This article is from page 64 of the 2011-05-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 64 JPG
WHEN the An Post Rás rolls into Kilrush on Monday next, the west Clare capital’s link with Ireland’s most prestigious cycling event will be restored.
And those links run deep thanks to Kilrush’s storied association with the famous event that was first staged in 1953 when the route went from Dublin to Wexford and back.
Kilrush had to wait 18 years to play host to the Rás – the town’s first big day coming in 1971, when a stage started and finished in the county.
It was a 17-mile morning time-trial from Miltown Malbay to Kilrush, with the finish on the Town Square. Victory went to Barry Flynn, riding on the Kerry team. From there the cyclists traveled on to Killimer to take the ferry service to Tarbert, from where the next stage that taking them to the Dunquin in the Kerry Gaeltacht began.
Almost a year to the day of the Rás’ first coming to Kilrush, the cyclists were back – this time it was a 26-mile time-trial from Ennistymon, won by Carlow’s Mike O’Donoghue, before cyclists took another ferry ride ahead of the next stage from Tarbert to Killorglin.
It was not until 1982 that the Rás had its third coming in Clare – this time cyclists ferried in the other direction from Tarbert and coasted two miles in the road ahead of the start to the 23rd stage from Kilrush to Kilkee – not a short seven-mile spin but the long way around and a 67-mile trek via Lissycasey, Ennis, Inagh, Miltown Malbay, Quilty, Doonbeg and finishing in Kilkee. Victory in the stage went to William Gibb of Scotland.
The fourth and last visit to Kilrush came in 1998 when it was the stage finish for one of the longest stages in the history of the race – 116 miles from Wesport, with victory going to Belgian Jonge Rakkers.
It was a big day for Kilrush on the double as Vincent Gleeson, then riding for the Mayo team, had the opportunity to finish a stage in his home town.
And the West Clare Cycling Club connections with the Rás don’t end the – the overall winner in 1981 Jamie McGahan from Scotland is married to Brid Cotter, daughter of former West Clare Cycling Club chairman, Paddy Cotter, from Kilmihil.
McMahon later became a member of the West Clare club and won the 55th running of the Crotty Cup in 1989.