Members headed east to Dungarvan on Saturday morning for the and of year weekend away. Club stalwarts, Declan Brady and Tom O'Sullivan could not make the weekend as it clashed with the annual senior citizens outing. Cyclists gathered in the car park of the Dungarvan Park Hotel for the obligatory photo. There was some concern for Emmet Fennell before the off. Luckily, Nigel Carroll was on hand to check for a pulse and give Emmet the once over. Once Nigel had worked his magic, the peloton rolled out of the hotel car park and headed east along the Copper Coast. With chairman, Pat McHugh at the helm, the first group on the road promptly got lost, missing the turn off for Dunhill. The pace was leisurely, and Nigel even had time to give a driving lesson to one of the locals.
The first stop of the day was at the Majestic Hotel in Tramore for coffee. The weather was glorious and the stop had a Mediterranean feel to it. After an extended stop, which included taking in the Munster rugby match, the group headed back on the road for the return leg to Dungarvan. The coast road from Tramore to Dungarvan is one of the most picturesque in the country, and was basked in glorious sunshine. The route headed for Fenor, and on to Annestown. The hill in Annestown must make it one of the steepest villages in Ireland. Cyclists headed on through Bonmahon before stopping for refreshments at O'Mahony's in Durrow. After a relaxing stop which gave members a chance to catch up, the final leg to Dungarvan was completed. Donal decided to take his flock back to the hotel on the greenway.
Club secretary Brian 'Patio Man' Atkinson made it down just in time for the meal. The staff of the Dungarvan Park Hotel treated us royally and the meal was excellent. Fed and watered, members gathered for the annual awards ceremony. After intense canvassing and cajoling by his wife Breda all week, Donal Scannell retained his club person of the year award. This award is voted on by members, and is a mark of the high esteem in which Donal is held. It was also a mark of the appreciation for the trojan work Donal undertakes to ensure the club runs smoothly. Joanne McHugh was named most improved cyclist. While another unnamed cyclist was initially selected, this was over ruled by the chairman. It is currently being investigated if the chairman was acting under duress, or if it was simply unadulterated crawling. Joanne did thoroughly deserve her award, and is currently going great guns with the ladies cycling group.
The awards for the predict your time series which was run in the spring were also presented. With the awards ceremony complete, members headed in to Dungarvan Town to sample the local hostelries.
Cycling on the karting track at Adventurepark Watergrasshill continued last Tuesday night.This is a great initiative and will run for the next number of weeks. The hour long cycle is proving very popular with members, and allows for safe cycling under lights.
Brendan Coakley represented the club at the Munster Cyclo Cross league in Ennis. In ideal conditions, Brendan rode a textbook race to take eight place on the day.
Club cycles continue on Saturday and Sundays. Details will be posted on club Facebook page. The club is always delighted to welcome new members. On Sunday mornings at 9am, all levels of cyclists are catered for, with the group split into 3 levels. New members are very welcome to turn up and cycle provided they have a racing bike, a helmet, and are over 18. For further information, check out our club Facebook page or contact us by email info@overthehillcc.com.
