The Chain Gang Tralee’s Cycling Website

Hi All,

The club committee would like to thank all those who contributed so much to the successful running of our Conor Pass Challenge on 19^th September last. Feedback to date has been universally favourable, and this is due entirely to the input of the Club members and other volunteers to the planning, sign-on, catering, signage, marshalling and execution of the event.

The Club would specifically like to express their thanks to:

• St Pats GAA club for the generous use of their facilities
• Those volunteers that gave their time (and for some their cycle) to cater, marshall and run the event
• The Gardaí and the Red Cross  for their invaluable, professional support on the day
• Barrys Bakery and Garveys Supermarket for their generous donation of foodstuffs for the participants
• The motorcycle marshalls who provided world class feedback and assistance to the event organisers on the day
• Our patrons Tony Costello and Finbar Canty in Costellos Building Contractors and The Blasket Bar and Restaurant
• Dan Devane for his camera work (all it would have taken would have been a helicopter to fly overhead for people to think we had Eurosport in on the day!)
• Currow CC and the Earl of Desmond CC for their assistance with signage etc
• Anthony O’Halloran for providing mechanical support for the event and for the generous donations to the event

And  of course we would like to thank and congratulate the participants (all 104 of you) who travelled from all over Munster to complete the Conor Pass Challenge and make the clubs first event such a success.

Plans are in the works for the 2010 Chain Gang CC sportives on the Dingle Peninsula and we hope to see you again for the great cycling challenges we aim to run

IT’S BACK!

After an absence of several years the Conor Pass Cycling Challenge will take place again on Saturday 19th September 2009.

Organised by the Chain Gang Cycling Club, Tralee this demanding sportive cycle covers almost 110 kilometres, starting and ending in Blennerville, Tralee.

Suitable only for experienced leisure cyclists, the Challenge takes in the 4.50 kilometre Conor Pass climb, gaining 360 metres in height along the way. After a food stop in Dingle the tour continues along the southern side of the Dingle peninsula, taking in Annascaul, Inch and Castlemaine before returning to Tralee over the Curraghmore climb.

• Entry fee – €10.00 on production of current Cycling Ireland licence, €20.00 in all other circumstances.
• Start time: 9:00a.m. Sharp.
• Start Location: St. Pats G.A.A. Club, Blennerville, Tralee
• How to get there: From Tralee take the N.86 west for Dingle. Blennerville is on the edge of town, just over the bridge with the Windmill prominent on the right. St. Pats G.A.A. Club is on the left at the centre of the village – just before the filling station on your right.
• Parking: Parking in Blennerville village is limited. Please park in the parking area on the left immediately after crossing the bridge. Some parking may be available at the Windmill car park immediately opposite – arrangements not yet finalised.

As this is the first sportive organised by the Chain Gang, the Club would very much appreciate if intending participants would notify their intentions by email to chaingangcycling@gmail.com, ideally before 12th September if possible to allow better planning for numbers.

Hi Gang,

Just letting you know about a relatively local cycle I’ve been made aware of that you may have interest in taking part in. Its a charity cycle held by the Abbeywheelers of Abbeyfeale called ‘The Coast Run’, in Aid of Down Syndrome, Sat 8th, August, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick.

Sign on is from 10am, start at 12 o’Clock, Abbeyfeale, GAA Complex.

There are several routes to chose from: 35km, 55km, 85km and for something a bit longer a 145km route.

85km Route, Start Abbeyfeale, Listowel, Ballybunion, Tarbert, (Hot Food Stop) Glin, Athea, Abbeyfeale (two climbs out of Glin and Athea) MAP

145km Route Start Abbeyfeale, Listowel, Tralee, Ballyheigue, (Food Stop) Ballybunion, Tarbert, (Hot Food Stop) Glin, Athea, Abbeyfeale. MAP

All routes are interconnecting, so there are options on the day to alter your route if needed. Finishing up in Abbeyfeale, there’s Showers, Hot Food and Entertainment too.

To encourage Online Entries, there’s a €5 discount, so for registered Cycling Ireland members its €15, on the day €20, (non registered members add €10 to the above). Online entry seems to be by return of an entry form LINK or by paypal LINK. They’re trying to plan for numbers so if interested register for the event ASAP.

Darragh

Hi Gang,
Just letting you know about some upcoming cycles that might be considered in the period coming up to the Ring of Kerry.

1) Limerick CC Classic Tour

• 100/150km
• Sunday May 24th
• Sign on 9am, Rear Cross. Co Tipp . {Newport Rd}   R506
• Depart 10am
• Cost e10 Cycling Ireland members, e20 for non-members
• Website: http://www.limerickcc.com/

2) Currow CC Leisure Tour

• 100km
• Sunday May 31st
• Sign on Currow Community Centre 9.15am
• Depart 10am

Could be worth doing to help another local club along, it’s the same route as last year I think (Currow, Tralee, Castlemaine, Milltown, Killarney, Faranfore, Currow) with shorter options available also.

3) Emergency Services and Friend’s Charity Cycle

• 100km
• Saturday June 13
• Sign on Kerins O’Rahillys Clubhouse ~10am
• Depart Tralee 11am
• Sponsorship cards are available from Gearoid Constable on 086-8759444 or Simon Evans on 086-8781868 or email emcycle@email.com

Good cycle for a good cause. Route is Tralee, Castleisland, Faranfore, Killarney, Tralee.

The next two cycles are either or choices as they are on the Saturday and Sunday of the same weekend

4) The An Post Sportive Cycle Series: Tour de Burren -

• 10/60/160km – from Ballyvaughan
• Saturday 20th June -
• Registration on line (<http://www.precisiontiming.net/race_forms/TourdeBurren/race_reg.html>) BEFORE JUNE 12th,  -
• Cost e30 -
• Sign In Friday 19th June 4-10pm & Saturday 20th 7.30-30mins before depart time for each route
• Depart 10km – 12.30am, 60km – 11.30am, 160km – 9.30am
• Website: <http://www.burrencyclingclub.com/>

This is supposed to be a good day out on the bike, I’ve heard very positive reviews from those that have done it before and would lend itself to a good pre-Ring of Kerry cycle as the distance is similar. Also as it is part of the An Post series, it should be well signposted, marshalled, and supported and after cycle shower facilities etc will be available. There is a barbecue afterwards and given that it’s on the Saturday of the weekend the option is there to book in and stay the night and chill out before journeying back home on the Sunday.

5) The West Cork 200

• 100/200km
• Sunday 21st June
• Registration by post BEFORE MAY 29th – application form here <http://www.westcork200.com/index.php?download=WestCork200_CycleFormR03.pdf>
• Cost e50
• Sign on, depart details etc available after registration
• Website:http://www.westcork200.com/index.php?Welcome

Looks like a good challenge, I haven’t cycled much of that part of the country before (short of a 20km TT near Schull) but should be very scenic & could be a good cycle as the organisers seem to be well experienced and organised.

And that brings us up to a fortnight before the Ring of Kerry!

If those members interested in doing either the Tour de Burren (and if they’d be interested in staying up there for the weekend) or the West Cork 200 cycles could email back just to give an idea of the numbers intending to travel it may be useful in helping to coordinate things on this end if required.