Cyclist.ie now has 35 member groups and our network of volunteers is growing rapidly. For many years, our groups have participated in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in our cities, towns and smaller villages. This goes way back to the mid/late 1990s when Dublin Cycling Campaign first took to the streets in Dublin’s parade. In this article, we give a little flavour of how our groups brought bicycles into the parade countrywide – from Clonakilty to Connemara and across to the capital. 

Dublin Cycling Campaign (DCC) had a fabulous “Bikes and Biodiversity” themed presence, created by our Artistic Director, Donna Cooney, and supported by designer and DCC member Phil Murray and a wider team of coordinators and volunteers. Almost 100 participants took part including many kids on bikes and lots of non-standard cycles.

See the web article Dublin Cycling Campaign web article here for more on the Dublin cycling presence – plus some photos below. A recording of the Dublin parade can be seen on YouTube at this link with Dublin Cycling Campaign’s float viewable from 2hr 1min to 2hr 3min. 

Skerries Cycling Initiative
Skerries had Active Travel as the theme of this year’s parade. The town is awaiting the publication of the draft Active Travel Strategy (for the town) and wanted to reflect the wider active travel needs of the coastal settlement. As well as standard bicycles, this year’s parade featured two white horses, a currach, recumbent bikes and a trishaw – and lots of walkers and dancers! 

Gort Cycle Trails
The lovely poster, produced by Gort Cycle Trails for the parade, is just below and is followed by a photo of Katleen Bell Bonjean from the local group. 

CycleSense Skibbereen
Cycle Sense joined the Skibbereen St Patrick’s Parade for the first time. Volunteers, cycle instructors and members of our Cycle Bus took part. They adorned our bikes with Doves and peace signs for the All Nations theme. They took their cargo bike, flat wheelbase trailer and butcher’s bike and finally got to use their slogan “Keep Skibbereen Wheely Safe!”.  

Connemara Greenway Alliance
Great to see the float below and the promotion of the campaign to develop the full greenway from Galway out to Oughterard and beyond!  

Rothar Rogues (Durrow, Co Laois)
Members of the “Rothar Rogues” (A Men’s Shed on Wheels) on the Pedal Vintage float at the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Durrow Co. Laois can be seen below. The “Rothar Rogues” are a group of healthy, retired men who meet each week for a leisure cycle and coffee; interspersed with banter, lies and jokes, with the occasional, serious intervention of poetry and prose.

Republic of Bike (Cork) 
The Republic of Bike (RoB) took part in the Cork St. Patrick’s Day Parade as part of the Cork Environmental Forum (CEF) group. For the second year running, they collaborated with the CEF and the Cork Community Bikes. RoB brought a bit of disco fever to the parade with their flagship event, the Bike Bop, taking centre stage. The group contained bikes of all shapes and sizes and they were very well received by the crowd. Great fun was had by all and it was a very positive experience for all involved!  

 

Maynooth Cycling Campaign
In what was almost a photo finish, Maynooth Cycling Campaign finally took delivery of its own Cycling Without Age trishaw just three days before St. Patrick’s Day. They are looking forward to working with St. John of God in demonstrating Cycling for All in a practical way by offering cycle rides to people who are unable to cycle on their own for various different (health) reasons. Maynooth Cycling Campaign thanks in particular Kildare Sports Partnership as well as Kildare County Council and Healthy Ireland for their assistance. The project would not have been a success without their support.