In the summer of 1989, Eoghan Stuart and a group of friends organised a cycling trip from Malahide, Co. Dublin to Glendalough, Co.Wicklow. A mere 40 mile relaxing training session to a seasoned cyclist on a modern day bike, however, 24 years ago on a collection of Raleigh Mustangs and a bit of everything else and with a variety of non-supportive backpacks made it a slightly more physically gruelling challenge. Eoghan’s friends who made the trip included Dylan Ahern, David Sheehan, Colin McGhee, John Doyle, & Mark Shortall.
The following year in 1990 the same cycling trip was repeated with a few additional friends taking part such as Robert Lee and Conor Sheehan. There might have been a couple more cycling trips in 91, 92 with a smaller group but local historians in Glendalough don’t recall the Malahide Men coming down from the hills for many a year since (not on bikes anyway).
Move forward to modern times and on Friday 20th of November 2009, sadly Dylan Murray-Ahern sent one of his last emails to a number of the lads, it read
“Would anyone be up for a Cycle and Hostelling as of old, down Glencree, Achavanagh (sic) etc some weekend? I’d contact snowball too only I’ve lost his contact details”
A number of us replied and said yes, but not until the summer was the general consensus. Regrettably Dylan died the following day, but I, Murray Ahern was determined to follow through with Dylan’s request and so I asked our friends if they would be interested in doing the cycling trip again in Dylan’s honour.