “Bikes are hugely undervalued nowadays. They can be an extremely practical and enjoyable means of transport. There is no need for the latest model either. Bikes that are only a few years old are often discarded, perfectly good ones are thrown out
and are lying unused in sheds. As long as the bike is in a safe condi- tion with decent brakes and tyres you are doing yourself and the environ- ment a favour. Ennis is an ideal cy- cling town and on European Car-free Day we hope to encourage the people of Clare to rediscover the joy of the humble bicycle.”
Cycling enthusiast and local Green party councillor Brian Meaney is Supporting the Fun Cycle and is looking forward to taking part.
“T have four bikes myself, two of
which are old High Nellys. One is a touring type complete with full chain guards and dynamo. The other one has been stripped down for speed. Both of these bicycles have the trade mark triple sprung leather Brooks saddle, which is what defined a High Nelly. They were built for comfort, not speed, in an Ireland that depend- ed on the bicycle as a valued mode of transport. It’ll be good to polish up the saddle to cycle around Ennis on Car Free Day,’ Councillor Meaney said.