Category: Leisure News

The Gay Farnan Memorial Tour takes place on Sunday, 9th September, starting from Dunsany GAA Club at 9.30 am.  This event is open to IVCA members and friends.  The tour forms part of the IVCA Leisure League, so there is no cost to members.  There is, however, a small €10 entry fee for non-IVCA members to cover insurance and ancillary costs.

Gay Farnan was Touring Director of the IVCA for many years and was a key part of the team that built up the Wicklow 200 and the West Wicklow 100 tours.  Gay sadly passed away in 2017.  However, we are delighted to remember him through this new tour, which replaces the West Wicklow on the calendar.  We hope there will be a good turn-out from all members – racing and touring alike – for this end of season wind-down.

There are two routes available – 40 Km and 70 Km and are shown on the file below.

Please note the following:

• This is a tour, not a race.
• The Rules of the Road must be obeyed at all times and all participants must wear helmets.
• The routes have been marked on the road at the main junctions.
• The event is not marshalled, so extra care should be taken at all junctions.
• All participants should be able to carry out basic maintenance on their bike in the event of punctures or minor mechanical problems.
• There will be refreshments at the finish, but no official coffee stop en route.  However, there are cafes and service stations along the route in Trim, Longwood, Enfield – and Summerhill for the shorter route.

To zoom in on the 70 K route, click here (70k).  To zoom in on the 40K route, click here (40k)

We hope that as many members as possible will come out to support this event on 9th September.

The IVCA’s 100 in 8 tour takes place next Sunday, 12th August.

Covering 100 miles (160 Km) in 8 hours is one of cycling’s standard touring challenges and has been a feature on the IVCA calendar for many years.  An engraved Silver Medal is awarded each year to any member completing the 50 in 4, the Wicklow 200 and the 100 in 8.

This year’s event will start from the Grasshopper Inn in Clonee, rolling out at 9:00am sharp.

The route will be similar to previous years (see map from 2016 below), but more likely to be cycled anti-clockwise this year:  i.e. heading out to Rathoath and Skryne before turning west to Delvin.

Even if you only want to ride part of the way, our touring members would be glad of the company and shelter from the wind as they take on this challenge.

Remember to bring some money for a food stop along the way.

Click on map for larger image

The 50 in 4 tour took place on 11th March and saw a good turn-out, with 19 riders, including two new members, signing on for the event.  Read Tony Pearson’s report on the tour below.

The next event in the IVCA Leisure League will take place on 8th April, starting at 10.00 am in Clonee.

A reminder that the 50 in 4 (50 miles in 4 hours) tour takes place next Sunday, 11th March, setting out  from The Grasshopper Inn, Clonee at 9:00 am.  The route will head towards Summerhill and on to Knightsbrook, returning to Summerhill for a tea stop; then it’s on to Maynooth and finishing back in Clonee.  (Click on the image below for a larger view of the route).

Following a series of weekends of bad weather, this spin provides a great opportunity to get the legs and lungs working again.  The 50 in 4 is also the first leg of the IVCA “triple” which see the award of a silver Touring Medal to any rider completing the 50 in 4, Wicklow 200 and 100 in 8 in the same year.  We hope to see as many members as possible on the start line in Clonee.

The 50 in 4 tour which was scheduled for Sunday, 4th March, has been postponed until 11th March due to the weather conditions.

The event will start at The Grasshopper Inn, Clonee at 9:00 am.  The route will take the direction of Summerhill and on to Knightsbrook, returning to Summerhill for a tea stop then onto Maynooth and finish in Clonee.  Click on the image below for a larger view of the route.

Round 2 of the Dick O’Brien Leisure League takes place on Sunday 11^th February, starting from Eurocycles, Airside Shopping Centre, Swords at 10.00 am sharp. 

The tour will head for Ratoath, through Curragha to the Ashbourne Road.  A right turn at Kentstown Cross brings the cyclists straight through Duleek to join the Old Belfast Road at Julianstown.

There will be a short tea stop at Apple Green on the lefthand side of the road before heading home through Stamullen and Balscadden.  The outward journey is mostly flat and there is a relatively easy climb over  Balscadden on the way home.  The distance is 85km.

It would be great to see a good turn-out again for this event following the very successful first touring event in January.

To get to Eurocycles go straight down Airside and take right turn at Airside Ford, then first left and left again (for location, click here).