Tour of Inishowen Sunday 21st June

Julie Mulligan from Omagh gave a good account of herself over the 100 mile course.









Breffne Cully gets appointed as Marshal by Chief Marshal Eddie Donaghey.



Eunan Devenney is getting lots of training for the North Pole SuperVet (over 50) Championships in October.




Local man Karl Doherty and Darrell Erwin with Marty Noone(NPCC) and Myles Sweeney(Donegal Sports Partnership)



Waited in my car at the Hotel on Sunday morning to see my hero Sean Kelly pass through Malin Head.One of the organisers stopped to speak to me at the Crossroads Hotel.He told me that the cyclists were about to come through and asked me if I knew that Sean Kelly the famous cyclist was among them.I asked him to try to get Sean to stop for an autograph but this was not possible.He did however loan me Sean Kelly's spare cycling top which he was carrying for him and promised to get me in a photo wearing the top.......Paddy Doherty More, Postman,Malin Head.






Willy John Mc Laughlin and Brendan Duffy signed on at 7am in order to get a headstart on Sean Kelly.


How was it for you?.........Feedback Section

Noel O'Gorman
Breffni Wheelers
Cavan

Hi Carl, Just a quick email to thank you all for organising the Tour yesterday. It was nice to meet you in person. Thanks for the welcome and your hospitality. That goes for all your club members we met. There was a great feeling of it being a club effort, well organised without losing the feel of something fun and good humoured. We all found the course well marked and even the fussiest pronounced the sandwiches in Culdaff as ‘brilliant’. I did the long course until Culdaff and then came home on the 100k route. Had to stop a couple of times on the climb to Kinnagoe. Thank the guy in the support van for the push I needed to get back into the pedals. I think it was a building co. owned the van. Enjoyed it immensely and have put a compact chainwheel on my Christmas list to try and get up those climbs next year. Paula did the 100k (first ever) and is annoyingly pain free today. One of our guys did the 100 but attempted the Gap at the end. Walked up it and said it was one of the low points in his cycling career to date, but he got home. Another guy got caught up in the excitement at the beginning, stayed well up the peleton, missed the turn in Moville, arrived at the climb, cycled, walked, crawled up it, told the guy at the top it was a very hard climb for the 100 k and only then found out he was on the wrong course. He made it to the sandwiches and found his way home on a completely different route to the rest of us but has vowed to ‘do some training’ next year and take it on again. The other guys did the 100 without incident, all full of praise for the volunteers who helped them. Watch out for us next year. We’ll be back bigger (probably) and better (unlikely). Thanks again. Noel.





Brendan Mc Cartan
Phoenix Cycling Club
Belfast
Despite the constant drizzle, this was a cracking day out. I had planned to go up the night before but didn't and travelled with Hilary and Duncan. I got the times wrong and instead of arriving for a leisurely breakfast in the hotel, it was a very quick unpack and change before the off. Sean attracted a huge turnout so the roads were pretty crowded for first few miles. Eventually Stephen, Duncan, Gerry and myself ended up near the head of the pack alongside Kelly and we stayed there for pretty much all of the day. The marshalling was superb and spectators seemed to have turned out in force all along the course. We were escorted by a big 'gullwing' motorbike whose rider was a top class traffic controller and has obviously escorted many bike races in his day. He played good music at full volume all day, with a broad selection from Chuck Berry, to U2 to Elvis! The first few hills at Kinnego? made a selection and we ended up in a bunch of around 30. The banter was good and the miles flew past. The tea stop at Culdaff was brilliant with mountains of food and a party atmosphere. We couldn't get away again for over half an hour as Sean was mobbed for photos. Eventually set off again and lost Louise with a puncture. By this stage Julie seemed to have woken up and was doing more than her share at the front and lashing it on the downhills. We made steady progress to Carndonagh but slowed quite a bit over next 12K as nobody seemed to want to do the work. We all managed Mamore pretty well but Sean beat me over the top - every time I closed on him he would look back and put the pressure on again. We regrouped after the descent and had a lovely spin home. Rider of the day? Definitely Julie Mulligan who never missed a stint and was with us to the end.
Great showers at the finish followed by soup, sandwiches and tea. Finished the day off with a pint of G in the bar with Sean, Duncan & Hilary and home a happy man.
I applaud Carl Fullerton and his small, relatively new club for this exceptionally well organised event - their performance would put many a larger club to shame. The hospitality and enthusiasm of all involved (and this seemed to be all the wives, kids and friends of the club) was incredible and I, for one, am glad I made the effort to go up and ride it.
Brendan Mc Cartan.



Joe Barr makes it 3 in-a-row.
Well done Joe from all at North Pole CC

Joe Barr
Tour of Ireland.eu
Congratulations on a hugely improved event.Sean's presence was great for Donegal cycling.
Joe Barr


Carl gets a handshake from Patsy Mc Callion with Breffne Cully looking on.

'A picture is as good as a 1000 words'

Patsy Mc Callion
Carndonagh


E-mail message from one of our fans in Belfast


Hi Carl,

Just came across this on the Kings Moss Bebo site:

A great day out was had in Donegal by 6 Kings Moss CC men on Sunday at
North Pole CC's Inishowen 100 (150km) annual run.
260 riders left Bunrcana (Inishowen Gateway Hotel) after 0900 to
tackle the three tough circuits available to them.
The Mossmen headed to Muff (I await the jokes) and then up to Moville
and over the climb at Kinnaoe Bay before having lunch at Culdaff which
was a fine spread worthy of something the Enid Blyton would write
about in a Famous Five novel!

After lunch saw the climb over Glengad in the fog and a hasty descent
into Malin before the climb out over Malin Head on some of the wildest
roads in Ireland.

85 miles into the run saw the final climb over the Mamore Gap. A
twisty alpine ascent of 2km on 20%+ over many hairpin bends. This is
by far the hardest climb I have ever done and not many folk got over
it (even Sean Kelly commented on how f**kin tough it was.

The 22% descent at the other side was tricky also with speeds of 45mph
+ on a narrow, slippy mountain road but we were soon back into
Buncrana with the entire community supporting us and cheering the
riders on.

This was a fantastic event and a big shout out to North Pole CC for
organising and ensuring it went well. Once again, I think this shall
be on the KMCC calendar permanently - the leisure event of the year
worth building up to and training for.

Thanks Kings Moss.




Myles Sweeney
Donegal Sports Partnership
Donegal Sports Partnership Press Release Monday 22nd June 209
Re: Donegal’s First Hand Cycle Event
On Sunday June 21st incorporated as part of the Tour of Inishowen, North Pole Cycling Club in conjunction with Donegal Sports Partnership organised Donegal’s first Handcycling event. Handcycling is for athletes who normally require a wheelchair for general mobility or who are not able to use a conventional bicycle due to lower limb disability. Darrell Erwin from the Ulster Handcycling Association and Inishowen’s own Karol Doherty were the two participants who took on the 47 mile Hand Cycle challenge. Karol who was this year selected for the Paralympic Panel had only received the hand cycle a few days prior to the event. Participants accompanied by Marty Noone North Pole Cycling Club and Myles Sweeney Donegal Sports Partnership completed the challenging but enjoyable event. Well done to Karol for participating in and finishing such a tough first hand cycle challenge. Donegal Sports Partnership wishes to thank North Pole Cycling Club and Marian Lamb Cycling Ulster for their support of the initiative. It is hoped that this event will see the start of many more hand cycling events in Donegal. If you are interested in hand cycling or require any further information on the sport, please do not hesitate to contact Thérèse at Donegal Sports Partnership on 074 (91) 16078/16079.
Myles Sweeney

Terry Donnelly
Foyle CC






Sean Kelly has confirmed that he will cycle in the 2009 Tour of Inishowen on Sunday June 21st 2009

Anyone looking for an interesting sportive should consider The Tour of Inishowen 150k. which will be held in
Buncrana,Co.Donegal on Sunday 21st June at The Inishowen Gateway Hotel

• Cycle with cycling legend Sean Kelly who will cycle the full course.
  
• 100 miles of terrific scenery and traffic free roads around the Inishowen peninsula.
  
• Two really tough climbs at Kinagoe Bay and Mamore Gap and many other challenging climbs at Malin Head..
  

Three courses.... This year after leaving Buncrana we will be taking a flatter course by travelling southwards through Fahan,then to Burnfoot in order to keep the tour together longer.The towns/villages on the route are Fahan,Burnfoot,Muff,Quigleys Point and Moville. We will have travelled 40k(25miles) by the time we reach Moville.Then the fun starts....

BLUE ROUTE(DIFFICULT) 160k.

• From Moville its on to Greencastle Port,Shroove,back to Upper Greencastle and then onto first climb over Cooks Hill,Kinnagoe Bay,Ballymagaraghy,Tremone and onto Culdaff for lunch-stop,Total 74k.(46miles).After a break its onto Portaleen,Ballysalagh,Bree,Malin Head, and south along the coast to Malin Town,total so far 112k (70miles).Last leg is through Carndonagh,Ballyliffin,Clonmany and over Mamore Gap before reaching Buncrana after 157k.(98 miles).
  

YELLOW ROUTE(MODERATE) 100k.

• From Moville its on to Leckemy,Gleneely and Culdaff.total so far 56k(35miles).Another 44k.brings us to Carndonagh,Ballyliffin,Clonmany,Drumfrees and Buncrana.Its 100k but the break at Culdaff will take much of the pain out of it.
  

GREEN ROUTE(EASY) 75k.

• At Quigleys Point 28k(18miles) take a left turn heading for Carndonagh. From Carndonagh having travelled 47k,the journey through Ballyliffin,Clonmany,Drumfrees to Buncrana will have covered a round trip of 75k.(47 miles).There will be a roadside feedstop on this course at Glentogher
  
• Sean Kelly will cover the long course at his own pace taking time to talk to as many cyclists as possible especially at the early stages where the three groups will be together.
  

• The best lunch stop in Ireland in the village of Culdaff at 74k. where we recommend you take at least a 20 minute break,
  
• Full use of the leisure centre facilities at The Inishowen Gateway Hotel,Buncrana plus refreshments at the finish.
  
• Commemorative t-shirt and finishers certificate plus goody-bag for all.
  
• Full support of first aid team,motor bike marshals,static marshals,water stops and broom wagons on all courses.
  
• You might be surprised at who you will meet at The Tour of Inishowen...12 days to go. €25 on the day.Sign-on from 7am-8.30am.Start at 9am.
  
• To complete the full course will be a memorable achievement for even the most experienced cyclists but remember there are a variety of courses suitable for all skill levels.
  
• Early entry still €20 till Monday 15th June. Cheque to North Pole Cycling Club,Main Street,Buncrana,Co.Donegal.
  

Carl Fullerton
Secretary
North Pole Cycling Club......... Club of the Year 2008.
Main Street
Buncrana
0862788497 or 0035386-2788497






This year’s event will leave from Buncrana via Burnfoot and Muff and run over the famous Inishowen 100 route with alternative routes for the varying cycling abilities. It will see cyclists from all over Ireland converge on Buncrana for what promises to be a most enjoyable participation event.
This event is also significant as it is also being held during Irelands first ever National Bike Week which run from the 14th to the 21st June.
As a fore runner to the event on the 21st June the North Pole Cycling Club in association with Donegal Sports Partnership also held a youth cycling coaching programme for young budding road cyclists last weekend the 5th, 6th and 7th June in Buncrana. The training programme put the young road cyclists through an intense coaching programme which presented and examined areas such as bike set up, safety on the road, hydration and nutrition. Former French professional and cycling coach Anthony Testa and Irish international cyclist Art Mc Manus were part of the coaching team for the delivery of the programme.
The Tour event on the 21st June will also include participation by a number of cyclist in a tandem and hand cycling event. This will include local hand cyclist Karol Doherty from Carndonagh, Karol has been identified on a panel of potential elite hand cyclists to represent Ireland in forthcoming international events.


Thursday 4th June.....Club Meeting at North Pole Bar at 9pm.
Please try to attend this important meeting.Tasks relating to Tour of Inishowen will be allocated to club members.
The following posts were filled.
Chief Marshal Edward Donaghey
Clerk of the Course Patrick Mc Laughlin
Deputy Clerk of the course Robert Carter
Lead Cars Karl Mc Laughlin,Danny Dick,Marty Noone
Broom Wagons JP O'Donnell,Kieran Friel,Phelim Mc Callion
Catering Edel Noone,Josephine Doherty
Safety Officer Jim Porter
First Aid Patrick Quinn
Sign-on Jacinta O'Donnell,Geraldine Donaghey
One-day licences Georgina Dixon
Goody Bags/T-shirts Georgina Dixon
Water-stops Sean Ward

Friday 5th June
North Pole Cycling Club in conjunction with Donegal Sport Partnership are holding a training weekend in the Lake of Shadows Hotel,Buncrana. Times 7pm Friday and 10am till 6pm on Saturday 6th June.Ages ..12 to 15year old. This training programme is part of the lead-up to the Tour of Inishowen featuring Sean Kelly which will take place on Sunday 21st June.
This year the Tour of Inishowen will have a choice of 3 courses,50k.(Youths)100k.(Leisure cyclists)and 160k.(Challenging!).
For details of training weekend contact Marty +353(0)749363844.

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CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR PHOTOS OF THE 2008 EVENT

CLICK HERE

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