What a great response from Irish Cycling Campaign members countrywide in Ensuring Ireland’s Bike Riders are Lit Up This Winter!
Over the past winter months Irish Cycling campaign members from Malin to Mizen worked hard to distribute NTA supplied Bike Lights, and ensure that your bike, and other cyclists are lit up and legally compliant these winter nights. It’s been a great chance to meet fellow Campaign members and encourage voters before the upcoming election. And also an opportunity to encourage people to support and join the Irish Cycling Campaign.
The Bike Lights were distributed in Sligo, Cork, Limerick, Drogheda, Navan and in Dublin Local Authorities. Overall we distributed nearly 3000 sets of bike lights, ensuring many cyclists were legally compliant in being lit up this Winter.
Check out some of the images below from our bike lights handouts, and maybe next year you will join us in ensuring more cyclists are Lit Up? Its a great way to meet fellow campaigners/activists, have a bit of craic, and also to ensure that more cyclists are legally compliant on these winter nights.
A BIG thanks for the bike lights’ supply from the NTA and the RSA, and for the support of Cyclone Couriers in distributing the lights countrywide!
ICC Submissions Coordinator Colm gives us the low-down.
Above: Lifford/ Strabane planning image
You might not be aware that we in the Irish Cycling Campaign keep an eagle eye on public consultations exhibited on Active Travel issues, particularly from Local Authorities/Councils. This past year 2024 we have made over 100 submissions across the country in all 4 provinces on schemes ranging from major Pathfinder projects, to smaller active travel improvements, to school streets, greenways, and also Speed Limit proposals. We have also submitted on different policy matters to the Department of Transport, Department of Education and the NTA and TII! Our local groups around the country have also made their own submissions on a variety of schemes. You can check out all our nationally listed proposed schemes and our submissions to them on this LINK.
So, which counties appear to be active and which are not? It’s certainly easier to name those 8 counties which did not appear to have any active travel consultations that we were made aware of! These were counties, Waterford, Clare, Offaly, Laois, Wicklow, Leitrim, Monaghan & Cavan! This is not to say that no works were carried out in these counties to advance active travel in 2024, but on the surface it does appear that they were relatively inactive, despite being funded substantially through the NTA, as can be seen in this LINK. The level of funding granted from the NTA to these 8 counties in 2024 varied from a whopping €25 million for Waterford, down to the lowest €1.9 million for Leitrim! Though, it is also necessary to state that many projects can be advancing behind the scenes in terms of design development, and others are actually at construction stage. The NTA project development process is a rigorous and often elongated process – see image below.
Above: NTA Project Development Process
How did Your County do? It is worth checking out this LINK to see what your county was allocated? Did they do what they said they would do? How would you rate your county’s performance?
Range and Quality of Schemes The range of schemes going out through public consultation has varied, ranging from multi million Euro Pathfinder schemes, to minor school and village improvements. The quality of the proposed designs can also vary widely, and in some cases we in ICC were very critical of proposed designs, even going as far as to propose that some schemes be revisited entirely! Thankfully these poorly designed schemes were in the minority, and the vast majority of proposed schemes have improved in terms of design quality, which is mainly down to the development of the 2023 Cycle Design Manual, and the subsequent widespread training, and trips abroad to view quality designs, provided to local authority personnel.
Above: Cycle Design Manual Cover Image
I would encourage any reader interested in the subject, to dip into our 2024 list of consultation projects, and get a feel for the variety, quality, and size of projects and ICC’s responses to them. Overall we have tried to commend what we consider as good design, and be succinct in any criticisms, in line with the recommendations of the Cycle Design Manual.
Why Not Help Us Out? We are always looking for members who would like to help out in this area of tracking and reviewing public consultations on Active Travel. If you are interested to help out, even from time to time, or in a particular area, why not email us at [email protected]. We would be more than happy to hear from you!
2024 was another non-stop year for the Irish Cycling Campaign (ICC). Throughout the year we worked on behalf of our members, those currently cycling and those who would love to cycle if traffic conditions were more inviting.
Early in 2025, we’ll do a more formal reflection on our advocacy experiences of 2024, but at this point we want to say a sincere thanks to everyone in ICC who contributed to our work. Not a day passed without our volunteers engaging in a myriad of ways so as to advance our cause. Much of this happened ‘behind the scenes’ with volunteers examining public consultations documents and drafting considered responses, preparing for and attending meetings, looking after our various membership and communications systems, and nurturing relationships with many other organisations at home and internationally; and with further work happening in the public domain and within the traditional and social media spheres.
Following our recent AGM, we are delighted to have a refreshed Executive Committee in place, with three new members on board – Caoimhe Clarke, Anne Nospickel and Síle Ginnane – and our previous Chair Colm Ryder returning to the EC. We also thanked Dave Anderson for his enormous contributions after he stepped down following 3-4 years on the EC.
2025 will be another crucial year for cycling advocacy, as a new Programme for Government is negotiated and published, and a new cabinet appointed. We look forward to seeing a new Minister for Transport further developing the momentum behind the design and construction of high quality cycling networks in each of the 31 Local Authorities countrywide. ICC is also endorsing the calls of An Taisce for the new government parties to comply with the Irish Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act that was passed in 2021 – they need to commit to fixing the Sectoral Emissions Ceilings so they align with the carbon budgets within the first 100 days of taking office. The rationale for this important ask is laid out in this excellent An Taisce and DCU explainer.
To close, we’d like to plant the idea in our members’ minds to consider getting more involved in 2025 – that can happen through ICC’s Local Groups (organised at a County or sometimes a town level), our Action Groups or our Thematically organised groups. Or, it might simply mean turning up for an ICC organised event with a friend. Whatever way you become involved, we will look to ensure that it’s a sociable and satisfying experience, and all the more so as we see new high quality cycling schemes opening up in 2025.
We wish you all a restful festive break.
Neasa Bheilbigh Chair of Irish Cycling Campaign’s Executive Committee Wednesday 18 December 2024
Irish Cycling Campaign unveils the Strong, Mediocre and Weak Parties in Active Travel as per the Manifestos for General Election 2024
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MON 25 NOV 2024
In the lead up to Friday’s election, Irish Cycling Campaign has evaluated the manifestos of the main political parties against their priorities for cycling. The Campaign is calling for increased investment in cycling, walking and public transport to accelerate the shift to sustainable transport and to help fulfill our climate responsibilities.
As shown in our analysis below, parties can be divided into three groups:
Those receiving good grades – Green Party, Labour, Social Democrats – were clear in their prioritisation of active & sustainable transport and had detailed targets for funding and resources to support this.
In the middle were Sinn Féin and PBP who had many positive policies but lacked policy specifics.
Those with a weaker commitment – Fianna Fáil & Fine Gael – showed a poorer commitment to prioritise active and sustainable transport and had few specific targets.
The Campaign notes that there has been significant progress over the last five years, but the main political parties are now showing a worrying lack of commitment to continued investment. The Campaign says that much more remains to be done to connect the completed individual projects so as to create connected and safer networks countrywide.
Examples of new cycle routes in Dublin include Sandycove to Booterstown, North Strand to Clontarf, Royal Canal greenway and Dodder Greenway. Transformative projects in other regional cities, such as Waterford’s new pedestrian and cycle bridge and Limerick’s East-West links via Childers Road, show how arterial routes are delivering modal shift and transport decarbonisation.
The Campaign notes that many more people want to make the switch to active travel modes, but are dissuaded by the lack of safe, segregated cycle routes. For example, the Dublin Metropolitan Region Walking and Cycling Index [1] shows that up to 50% of adults want to switch to cycling, if the cycling network was made safer, while currently only 11% of adults cycle daily. For school kids, between 1991 and 2016 walking and cycling to school in Dublin fell from 64% to 46%, while the percentage being driven to school more than doubled, increasing from 17% to 41%. The #1 reason for not cycling is fear of mixing with general traffic, hence the need for high quality segregated routes.
Irish Cycling Campaign is calling on the next government to:
Increase Investment in Sustainable / Public Transport to the tune of – 20% of transport capital budget allocated for walking+cycling – 5:1 ratio of spend of new public transport to new roads
Rapidly deliver High Quality Cycling Infrastructure
Prioritise Safe Routes to School
Enhance Cyclists Safety
Broaden access to bikes
Expand Bike Parking and bike sharing schemes
Legislate to enable best practice cycle infrastructure designs
Address motor vehicle overuse and oversize.
Results, Analysis and Commentary The results are presented here in tabular and graphic forms.
Neasa Bheilbigh, Chairperson of Irish Cycling Campaign, said “While cycling advocacy in Ireland is 40 years old, it is in the past few years where we have made real progress in re-building a cycling culture in Ireland. The government funding over the past 4.5 years has been instrumental to that progress. That funding needs to continue and grow, to develop segregated cycle ways, greenways and safe routes to school to allow this generation and the next to feel safe enough to choose to use the bike for their daily activities. We need to adapt our private car use to achieve the critical goals of an improved and safer public realm, lower emissions and more efficient movement of people around our towns, cities and rural areas“.
Research from the National Transport Authority shows that 11% of adults cycle daily in Dublin but 46% would like to cycle or cycle more if they felt safer [2]. Irish Cycling Campaign’s Damien Ó Tuama says that we know from research and from the cycle traffic on the Grand Canal, Dun Laoghaire & Seapoint and the newly opened North Strand cycle tracks that segregated routes increases the number of cyclists and enables people of all ages and abilities to cycle.”
Only 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 10 teenagers who cycle in Dublin are female. Mairead Forsythe from the Campaign says that “the figures show a major gender gap in cycling and while the barriers to more women and girls cycling are varied, the #1 barrier is fear of mixing with motor traffic, hence the need for investment in segregated routes and traffic calming.”
From a healthcare perspective, a transport system that builds in exercise, whether that is a short walk at either end of a bus journey or a cycle to work or school, to a healthcare appointment or to a sporting event, may be the easiest way of achieving the increased physical activity that our health professionals advise. Behavioural and “nudge” initiatives will only have a limited effect without the infrastructure alongside it.
Therefore, Irish Cycling Campaign calls on all parties to accelerate the move to sustainable and active travel, and show international leadership in this domain.
We look forward to continuing to work with representatives from all parties during the next government term.
Notes and References:
Irish Cycling Campaign is the national cycling advocacy body for Ireland. Its local groups include those in cities, towns, villages and rural areas. ICC’s Local Groups have been campaigning since the 1990s to bring everyday cycling into the centre of transport policy and practice. ICC is the member for Ireland of the European Cyclists’ Federation. See www.irishcyclingcampaign.ie
In preparation for the imminent relaunch of our shiny new national organisation, we would like to develop a public document that shares the story of the impact we as cycling advocates have had over time. This won’t be a comprehensive listing of everything that has been achieved over the past 30+ years, but rather one that gives a flavour of the breadth of results that have been generated.
We need to hear your views. What is different now in your own life, in your community, in Ireland, as a result of our work? How have knowledge, discourses, attitudes, behaviours, relationships, quality of life, policies, practice, infrastructure or the environment changed?
It doesn’t matter if you are a long-term / hard core cycling activist or if you are a new member of the Irish Cycling Campaign. It doesn’t matter if you have masses you would like to share with us or only have a small thing you want to point to. What does matter is that you do it!
Please complete this one-question survey by 6 December 2024 at the very latest and encourage others to do the same. We can’t wait to hear from you.
Jo Sachs-Elridge & Sandra Velthuis on behalf of the Executive Committee & Board of Irish Cycling Campaign
Be with us in Ensuring Ireland’s Bike Riders are Lit Up this Winter!
Winter is upon us again and the dark evenings have drawn in. So it’s time to ensure that your bike, and other cyclists are lit up and legally compliant these winter nights!
So come on out and help your local cycle campaigners distribute bike lights over the coming weeks. It’s also a chance to meet fellow campaign members and encourage voters before the upcoming election! This is also an opportunity to encourage people to support and join the Irish Cycling Campaign – https://cyclist.ie/join/!
So why not join us on one of these nights in November!? Check out locally when it is happening via your local Cycling Campaign website or social media pages or via updates below on this webpage!
A BIG thanks for the bike lights’ supply from the NTA and the RSA, and for the support of Cyclone Couriers in distributing the lights countrywide!
The Bike Circus, Clonakilty (Co Cork) – see https://clonakiltybicyclefestival.org/bikecircus/ – will have sets of winter bike lights available Fridays and Saturdays for the month of November. Come by between 10-3pm to have your bike safety-checked and we will provide free lights to bikes that need them until we run out of stock!
Update on the previous year from Executive Committee
Financial update to include previous year’s audited accounts and current year to date
Acceptance of financial statements
Re-appointment of current auditor or appointment of new auditor
Elections to the Board
Elections to the Executive Committee
Motions
Special resolution to update constitution
Any other business
Special Resolution proposed by Board:
This meeting accepts the proposed amendments to the Constitution to remove the suffix “Company Limited By Guarantee” from the Company’s name, pursuant to an exemption under section 1180(1)(a) of Companies Act 2014.
Key dates:
Send nominations to the Board by 6pm on Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Send nominations to the Executive Committee by 6pm on Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Send member motions to [email protected] by 6pm on Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Final agenda with supporting information will be sent Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Final date of registration – 6pm on Monday, 02 December 2024.
Annual General Meeting – Wednesday, 04 December 2024 at 8pm – Online
Call for Members to Stand for Election for the Executive Committee of the Irish Cycling Campaign ahead of the ICC AGM taking place on Wed 04 Dec 2024
What is the Executive Committee of Irish Cycling Campaign? The mission of Irish Cycling Campaign (formerly Cyclist.ie – the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network) is to celebrate, advocate for and enable everyday cycling as a means of travel. We see the bicycle as a tool to secure many environmental, health and societal gains, and see cycling as an empowering and enjoyable activity in its own right. Irish Cycling Campaign (ICC) is both a Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity (RCN 20102029).
The Executive Committee of ICC is the group that is responsible for advancing the implementation of our current strategy and managing our day-to-day campaigning issues; the Board of ICC, on the other hand, looks after matters of governance. At our Annual General Meeting on Wed 04 December (at 8pm), a new / refreshed Executive Committee (of 12 persons max) of ICC will be elected by members of the organisation.
What does being an Executive Committee member entail? We are seeking strong campaigners to join the Executive Committee and to lead the organisation in the next phases of its advocacy journey. The expectations of EC members are listed here:
Always acting appropriately and in the best interests of our organisation
Preparing for, attending and participating fully in meetings of the Executive Committee, which are held online on a monthly basis (on approx 10 months of the year) and ideally include at least one in-person meeting per year
Actively contributing to the work of the Executive Committee and following through on actions agreed to
Actively contributing to the work of one of our Action Groups (ideally)
Time commitment: a couple of hours a week over a 1-year term (ideally)
What kind of people are you looking for?
A diversity of people in terms of age, gender and background
Based anywhere in Ireland
A commitment to help run a leading and growing advocacy organisation
Those who work well as part of a closely knit team
Holding a variety of skill-sets and experiences – such as campaigning / activism / advocacy / lobbying, event management, fundraising, communications, organisational development, IT, research etc.
Taking meaningful and effective action to combat the climate, health, road safety and associated crises
Gaining satisfaction from being involved in an organisation that is the leader in cycling and sustainable transport advocacy, and that is at an exciting juncture in its development
Being part of a friendly, hardworking team of other volunteers
Developing connections with and support from cycling advocates across the country.
Sharing your skills and learning some new ones along the way
If you are ready to throw your hat in the ring, please complete this nomination formby (the extended deadline of) Wed 20 November 2024. We are very much looking forward to hearing from you!
The Irish Cycling Campaign is both a Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity. The Board of Directors/Trustees is the grouping of people who are responsible for governing the organisation. The Board does not play an active role in campaigning and other day-to-day issues, but retains oversight and deals with matters relating to legal and regulatory compliance, risk management, financial control, internal policy development, staffing, and so on. We are now looking to fill up to three vacancies.
Always acting appropriately and in the best interests of our organisation
Preparing for, attending and participating fully in meetings of the Board, which are generally held online during the evening at least every two months
Actively contributing to the work of the Board and following through on actions agreed to
Time commitment: a couple of hours a week over a three-year term (ideally)
What kind of people are you looking for?
Adults of any age and from any background
Based anywhere in Ireland, with a particular desire for people outside of Dublin
Having a commitment to good governance
Suitable skills: we are especially interested in hearing from you if you have expertise in data protection, finance, HR or insurance
You preferably cycle but do you NOT need to have been involved in cycle campaigning previously
What would I get out of it?
Doing something practical to combat the climate, health, congestion, road safety and associated crises
Gaining satisfaction from being involved in an organisation that is a leader in cycling development and is at an exciting juncture
Being part of a friendly, hardworking team of other volunteers
A chance to share your skills and learn some new ones along the way
I might potentially be interested – what do I do?
If you want to find out more, you can contact our Board Chairperson Mairead Forsythe for an informal chat. If you are ready to throw your hat in the ring, please complete this nomination form by (the extended deadline of) Wed 20 November 2024. We are very much looking forward to hearing from you!
The hosts of the previous Erasmus+ Generations Cycling for Inclusion and Climate Action project trips that Irish Cycling Campaign took part in set incredibly high standards with their stimulating programmes and by looking after their guests so well, so we were a little nervous in ICC in devising a Dublin programme that could match the quality of the previous ones. We were keen to ensure that everyone had rich and educational experiences of our capital city and surrounds.
But with the help of many fabulous volunteers from ICC – and, in particular, members of our Local Group, Dublin Cycling Campaign – we assembled a diverse programme that responded to the four big themes of the project: climate action, sustainable transport, social inclusion and intergenerational collaborations.
In this article, four of our active volunteers – Damien, Allison, Phil and Hugh – each provide a summary of the four core days of the programme, with further inputs and photographs shared by other ICC members.
There are many to thank for their support with the programme, but we wish to pay a special thanks to the Lord Mayor of Dublin, James Geoghegan, for his warm welcome to the city, and also to the staff of Dublin City Council for the loan of their Cycling Without Age trishaw which made a massive difference in terms of making our events fully inclusive for all of the Erasmus participants.
Friday 11 Oct [Damien Ó Tuama and Allison Roberts]
The Tailors’ Hall Session The Dublin leg kicked off in the lovely Tailors’ Hall on Back Lane after the visitors walked (and wheeled) their way over from the Generator Hostel on Smithfield Square where the group of 45 persons stayed.
Mairéad Forsythe, Chairperson of Irish Cycling Campaign, gave the formal welcome on behalf of ICC. She was followed by ICC’s National Cycling Coordinator, Damien Ó Tuama, who shared some of the history of the 300+ year old Tailors’ Hall, and introduced the group to the work of An Taisce and Irish Cycling Campaign. He also gave the group some insights into what’s happening with the Active Travel plans in Dublin City, and into the latest news on the development of the capital’s cycle facilities (as shown on the map below, kindly provided by the City Council).
Hugh and Chifly with the latest iteration of the Dublin City Cycle Network map
Following this local scene setting, each of the six partner organisations who had travelled to Dublin gave a mini-update on the latest news from their cities and towns.
Students from IES Alhama introducing their school and the latest news from Corella
Crucial to any visitor landing into Ireland is getting a grasp of the local lingo, and Hugh Raftery from Dublin Cycling Campaign shared some essential Hiberno-English phrases and descriptors of the Irish weather as shown here.
Hugh with the first of his posters listing the essential descriptors for the types of rainy conditions that students might encounter on their trip
The morning session concluded with two very interesting presentations which responded squarely to two of the overarching themes of the project.
Firstly, Przemek and Greg from Merchants Quay Ireland spoke to the students and the teachers about the work their organisation does. In essence, Merchants Quay Ireland, a registered charity that supports people affected by homelessness and addiction, offers food, advice, health care, mental health support and addiction services. It offers accessible and effective services in a non-judgemental and compassionate way.
The second mini-workshop was delivered by Solene from Voice, an Irish environmental charity that empowers individuals and local communities to take positive action to conserve our natural resources. Solene, pictured below, is working on the ”Fabric of Change” project, which is all about helping consumers understand the impact of their clothing choices on the environment, and empowering them to make more sustainable decisions. The attendees certainly came away from her session with a much clearer understanding of how fashion is one of the most polluting industries worldwide, creating major social and environmental issues.
Solene Schirrer from Voice
A Walking Tour of the City with Alita Irish Cycling Campaign was thrilled to have Alita Rivero to lead the walking tour of Dublin City. Alita is an Argentinian Dubliner who produced and edited the monthly Dublin Cycling Campaign newsletter for almost 10 years, and has a wonderful knowledge of the lanes and lore of the city. The group sampled many slices of the city as shown in some of the photos below.
Alita Rivera (on the right) leading the walking tour at St. Patrick’s Park – Photo Credit – Biciclistas De Corella
The walking tour included a quick visit to Drury Street Bicycle Parking Facility – Photo Credit – Biciclistas De Corella
A mini-stop on the Millennium Bridge – Photo Credit – Biciclistas De Corella
The trishaw and Bloomin Crumlin’s e-cargo bike made everything easier for our tour around the city – Photo Credit – Biciclistas De Corella
Dinner in Blas Café (Allison) We gathered at the Blas café (located in an old chocolate factory!) for our evening dinner, and were greeted with Irish tunes played by Brendan (on the uilleann pipes) and Joe (on guitar) – as pictured below. Hassan, our host and chef, put out canapes of little breads with beetroot hummus and then a buffet for us all to dig in. Everyone was hungry! The potatoes, chickpeas and salad (and chicken for the meat lovers) were all delicious, as were the dips, yoghurt and jalapeno. Definitely worth a visit if you haven’t been there! See https://www.blascafe.ie/.
Joe and Brendan entertaining the guests
A live sample from the session – Footage kindly provided by Karen Keogh from Newtown School
After dinner, we headed back to the Generator Hostel, where Ari and I were able to bunk in with Libya and Aroa, teachers from the Estella team.
Hugh and Damien receiving home grown melons from villa Maria and other edible gifts from Corella!
Saturday 12 Oct – Cycle Tour to Howth via Mud Island & Bull Island Nature Reserve [Allison]
On Saturday we woke early and enjoyed a buffet breakfast in the basement of the Generator hostel. Ari & I had brought up Clon Bike Fest t-towels which we had just enough for all the teachers and adults 🙂
Clockwise from front left – Ari, Chifly, Margarida, Edmundo, Tono and Cristina
At 9am we headed outside where rental bikes arrived from Irish Cycling Safaris (thanks Marion!) and River Cycles (thank you Paul!). The students and teachers chose their bikes and took a lap of the square to check the fit and brakes! Between the crew staying at the Generator Hostel and the 15+ Irish Cycling Campaign marshals, we had a full team of around 60 of us on bikes ready for the trip. Ari & I opted to marshall the rear of the bike convoy, along with Paul Corcoran from ICC on his cargo bike.
A brief encounter with Luke Kelly en route! – Photo – Biciclistas de Corella
Alita from Dublin Cycling Campaign – Photo – Biciclistas de Corella
We wove our way east alongside the Liffey and navigated lots of traffic lights, buses and drivers. When we reached the Convention Centre, we headed north towards our first stop at Mud Island Community Gardens. We spent about two hours at the gardens, looking around and learning about the project and the various wild herbs there as well as all around Ireland – from the importance of beauty and roses in treating shock (they were used as decoration for post-traumatic stress centers post war for soldiers), to alder as an important anti-bacterial, nettles as an important activator for the lymphatic system, and plantain as the best cure for nettle stings and good for healing wounds and digestive health!
Ari and I are still talking about the man who gave us the tour (Aaron Foley) and how he rubbed nettles all over his arms saying “they are only painful because we have been taught to think that” while he was covered in stings! After we got back to Clonakilty, Ari got a bunch of nettle stings and tried out the “it doesn’t really hurt it only tingles” tactic and it seemed to work!
Aaron Foley explains the importance of biodiversity in our world – Photo by Allison
Playtime in Mud Island with Danielle and Snoobles (Photo by Denis)
We learnt that the Mud Island Community garden was on an old dumping ground and only after years of appeals to the Council was it handed over to become a community garden. It now thrives as a social and inclusive space run completely by volunteers. After the tour, we had a load of sandwiches delivered from the nearby Cloud Café and set off then to continue onwards on our cycle.
We headed north along the City Centre to Clontarf cycle route and then onto the coastal cycleway. This was a great easy and flat cycle – with one good downpour that soaked us all but then the sun came straight out again! Next stop was Bull Island – an area of particular national importance for its dunes and biodiversity. We were very grateful to have with us Karin Dubsky, the Coordinator of Coastwatch Ireland, and Dave Tilly, a very knowledgeable local man with a particular understanding of how the intertidal zone functions and changes. So many birds and other creatures depend on the dunes there for food and nesting.
Ari and I had to then cut our visit short and we made our way for the last few kilometres to Howth for a Dart to Tara Street, and then cycled back west along the Liffey, and onto the train back to Cork!
Bull Island sea shells – Photo – Biciclistas de Corella
En route on the coastal cycleway – Photo Credit – Biciclistas De Corella
Photo Credit – Damien Ó Tuama
Meanwhile the rest of the Erasmus gang finished up their tour with Karin and David, and made their way to Howth for fish and chips at Wrights of Howth. After the bikes were collected, the crew continued their multi-modal day’s journeys by DART back to the city and then by foot (and tram) to the Generator.
A big thanks from Irish Cycling Campaign to all of our marshals who helped out over the course of the day. They were: Alina, Alita, Allison, Ciarán, Damien, Deirdre, Denis, Hugh, Mairéad, María, Patrick, Paul, Phil, Rory and Siobhán.
Sunday 13 Oct – Wicklow Day [Phil]
Nine AM was our pick-up time to be brought by coach to visit Beyond the Trees in the Avondale Estate in Co. Wicklow. The morning was overcast and pretty cold for a mid October day, so being well wrapped up was a good call.
Avondale House and Estate is the birthplace of Irish independence pioneer, Charles Stuart Parnell. It is also the home of Samuel Hayes, a man ahead of his time. Not only did he write Ireland’s first book devoted to trees, but he also realised that the native forests of Ireland were disappearing. He knew the solution was in afforestation and managing woodlands, so he set about creating a forest park on his land. After nearly 300 years since Hayes’ time, many of the trees survive today and are in a healthy and mature state. It’s through this forest where a 1.4km long treetop walk and viewing tower has recently been built and where we began our guided tour.
Photo – Phil Murray
Beautifully constructed from locally sourced wood, the treetop walk has a gentle gradient but at its peak is 23 metres off the forest floor. It’s designed to be fully accessible for all ages and abilities. One of the elderly members of our party who has mobility issues availed of a wheelchair provided by the guide.
As we made our way along we were told stories of the history of the estate as well as the forest and wildlife. Bats were found living in the attic of the estate house during renovations. As a protected species, provision was made to allow the bats to easily get in and out via small openings in the sloped roof. We also learned of the reintroduction of birds of prey such as the red kite and the return of the red squirrel – the native Irish squirrel that was pushed out by the invasive grey squirrel. It is believed that the hunting skills of the pinemartins have reduced grey squirrel numbers and thus allowed the red squirrel to regain its territory.
At the end of the walkway we arrived at the spectacular 38m high viewing tower. This huge and impressive structure – like the walkway – used locally sourced timber and was accessed by a gently sloping walk-way. 11 levels up to the top and we were met with a beautiful autumnal view of the local Avondale forest, rolling green fields and distant mountain peaks. Wicklow’s highest peak at 950m, Lugnaquilla was easily visible in a north-western direction.
Photo – Phil Murray
There were two options to descend the tower: take the walkway eleven levels down, or else take a high-speed (13 second long) option via a stainless steel tube slide. Needless to say, almost our entire group took the slide including our eldest and least mobile member. Some of the younger members took the slide a few times.
Photo – Phil Murray
Following a delicious lunch on site, a group of us went on a one-hour walk around the grounds. Taking us through mature forests, past an old train line and along the banks of the Avondale River it was a fitting end to a highly enjoyable day immersed in nature.
Aroa, Libia and Phil – Photo Credit – Biciclistas De Corella
The day did not end with the Wicklow trip though. After getting back to the Generator, the crew headed to upstairs in Slattery’s on Capel Street for some traditional grub, Dublin style. After the day outdoors and all the walking, their food went down well.
Monday 14 Oct – Lord Mayor’s Reception / Further City Explorations [Hugh]
Our final day kicked off with a visit to the Mansion House in Dublin and to meet James Geoghegan, the 356th Lord Mayor of Dublin. In what has now become an annual tradition, the Dublin Cycling Campaign presented the Lord Mayor with a bicycle for use over his term of office – see the separate Dublin Cycling Campaign story on this here. The group were delighted to get the chance to meet him outside the Mansion House.
Photo – Dublin Cycling Campaign
Photo – Dublin Cycling Campaign
We were welcomed into the Oak Room of the Mansion House, with an extended meeting with the Lord Mayor. He told us about the history of the Lord Mayor’s office. We then presented him with some gifts from Spain and Poland.
Photo – Courtesy of Dublin City Council
Lord Mayor of Dublin, James Geoghegan, addressing the Erasmus guests
A symbolic gift from Corella – Photo Credit – Biciclistas De Corella
While in the Oak Room, we had a “Science Buzz” presentation by Michael Grehan. Michael is a Science Teacher from Belvedere College Dublin, and he demonstrated how physics is key to getting around by bicycle and to exploring the world around us. His demonstration was a real treat for both the teachers and the students.
Michael Grehan demonstrating the gyroscopic effect! Photo – Carlos Isaba
In the afternoon, the teachers and adults met in the café of the National Gallery for the Coordinators meeting of the Generations Cycling for Inclusion and Climate Action project, while the students had some free time to explore the city further. Later in the afternoon then, we gathered at Foster Place for a Bike Disco organised by An Taisce to celebrate Climate Action Week, and the students had a chance to participate on a multi-person bike bus as shown below.
Photo Credit – Biciclistas De Corella
End of the Bike Disco outside of the offices of An Taisce on Foster Place – Photo – An Taisce
The four day / five night Learning / Teaching / Training trip finished up that night in the Generator Hostel with the awarding of certificates to all of the hard working participants, and with singing and mingling running late into the night.
In Conclusion
Over the course of the four full days, participants engaged with each of the overarching themes of the project: climate action, sustainable transport, social inclusion and intergenerational collaborations. ICC hopes that the activities undertaken will spur both students and adults to explore and act on these topics in greater depth over the coming years.
Another benefit was, of course, in forging stronger bonds and friendships between all of the project partners. It was a pleasure for ICC to host and to reconnect with our friends from Spain, Portugal, Poland, Waterford and beyond! We are already looking forward to travelling to Estella in Navarra in 2025 for the final Learning / Teaching / Training trip.
Irish Cycling Campaign wishes to thank our volunteers for their help with organising multiple aspects of the planning and execution of the programme – and particularly all of our marshals assisting on the group cycle on the Saturday. Thanks also to Dublin Cycling Campaigner Miren-Maialen Samper, who herself is from San Sebastian Donostia, who popped along over the course of the few days to welcome the crew in several languages.
Finally, we wish to pay a sincere thanks again to the Lord Mayor of Dublin, James Geoghegan, for his warm welcome to the Mansion House, and indeed to Dublin City Council’s staff for their support with many elements of the trip.
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Note
A summary video on the whole trip assembled by Biclistas de Corella can be viewed here:
