Naomh Barróg Cycling Club

We celebrated our club’s 10th anniversary in true style last night — with a delicious meal, nostalgic and entertaining speeches from current and past chairpeople and dancing until the small hours.

A brilliant night was had by all, thanks to the fantastic organisers who brought everything together so smoothly and to Portmarnock Resort and Jameson Golf Links for having us.

Looking forward to celebrating our 10th Anniversary as a cycling club this Friday with our Gala Dinner. Some great memories to be relived...

Congratulations to our generous sponsors The McHugh Group, who have opened the largest Centra in Ireland today....looks great, go check it out...

Centra opens a new store in Edenmore Dublin today

We were deeply saddened to hear of the untimely passing of Naomh Barróg CLG member and friend, Tony Manton.

Tony was the PRO representative of NB GAA when the inaugural NB Cycling Club spin – Blazing Saddles – took place 10 years ago, an event that led to the formation of our current cycling club. He not only supported it but took part himself. We remember Tony fondly as a great supporter of our club in those early days, and we are grateful for the help and encouragement he gave us as we were getting off the ground.

Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the wider NB GAA community, where he was a much-valued and respected member.

At this sad time, we also remember our former cycling club members, Deirdre and Ciarán, whose first anniversaries fall around this time. We still think of them often, sharing stories and cherishing the memories of the good times we had together.

🚴‍♂️ London → (almost) Edinburgh → London… with a twist! 🌬️🌧️

Earlier this month, one of our most adventurous (some say bonkers) members, Ian, took on the legendary London Edinburgh London cycle challenge — a 1,530km self-supported epic across the UK. Riders have just over five days to cycle from London to Edinburgh and back again, testing their mental and physical resilience to the absolute max.

Ian set off on Sunday 3rd, full of energy and sunshine. But nature had other plans… enter Storm Floris 🌪️

Here’s how Ian summed it up:

" London Edinburgh London, soon became London Floris London, after leaving London at 10:30am sun shining, smiles all round and all roads were heading north. The early section of the ride was very flat and once in the Fens, you discover when echelons are a good idea. Got in a nice little group with some great guys from the Basque, was a good experience riding with them. Once I got to Louth, it was dark and I was riding alone, lots of people still around and lots of brief chats but no one really the same speed as me. It was up Humber bridge and on to Hessel, this was probably the best section I'd had all day, lots of rolling hills and fast roads, it was probably my favourite night of riding I've had since PBP. At Hessel the control was very busy, so with that in mind I pushed on to Malton, this was always the plan on Day one. With tiredness creeping it, I found this tough, this was a hard section and when I got to the pop up I asked about sleeping situation and they were full. I only had 20k to Malton so pushed on, went down a really nice downhill section to roll in to Malton around 5:30am. I was lucky as lots of the early starters were leaving, it was grey and a little rain was around so sleep seemed the best option.

After a few hours sleep in a changing room on a PE mat it was time to go. The wind had picked up a lot but nothing I didn't feel it was too bad, I got going at around 9:30. This section was torture, the wind got worse and worse, I got to the pop up Rainton after a few hours, had a tea and an announcement was made that the ride would be paused once you reached the next control. I had Tea, some food and took it handy on the way to Richmond, this was quite scary in parts as the wind was very bad at this point and rolling into some junctions I didn't need brakes, 6 hours after leaving Malton I had made the 90k journey to Richmond. This was where I got a shower, a bit of sleep and waited to hear the news, the next announcement was that we would be paused for another 4 hours.

I had resigned myself that it was over, I then got food and tried to get more sleep. 19:30 came and the ride had been curtailed, no one was going to Scotland, we could leave the ride now and take no further part or make the journey South from tomorrow morning, all controls would be available but they would need to clear first. Once I had found a spot to sleep it was good night from me, in the morning after breakfast the Audax Ireland guys all rode together for a bit, I took it handy coming back and did the 467k back to the start over 2 days, I rode with some lads from Roscommon, who were class.

Was I disappointed yes, was it the right decision also yes, I had a great time and met some great people from across the world and made the most of my time back home."

What Ian achieved is nothing short of extraordinary. Tackling nearly 1,000km in brutal conditions, on a ride that demands everything from both body and mind, is a true testament to his grit and determination. 🌟

While the full route wasn't to be this time, Ian’s resilience, spirit, and humour throughout prove exactly why he's such a valued member of our cycling community. 👏🔥

And yes, several participants have since confirmed what we've all long suspected — Ian makes an excellent windbreak.

Massive respect, Ian. You flew the flag for all of us, and we’re proud to have you in the club! 🙌

👏 Well done to Ger and Tommy for representing Naomh Barróg Cycling Club in the final race of the McNally Swords League – Race 12 in Coolquay on Wednesday evening last.

🚴‍♂️ A special shoutout to Ger, who powered through to finish 1st among the B riders in a tough combined A&B group – superb effort! 💪

Huge thanks to our friends at Swords Cycling Club for organising another fantastic race series over the summer months and for welcoming us to take part. A brilliant league from start to finish! 🙌

🚴‍♂️ Tour de France – Naomh Barróg Style! 🇫🇷⛰️

Four of our members had an unforgettable few days last week in the Alps, based in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, soaking up the atmosphere of the Tour de France — and tackling some iconic climbs along the way! The trip was expertly arranged by our friend Stijn at www.alpandbike.com, who made sure the luxury accomodation, routes, and bikes were all on point. 🙌

📍 Day 1: Straight in at the deep end — over the stunning Col du Petit St Bernard and into Italy for lunch. Not a bad start to the trip!

📍 Day 2: The group split to catch Stage 18 — some climbed up to the Col de la Loze for the epic mountaintop finish, while others stayed on the lower slopes to cheer the peloton from below. Electric atmosphere all around!

📍 Day 3: It was Stage 19 and a visit to La Plagne, where the crew camped out in the village below and watched the race storm through. The energy in the air was unreal.

📍 Day 4: What better way to finish than with a ride up the breathtaking Cormet de Roselend — a bucket-list climb with views to match the effort. 🚵‍♀️🌄

🍷 Add in great company, some lovely dinners, local wine, and plenty of laughs — it was a trip to remember.

🏆 Congratulations Zoe Greene! 🏆

A massive shoutout to our amazing member Zoe Greene, who took gold at the IVCA Race in Meath on Sunday! Over 83 tough kilometres, Zoe showed serious grit, held off the competition, and powered her way to a well-deserved victory. We’re incredibly proud of you, Zoe! 👏🚴‍♀️💪

It couldn't be more timely — considering earlier today, Lara Gillespie of UAE Team ADQ took an impressive third place in Stage 4 of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes, sprinting across the line behind Marianne Vos and Lorena Wiebes in a fiercely contested finish. We are almost as proud of her!

Did you know that nearly 40% of Naomh Barróg Cycling Club members are women? That’s one of the highest percentages in any club across North Dublin — and we think it’s down to our friendly, inclusive vibe, our great nights out, fun trips away, and of course… the fact that cycling is a fantastic low-impact way to stay fit and active!

If you’ve ever thought about giving cycling a go — racing optional! — why not get in touch? Drop us a line at 📧 [email protected] and come along for a trial spin. No pressure, just good company and great craic. You might just love it!

🏁 Women’s Race Update! 🏁

This week, our neighbours hosted another thrilling round of the 2025 Corkagh Park Women’s Cycling League — and what a race it was! 💥

Our very own Estelle McLaughlin lined up in the B Race and powered her way to a fantastic 2nd place finish 🥈 in what was a fast, furious, and tactical sprint around Corkagh Park.

We’re incredibly proud of her for stepping up and delivering such a strong performance with such grit and determination. And word is… she’s only getting started. 👀💪

Well done Estelle! 🙌

🚴‍♀️ Naomh Barróg Cycling Club – Weekly Round-Up 🗞️

🏁 Race League Action
Tommy Buckley and Ger Power took part in Round 8 of the MNSCC Race League in Fieldstown on Wednesday evening. Both riders gave it their all, with strong performances on a tough circuit. Tommy then kept the momentum going with another solid effort at the IVCA in Clonard, Kildare on Sunday. Great racing from both – well done, lads!

🎉 Fun & Games Friday
Who says cyclists don’t know how to have a good time off the bike? Friday night saw many of our members dive into some light-hearted fun and games. It didn’t take much convincing for most to relive their youth – plenty of laughs, some healthy competition, and a great night all around.

🚴‍♂️ Step-Up Sunday Spins
Sunday saw a brilliant show of progress, as several members stepped up into faster groups – and absolutely smashed it! With the support of our group captains and fellow riders, everyone rose to the challenge. The teamwork, encouragement, and that classic Naomh Barróg spirit were on full display. There’s no turning back now – onwards and upwards!

🚴‍♀️ Terrific Tuesday Turnout
The good energy rolled straight into the week with a fantastic turnout for our Tuesday spin. Spirits were high, legs were strong, and the pace was lively – everyone was flying! Great to see so many out midweek and enjoying the roads together.

🇫🇷 NBCC Hits the Tour de France!
While things were buzzing at home, several of our lucky members have been over in France riding parts of the Tour de France route – soaking up the atmosphere and tackling some of the iconic climbs themselves. They’ll be shouting the loudest for Ben Healy in the coming days, and we can’t wait to see the pictures and hear all about their adventures when they’re back. Allez, NBCC!

👏 Well done to everyone – another great week in the bag!
Keep the legs spinning and the spirit high – see you all on the road!

Swords Cycling Club

☀️ Weekly Recap – Making the Most of the Sunshine! 🚴‍♂️🚴‍♀️

Last week’s glorious weather brought out the very best in our club – and yes, somehow we did manage to cycle even more than usual!

🏁 Race League Action
Tommy flew the Barróg flag in Round 7 of the Swords Cycling Club Race League, tackling a tough new circuit around the legendary 3 Sisters climb outside Naul. Let’s just say… “easy” wasn’t the word used!

⛰️ Mick Byrne 200 Audax
On Saturday, 8 members took on the Mick Byrne 200 Audax, a scenic and rewarding 200km loop through the stunning Wicklow countryside. With plenty of hills and even more views, it was a challenging but hugely satisfying day out. Well done to everyone who took it on!

🚴‍♀️ Come Try Me Spin
We welcomed a great group of newcomers on Saturday’s “Come Try Me Spin” – a relaxed, social ride giving a taste of what the club is all about. Word is, we’ll be seeing some new faces on our regular Sunday spins very soon! 👀

🌞 Sunday Club Spins
With the sun still shining, around 50 members hit the roads on Sunday. Here’s how the groups rolled:
• Sky headed to Rathoath
• Saxo had some members enjoying a spectacular Lap of the Gaps, others stayed nearer to home
• Giant took a spin to Skryne Hill. And Bora & Trek together explored NCD, finishing with coffee, cake, and ice-cream at the always lovely Newbridge House 🍰🍦

👏 Well done to everyone who got out on the bike – especially to those for whom it had been a while! There’s something extra special about riding under blue skies….

Last call to join us for a sunny, relaxed spin tomorrow... Set yourself up for the rest of the day...

Drop us an email asap if you'd like to come along...

[email protected]

We are going to try this one again....

Our rescheduled "Come Try Us" Spin will now take place this Saturday, July 12th. Weather looks a lot more pleasant this time, fingers tightly crossed....

✅ All welcome – no matter the speed or experience
✅ All you need is a roadworthy bike, a helmet, and to send a quick email to [email protected]

Routes will depend on numbers and ability – but a good vibes are guaranteed. Get in touch we’re waiting to hear from you ….