Michael Flannery and John Cummins have gone into hiding. Ken Murphy is contemplating a change of address, Timmy Murphy says he’ll sell his racer. What has caused this upset? What horrific event took place on Sunday 27th of July 1986? The traders bicycle race of course!
Months of training and diet plans preceded this race. Reputations and careers have been ruined because of it. Was that Kay Treacy whizzing past this morning? What was Michael Kelly going out in Tourmakeady with his bike? Did Emmet Feerick receive aid from Sean Kelly?
All these and other questions had to be wiped from the traders minds as they lined up for the start. Brows creased in concentration, legs ready to roll, they were anxious to be off. An interesting range of bicycles were to be seen.
Val Gannon confided that his vehicle was the result of months of consultation with his experts (Tara and Cathy Gannon) and Ken Murphy is thinking of selling replicas of his own model in his shop. Michael Flannery on the other hand would no dream of parting with his bicycle – a family heirloom.
Finally precisely at one o’clock they were off. Maut Gannon had done an excellent job as the race handicapper, putting the women and older generations to the front, and the flightier ones towards the back. Standing at the Ulster Bank corner the Eavesdropper Team had an excellent opportunity to judge form. One of the classier corner-turners was John Cummins – in the habit of taking corners in the horizontal position! Sadly one of the traders came to grief at the Ulster Bank corner. The proprietor of “Petals and Bugs” Mr. Quinn had a bad fall and the Eavesdropper would like to wish him a speedy recovery.
The women in the race were just as enthusiastic – if not more than the men. The hot favourite was Mrs. Diane Mulvey and she lived up to the punters' expectations by winning the women's section. However, perhaps the winner of the men's section proved a bigger surprise – Edwin Finlay, Ballinrobe’s Groovy Granpa came in first with Peter Hughes a good second, both men well past twenty one.
All in all everyone enjoyed the race – even Mr. Seamus Langan – caught by the Eavesdroppers zealous reporters entering the Valkenburgh Hotel after the race was over. (Due to a slight mechanical problem he failed to complete the race’s full circuit).
Only one thing remains to be said Congratulations to all who took part – and did Edwin bring his bike up-to-date with an engine??
This page was added by Mary Coyne on 08/09/2012.