Dublin cycling stories wanted

Padraig Conlon 04 May 2022

Image above: Kids ready for play on a cold day, the Coombe, 1966 (Evelyn Hofer)

UCD School of Communications and Media Studies and Dublin Cycling Campaign are looking for photos and cycling stories for an “Irish Cycling Stories” series.

They are particularly interested in photos and stories from people who may have cycled to school, work or for fun in the past.

Please send photos with short cycling background story (100 words for now) to shaunaroberts22@gmail.com, davidt@dublincycling.com.

Alternatively, you can call David Timoney on 083 3339283.

Girl with Bicycle, Liberties, Dublin, 1966 (Evelyn Hofer)

Below are two examples of the type of stories that will be included in the “Irish Cycling Stories” series.

Cycling memories:

“Oh, I remember cycling so much in the 80s and 90s, during my young teen years and into my mid-20s. Getting on my bike and zooming down the winding back roads of rural Wexford, Geography book in hand, doing last minute revision.

“It was so normal to cycle everywhere back then. I would be racing my friends to the bus stop, leaving our bikes at the wall of an old woman’s house.

“Bless her, she never complained about having 20-odd bikes blocking her driveway. It was a routine; 8am leave the house, cycle 7km to the bus stop, 5pm return home.

“And everyone in my area did it.” – Mary Kehoe (Wexford and Dublin).

2 girls on bicycle, Westland Row, Dublin, 1966 (Edward Quinn)

“My first experience of bikes was being brought to school in Roscommon in the 1930’s as a 3 yr old on the back of my 12 year old sister’s bike.

“Her class had been asked whether they had a pre-school brother or sister as the school needed an extra body to make up the numbers for government funding.

“I’d sit beside my sister drawing for most of the day.

“From the age of 8 I cycled the 3 miles to primary school in Loughlynn and then from the age of 12, the 5 miles to secondary school in Ballaghadereen, Roscommon.

“I’d meet friends on the way and our system to let our friends know if we had already gone on earlier was to leave a few stones at the crossroads. Great memories.”

Teresa Timoney (Lisacul, Roscommon and Sandymount)