Anthony O'Brien Memorial Cycle

Well, what an enjoyable night we had last Friday! As well as catching up with the Athlone - Galway crew and a bit of singing and dancing we also achieved the main business of the day, which was to hand over our, thankfully, sizeable cheque to Neil Johnson of Croí Heart & Stroke Charity.

The final amount raised was €95,000 which surpassed all of our expectations, and was very graciously accepted by Neil on behalf of Croí in his short speech detailing all the good that will result from this whole endeavour, which was a fitting tribute to Anthony.

Thank you one and all who played a part and thanks very much to MoorePhotography for these lovely pictures of the evening.

Well, it's nearly time to reveal the final fundraising figure for everybody's efforts and hand over the big rectangle to Croí Heart & Stroke Charity. Tomorrow evening (Friday 3rd) from 8 o'clock in the The Bounty Bar & Restaurant will be a great chance to catch up with everybody from our fruitful trek to Galway over a month ago and to celebrate a job well done. So many shoulders went to the wheel for this event and cause, we'd like as many of ye as possible to share in the occasion.

There is a bottle of bubbly up for grabs on the night courtesy of the ever-giving Ollie Seery of Seerys Of Athlone Cash and Carry, so leave a comment below and your name'll go into the hat.

Athlone and Galway were both looking well today. Friday evening is promising to be sun-baked too. It'll be all sunshine and smiles and large cheques and cocktail sausages and music and dancing. And we'll all be there in The Bounty Bar & Restaurant and Croí Heart & Stroke Charity will be there and ReJig will be there and handshaking and back-slapping and quicksteppin' will ensue.

We'd like to see as many of ye down there as possible. Kick-off at 8 o'clock.

"Bono ya gobsh*te, you were supposed to bring the cheque"

Not to worry everyone, Karl John Turley has it sorted and we'll be presenting it to Croí on Friday 3rd of June in The Bounty Bar & Restaurant at 8pm. It should be a great night with ReJig providing live music and Pádraig Nally the tunes late into the night. We can all kick back too, because the Monday's a bank holiday. Even bloody Geldof likes those.

"Bono ya gobsh*te, you were supposed to bring the cheque"

Not to worry everyone, Karl John Turley has it sorted and we'll be presenting it to Croí on Friday 3rd of June in The Bounty Bar & Restaurant at 8pm. It should be a great night with ReJig providing live music and Pádraig Nally the tunes late into the night. We can all kick back too, because the Monday's a bank holiday. Even bloody Geldof likes those.

Pencil in Friday 3rd June into all your diaries. Anthony O'Brien Memorial Cycle Cheque Presentation to Croi in The Bounty Bar Athlone at 8pm.

Lovely day that, but d'you know you'd have no comfort cycling to Galway on it. No, we were as well off the way we were.

It's great to see all the white and red jerseys out and about on the roads over the last few days. There were sightings all around the midlands and as far away as Kerry and Wicklow. Tan lines will be inspected in The Bounty Bar & Restaurant on Friday 3rd of June, where we'll also be catching up, enjoying some nice finger food and, most importantly, presenting our big cheque to the mighty Croí Heart & Stroke Charity with big happy heads on us. So many people have had a part in this and we'd like as many of ye as possible to share in the occasion.

To entice ye further, the sound lads and great band ReJig are performing for us on the night. Those of us whose legs were too banjaxed to dance by the time we got to Salthill can take our turn on the floor this time. See you all then from 8 til late.

Pencil in Friday 3rd June into all your diaries. Anthony O'Brien Memorial Cycle Cheque Presentation to Croi in The Bounty Bar Athlone at 8pm.

Lovely day that, but d'you know you'd have no comfort cycling to Galway on it. No, we were as well off the way we were.

It's great to see all the white and red jerseys out and about on the roads over the last few days. There were sightings all around the midlands and as far away as Kerry and Wicklow. Tan lines will be inspected in The Bounty Bar & Restaurant on Friday 3rd of June, where we'll also be catching up, enjoying some nice finger food and, most importantly, presenting our big cheque to the mighty Croí Heart & Stroke Charity with big happy heads on us. So many people have had a part in this and we'd like as many of ye as possible to share in the occasion.

To entice ye further, the sound lads and great band ReJig are performing for us on the night. Those of us whose legs were too banjaxed to dance by the time we got to Salthill can take our turn on the floor this time. See you all then from 8 til late.

Words are useless things sometimes, but for now 'thank you' will have to do for the hundreds of generous souls who've performed outstanding feats of fundraising over recent weeks and months, and the thousands who helped them with it. The effects of your work will be felt by countless individuals and families for years to come.

We're still tying up the loose ends, so a final figure is still a fortnight or so away. We'll shout when we're in novelty sized cheque territory and, sure maybe, we'll make a night of it.

To help us with the admin - if you have lodged your sponsorship recently, but forgot to put your name on it, just drop us a line with where and when it was done and we can match it up. If you've still to lodge your funds, please remember to put your name on the transaction.

From all of us and from Croí Heart & Stroke Charity - Go raibh míle, míle, míle, míle ...

Where would we have been without them? Let's hear it for the brilliant bunch who put smiles on our faces and a little more energy in our legs with their positivity and encouragement. You the real MVPs!

We owe a massive debt of gratitude to all involved in Páirc Chiaráin for facilitating us, not just on Sunday morning, but also for our Saturday evening registration. The use of all amenities was pivotal to how well everything went. Special thanks goes to Chairman Padraig O'Rourke and Clubhouse Manager Michael Heavin for all your help and for not turning the hose on those of us of a Garrycastle persuasion.

For your Friday viewing. Another wonderful gallery of Sunday's events from our own Feár Pictiúr - Ciaran Harte. He really captured the spirit of the day. Like, share, enjoy.

http://s307.photobucket.com/user/FearPictiur/slideshow/Anthony%20OBrien%20Memorial%20Cycle

Anthony OBrien Memorial Cycle Slideshow by Ciaran Harte Fear pictiur was in good form here.I love some of these photographs and I hope you do too. enjoy ....................................................................................... Note : resized images for web. email me for the original . [email protected] - View the slideshow on Photobucke...