Farmer Seán to take on 670km cycle challenge
Funds to go to worthy causes
A young dairy farmer from Kilruane is to take brief time off from his busy milking parlour to undertake a 670km cycle to raise funds for support groups working to help farmers cope with tragedy on their holdings and those struggling with their mental health due to the increasing isolation of their job working on the land.
Seán Kelly, aged 29, from Kilruane, is currently in training for his ultra-distance cycle from Mizen Head in West Cork to Malin Head in County Donegal, hoping his herculean pedal will generate substantial funds for Embrace Farm and Make the Moove. The cycle is also being held to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.
Seán, along with another young dairy farmer from Burgess - Bill Gleeson (33), who has signed up as a support driver - will be joined by at least 20 other young farmers from all over Munster, all members of Macra Na Feirme, the young farmer representative association that is organising the cycle.
The name Seán Kelly conjures up memories of the Tipperary man of that name who made world headlines between the 1970s and the 1990s for his prowess on the international race cycle circuit. But that Carrick-On-Suir native is very different to our Sean from Kilruane who was a greenhorn to cycling until he dived in to take part in the upcoming ultra-distance event.
“I didn't even have a bike,” admits Seán, who reveals that he went in to Moynan's bike shop in Nenagh in February to purchase a racer and all the necessary gear after he had signed up for the cycle.
“When I started out training spins on my new bike at first I wore a GAA shorts,” laughed novice Seán, who is by now all too well acquainted with the agony of saddle soreness.
“I'll tell you, when I got the cycling shorts it was a major upgrade.”
The cycle will begin on May 16 in Mizen Head, taking the riders to overnight stops in Killarney, Ennis, Kiltimagh in Mayo and on to Donegal town, before the final spin to Malin Head on May 20.
“We're going all out for it and we know it's a lot to take on, but it would be a savage achievement to complete the distance,” says Seán, who is urging people to dig deep in their pockets to support the three worthy causes.
A cycle of such a distance would be a daunting challenge for even the fittest of people. But for Seán, who is starting cycling from scratch, it has meant extra sacrifices to prepare for the mammoth task ahead.
TRAINING SCHEDULE
Milking 120 cows with the help of his father Patrick, his work is a seven-day-a-week all-in enterprise. So, finding the time to take on a training schedule to be fit for the task ahead has been extra challenging, particularly in the really busy caving season now just ended. “The start of the year was so busy with calving that I was on night duty some of the time and so I decided to get a stationary bike so that I could train in a room in the house while looking at the caving camera,” Seán reveals.
“I was cycling as hard as I could on the stationary bike and then when the caving finished at the end of February I got back cycling the roads. I have just put the head down and I have kept going and I'm also doing work in the gym, so I'm in good shape at this stage.”
Sean adds: “Before this I had not cycled for ten to twelve years and it took me a long time to find my balance on a racer bike. There were a few times when I got the skin taken off my knees, but I got the knack of it eventually.
“At times people were saying to me I was mad as a busy dairy farmer to be taking all this on because I was constantly on the go. A lot of farmers get in relief milkers to take a rest, but I was getting a relief person in so that I could do more training.
“But I always wanted to do something like this and so I grabbed it with both arms - especially after the confinement I experienced from all lockdowns imposed during the last two years of the pandemic.”
The driving force behind the cycle is Munster Macra Vice-President Elaine Houlihan who says that many people have had to deal with rural isolation and the negative impacts of grief and mental health over the past two years. “We are appealing for support for Seán and all the other young farmers who are taking on this huge cycle challenge for very worthy causes,” said Elaine.
Incidentally, Sean and his dad Patrick are hosing a Teagasc visit for farmers on their farm this Wednesday, April 6, where contributions to the three worthy causes are optional.
HOW TO SUPPORT AND DONATE
The Munster Macra Mizen to Malin Cycle has a dedicated GoFundMe page were donations can be made. See https://www.gofundme.com/f/munster-macra-mizen-to-malin-challenge-2022