History of the Barrow Wheelers

By Tony Kehoe

History, it is often said, is merely yesterday’s news. Although the Barrow Wheelers was formed on the 23rd of October 1985, it’s important to have a look back on the years before that and see what was happening in the cycling world.
The first reference to cycling in New Ross goes right back to the year 1897 with a photograph showing the start of a bike race from New Ross to Enniscorthy. This was from the famous Cavanagh Collection and we learn that the race had to start early so that the riders would have time to get the train back from Enniscorthy. Also in the collection were photos of Ladies and Gentlemen going on leisure cycles to places like Duncannon. The ladies wore long dresses and fancy hats that may have been fashionable, but certainly not suitable for cycling.
Ever since the Tour De France went on the road way back in the early 1900s, stage racing has caught the imagination of cyclist all over the world. It wasn’t until the Rás Tailteann arrived on the scene in 1953 that we in Ireland could enjoy this wonderful sporting event each year. I was just 14 years old in 1953 when the first stage came through my home town of Enniscorthy on a very wet Saturday in September, on it’s way to Wexford. I stared in awe as the bunch skimmed passed hoping to get a glimpse of our local hero, Ownie Cullerton but I was unsuccessful. The next day the Rás passed through New Ross on it’s was to back to Dublin where Ownie crossed the line in second place behind Colum Christle of Dublin. In 1954 it went from a two day event to eight days, again taking in Wexford as a stage finish. It became every cyclist ambition to ride the Rás but only a few would be good enough and in New Ross we had cyclists like Jim Forestal, Val Lyng, Paddy Browne and Paddy Somers achieving their ambition and can always say, “I rode the Rás”.