Sligo Cycling Campaign 2022 Review
2022 was a busy year for Sligo Cycling Campaign. We held a number of cycling events throughout the year and we made submissions on a variety of local and national sustainable transport and public realm projects.
Our first cycling event of 2022 took place in March when we organised a bilingual Heritage Cycle, kindly sponsored by Conradh na Gaeilge. We were fortunate to get a beautiful day with a clear blue sky and all participants greatly enjoyed the cycle with Sligo County Council architect, Seán Martin as our guide.
The cycle focused on Sligo's industrial heritage around the Port area and on the story of the merchant families who contributed to the growth of Sligo. The final stop was historic Sligo Gaol.
The cycle concluded with coffee and scones at the Riverside Hotel, where we were entertained with songs in Irish and English by the Buoys of Ballisodare
In May, Fiona Colantuono a young woman from the south of France arrived in Sligo as part of her Sun Cycling Odyssey on a sloar powered bike! On May Bank Holiday Sunday we escorted Fiona out of town on the next northward leg of her cycle on Euro Velo 1.
Bike Week took place in May this year and Sligo Cycling Campaign organised a number of events. We invited the Sligo MD councillors to accompany us on a cycle following their May meeting in City Hall. Only Councillor Gibbons was available on the day and he accompanied us to Summerhill College where the Junior Tidy Towns coordinator has arranged for us to meet the Student Council. The Students had lots of useful ideas to improve their cycling experience. We hope to continue liaising with them.
During Bike Week, thanks to National Bike Week funding from Sligo Partnership, we also organised a
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Pedal Parade to link up with the fabulous O'Connell Family Fun Day and a
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Film Night featuring the premiere of Love Song to a bicycle by Johnny Gogan & Laura McMorrow
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Thanks to sponsorship from the Ciste Spreagtha from Conradh na Gaeilge we also organised the Inaugural Boundary Stones Cycle
Some of us cycled to the file night at the Building Block. Love Song to a Bicycle lives up to its title! It features local actor Ciarán McCauley and also children from Strandhill NS Cycle Bus.
We had a second showing of the film in Strandhill school for parents and children who again arrived for the most part by bike!
We were delighted filmmakers Johnny Gogan and Laura McMorrow were able to attend showings on both nights.
Due to illness we had to postpone the Boundary Cycle until June. This was a demanding event weather and logistics wise but we are pleased to have hosted the inaugural cycle. Sligo Tidy Towns together with Sligo County Council plan to develop this route for walking and cycling. Since it involves crossing the busy N4 and N15, we arranged the cycle for early on a Saturday morning and limited the numbers so as to ensure safe cycling. The Ciste Spreagtha sponsorship enabled us produce a bilingual brochure, employ a professional historian to be our guide, and reward ourselves with breakfast at Kohas at the finish! We are very pleased to find we have people in Sligo who are delighted to combine Gaeilge and Rothaíocht! Fiona Gallagher's expertise was invaluable. At each stone she shared the history of the placename or the people associated with the area.
In June we were also delighted to be represented at the launch of the Bolt shared ebike trial in Sligo, Ciarán, Risteárd and Joan attended the launch in Doorly Park. Sligo Cycling Campaign very much welcomes the arrival of Bolt and is delighted to see the bikes in regular use around town.
In autumn Sligo PPN held a photo competition to highlight and promote work of member groups and to offer a level of support to members.
We submitted entries and were lucky enough to win 3rd prize of €500 in the Sligo Shtyle category for a photo of the Heritage cycle outside the Gaol.
Mondays
4:30 pm
