The Birmingham Irish Cycle Appeal team in Malin Head after completing their mammoth journey

THE annual Birmingham Irish Cycle Appeal for the twelfth year running has proven yet again to be a great success. The cyclists ageing from 15 to 63 completed the epic journey consisting of 600 miles along the west coast of Ireland.
Covering an average of one hundred miles a day the cyclists rode their bicycles and gathered plenty of support along the way from the locals in each town.
Most cars tooted their horns when they passed and when the team cycled through villages, people where extremely generous in donating any change they had in their pockets!
The weather along the route was perfect for the job, if a little wet at times. With a good few degrees lower in temperature than the U.K experienced, there were no problems of the ‘engines’ overheating!
All expenses for travelling and the accommodation were met by the individual cyclists therefore every penny raised will be going straight to the allocated charities.
The starting point this year was at Mizen head in Co.Cork, the team stopped in Bantry, Tralee, Ballyvaughan, Westport, and Buncrana before reaching their goal, Malin Head in Co.Donegal.
There were a few minor incidents where riders met the ditch.
Enda Murphy’s bicycle wheel rubbed off of team member Marion Brennan’s wheel and sadly Enda took a tumble. After a trip to the hospital a fractured finger was declared but she bravely soldiered on, just barely managing to operate the much needed bicycle gears along some very steep roads.
Another two unfortunate falls which both involved meeting the dirt at the side of the road were that of Mary Maguire and Pat Flatley. As the group slowed down, Mary continued at a good pace and wobbled into the ditch only to be saved by her back pack containing water. Sporting a puncture and a red face from the ordeal she a remounted and continued!
Pat was the final member of the team to display ‘not so skilful’ acrobatics and he was left to untangle himself from the wreckage as everybody around him was incapacitated with fits of laughter! He too remounted and continued to cycle, albeit somewhat slower than before due to the amount of water he had collected in his clothing!
The charity’s benefiting from the efforts of the Birmingham Cycle Appeal 2006 are; DebRA – (Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association) and SPcCC (Society of Parents of Children with Cancer).
Epidermolysis Bullosa is a rare skin condition which causes internal blisters and painful open wounds. DebRA researches treatments and is always gaining in knowledge of EB.
SPoCC is a charity that supports parents when their children are diagnosed with cancer
as it affects the whole family and those experiencing the same difficulties can support each other.
The Birmingham Irish Cycle Appeal was the ‘brainchild’ of Joe and Michelle Argue and without them and the dedicated team of cyclists this valuable event wouldn’t continue to run each year. It is already estimated that they have raised somewhere in the region of £40,000.
All the cyclists deserve an enormous amount of praise for this tough method of fundraising. Not only do they commit their time to training before hand and throw themselves into the task with wonderful spirit and gusto, they cover their own expenses and never forget the reason as to why they put themselves through it to begin with.
It is no ‘mean feat’ to accomplish such a busy and exhausting schedule and keep smiling however the participants of the Birmingham Irish Cycle Appeal of 2006 have done exactly that!
All members of The Birmingham Irish Cycle Appeal would like to thank all the hotels and B&B’s they have stayed in along the way with a special thanks to the manager Peter Lavell at the ‘Inishowen Gateway Hotel’ in Buncrana for hosting the finishing line celebrations.

Father McGillycuddy and Joe Argue give support to Pat Flatley to help him up Mamore Gap in Co. Donegal	The team always pay a visit to Tom McManus’ shop (pictured here) and buy refreshments. On this visit they gave Tom a T-shirt which he is proudly modelling in the doorway
Peter Mohan and Joe Argue carrying out vital repairs in Lahinch, Co. Clare	Enda Murphy and Mary Maguire taking a breather in Killarney