Irish Cycling Campaign is thrilled to announce its participation in a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade organised Shared Island Civic Society Fund initiative. The project is entitled “Cycling across borders – exchanging know-how between cycling advocacy organisations, North and South“, and it involves a close collaboration with Cycling UK Northern Ireland.

Over the course of the project, we will be working alongside many community based cycling campaigning organisations in Northern Ireland, in the border counties and across the whole island. 

The Shared Island Civic Society Fund is an initiative designed to promote practical North South cooperation. It aims to encourage and support civic society and community organisations to further strengthen existing partnerships and/or to develop new cross-border links, to build connectivity, and to work together to ensure an inclusive and diverse island.

On the commencement of the project Neasa Bheilbigh, Chair of the Executive Committee of ICC, said:

“Irish Cycling Campaign is really delighted to have its work recognised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and for it to fund this project which brings together cycling advocates from North and South to share know-how on everyday cycling campaigning across the island. We are really looking forward to exchanging experiences and ideas with sustainable transport advocates in Northern Ireland”. 

Andrew McClean, Cycling UK’s Northern Ireland Lead, said that Cycling UK was very happy to be joining forces with Irish Cycling Campaign on this project:

“Both Cycling UK and the Irish Cycling Campaign are members of the European Cyclists’ Federation, and between us we have decades of experience pushing for cycling to be seen as a core part of transport and public health. In working more closely together, our aim is to get the government to recognise the huge benefits cycling can bring, strengthening our public health, economy and sustainability commitments.”

One exciting strand of the project will be spending time at the lovely Leitrim Cycling Festival, which this year takes place in the village of Tullaghan on the coast of Leitrim from 23-25 May  https://leitrimcyclingfestival.com/. Lead organiser of the festival, Jo Sachs Eldridge, said:

“It’s just wonderful that this Shared Island project is happening, and Leitrim Cycling Festival is delighted to be a part of it. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Leitrim in May, and particularly for our special session on exchanging creative ideas on cycle campaigning in urban and rural contexts, and all across the island, North and South. Details to be announced soon!”

Then later in 2025 (most likely in the Autumn), Irish Cycling Campaign and Cycling UK NI will co-organise a special edition of the Gathering of Cycling Campaigners, that will follow the equivalent event happening in Limerick on Sat 29th March (as per this post). Both Gatherings are all about exchanging stories and top tips on creating strong everyday cycling cultures in our communities. Details to be made available in due course.

If you are interested in connecting into the “Cycling across borders” project, please contact Dr. Damien Ó Tuama, National Cycling Coordinator with Irish Cycling Campaign or Andrew McClean of Cycling UK NI (see below).

For more about the Shared Island Civic Society Fund, see https://www.gov.ie/en/service/999af-shared-island-civic-society-fund/ 

For more about Cycling UK NI, see https://www.cyclinguk.org/northern-ireland 

You can contact us about the project HERE.