Mick Byrne (first rider after the priset with his head turned) linning up for the start of a race with the likes of Shay Elliot (second row) in the 1950s. 

The 6th annual Mick Byrne Randonee will take place on Sunday May 26th, starting at Dalkey. As usual there will be three  adventurous tours on some of the most beautiful roads in Co Wicklow.

Feed stations provided along the routes to keep your strength up.  All in memory of a man who wanted people of all ages to experience the joy, excitement and adventure of cycling! The 100km and 160km are great preparation for the Wicklow 200 and the 200km has over 3000 mtrs of climbing, a true challenge.

100km

• Route map here
• Includes 1 control stops.
• Start time 10am

160km

• Route map here.
• Includes 2 control stops.
• Start time 9am

200km

• Route map here
• Includes 3 control stops.
• Start time 8am

Please note:

• Registration starts at 7.15am from Dalkey Utd club house (Map here).

Entry Fee

• You Can Register On The Day! €20.00 on the day (including cycling Ireland licence)
• Register online fee is €15.89 (includes cycling Ireland licence). Online entries close May 22nd 
• Pre Entry via Cheque is €15.00 (Please make cheque payable to: Sorrento Cycling Club.) Download entry form here (PDF file).
  Please send cheque to: Paul O’Donoghue, 12 Tinnapark, Kilpedder, Co Wicklow. Closing date for pre entrie by cheque is 21st May 2013. Please include in your letter your name and contact details.
• Entry is FREE to anyone over 70

Pre-entry is advised as we may have to close entries when we reach a critical number on the day.
We will also operate a separate check-in desk for pre-entrants, making for an easier start for them, on the da

All surplus goes to the Irish Hospice Foundation. We raised € 2,120 last year! 

Please note: No additional temporary C.I. Licence fee applies to the event but you must sign-on on the day to be insured.

For more details contact: Paul O’Donoghue SCC at 087 7850890 or podluna@gmail.com

All Ireland under 16 Team Champions 1983 Hibernia C.R.C
L – R Mick Byrne, Conor O’Brien – Brian Cullen – Ken Dooley (Team Captain)

Glen of the downs Training Group for Hibernia C.R.C (1983)
This club is Mick Byrnes Version of the Nichols Roche performance team with the like of promising young riers like Stephen Healy & John Dorris in the club.

Group of youths lined up beside Mick Byrne in the 80s in the phoinex park

1982 Dublin Community games, Pheonix park
L- R Mick Byrne, Brendan Payne 2nd place U16

Mick Byrne, an a Appreciation

The existence, ethos and ambience of Sorrento Cycling Club owe more to Mick Byrne than to any other individual in the club’s forty year history. Mick was the main player in the founding of the club in 1968. He brought to his newly formed club much of what was good in his previous club, Loraine. Not least of these values was an all embracing view of the sport of cycling.

Road, Time Trial, Track, and Cyclo-Cross racing were all included in the activities of the club. Touring was the activity of emphasis and Mick was well ahead of his time in introducing members to off-road cycling (twenty years before mountain bike were to become available in Ireland).

It was Mick’s belief that, through involvement in a healthy out door sport and by participation in a supportive club structure, the lives of young people could be enhanced, assisting them in their development towards adulthood. Speak to any educational psychologist and they will tell you that in this area Mick was again a man ahead of his time.

A well thought out opinion based experience, observation and extensive reading was typical of Mick Byrne and anyone who conversed with him was soon aware that he was more than adequately capable of articulating his opinions on a wide variety of issues.

But I can never remember him being harsh towards anyone. He had the ability to passionately debate a subject without feeling hostility towards those who promoted the opposite opinion. In fact I recall him reassuring ‘’adversary’’ in one such passionate debate.

He was always a kindly, caring and sensitive man. Add to these qualities his natural hospitality and it is easy to understand why Mick’s home, Glenlogue, was something of a social hub for cyclists.

Born May 1926, Mick grew up in Dalkey Hill, a small village at the foot of Dalkey Quarry that owed its origins to the settlement of stone workers who extracted the granite to build Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Mick’s mother came from Connemara, his father from Dalkey Hill.

Mick was one of seven children. His father made a living by fixing watches and sharpening tools. For this latter occupation he had a bike adapted to carry and drive a grind stone. He was a competitive cyclist and without a doubt influenced his son choice of activity. Tragically Mick’s Father was fatally injured in an accident with his mobile grindstone and died.

Mick’s own cycling career was not something he spoke much about. While he often referred to event that occurred in races in which he took part, he was far too modest to speak of his achievements. But some evidence exists which suggests that he was one of the country’s top cyclist in the late 40’s early 50’s. We know in 1949 he was the winner of the Loraine club’s B.A.R. (Best All Rounder, calculated on the average times of time trials over several distances).

In the same year he recorded the fastest time in the round tower clubs handicap event from Dublin to Arklow. The Loraine clubs year book for 1950 says that this followed a series of minor victories in the early season. It also records that Mick was a member of the winning Loraine team in the National Hill Climb Championship in 1949. He was 3^rd in one of the most important 25mile Time Trials in 1950. In Dublin race which featured riders from the UK and New Zealand. Mick took the prime in Ballinasloe despite a crash earlier in the race at Oranmore.

The race was won by the great Shay Elliot from A break of 6 riders which Mick Byrne was one. The six were together arriving into the Phoenix Park where the race was to finish, but we have no record of where Mick finished. In and around the same era he finished 3^rd in the 100 mile Hannon Cup mass start which was held over a circuit through Ashtown, Navan, Trim , Clonee and finished with 4 laps of a smaller circuit of Lucan/Knockmaroon Hill. Again Mick was in the break and may have finished higher than 3^rd place had he not concentrated on taking the primes on the extremely tough Knockmaroon Hill. By all accounts Mick was A strong, aggressive rider who regularly escaped the bunch in breaks which he initiated.

• Thursday 23rd May, Club League Event L5, 15 mile H/C CP Meet: Roundwood {Map} 7.00pm Start 7.30pm (Same marshalls As Cancelled Event On 9th May)
• Saturday 25th May, Mick Byrne Course Check! Meet Dalkey {Map} 7.45am Set off around 8.00am  Expect 7-8hrs
• Sunday 26th May, Mick Byrne 200k, 160k & 100k Dalkey

Can you please complete your registration for 2013 Mick Byrne Randonee by completing the form below.

• Tuesday 14th May Interclub TT League L1, 10 Mile TT Meet: Kilpeddar {Map} 6.45pm Start 7.30pm
• Thursday 16th May Interclub League L2, 28 kms h/c CP Meet: Calary {Map} 7.00pm Starts 7.30pm
• Saturday 18th May, Club Training Spin, Meet: Glen of the Downs Car Park {Map} 10.00am Expect 3-4hrs
• Sunday 19th May, Beginner Road Tour. Meet: Deveraux’s Pub {Map} 10.00am Expect 2-3hrs, Tour Leader To Be Decided, With Tea/Coffee Stop

Up Coming Races

• Tuesday 14th May, Mondello Race Series (Handicap) Sign on 7.00pm (More Info) {Map}
• Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th May, MTB Gravity Enduro Rd 2 Limerick (More Info)

Tuesday evening are about to become a lot less relaxed with the introduction of a Time Trial league between Bray and Sorrento. These Time Trials will be run once a month starting Tuesday May 14th.

Below are the dates for other three legs. Entry will cost €5.

Tue, May 14th…………..10mile………..Kilpedder
Tue, June 11th…………..20mile………..Calary
Tue, July 9th……………..25mile….…….Calary
Tue, July 30th……………15mile…..……Calary

• Thursday 9th May, Club League L5 15 Mile H/Cap Meet: Roundwood 7.10pm {Map} Race Starts 7.30pm
• Saturday 11th May, Club Training Spin, Meet: Glen of the Downs Car Park {Map} 10.00am Expect 3-4hrs
• Sunday 12th May, Mick Byrne 200k Pre Run, Meet Dalkey {Map} 8.00am expect 8-10hrs Tour Leader Paul O’Donoghue

Up Coming Races

• Sunday 12th May, The Dunsany GP, {More Info & Map Here}
• Sunday 12th May, Shay Elliott 2013, {More Info} {Map}
• Sunday 12th May, XC NPS Round 3 Dublin, {More Info}

Sorrento Cycling Club would like to express its sincere sympathies to Mark Murphy and his family following the unexpected passing of Mark’s father, Joe Murphy, in Spain last Friday.

Joe was a long-time member of Bray Wheelers and a former Chairman.

Club League L4 10 mile H/Cap TT

League Standings after four events