Loop launch goes wheely well

An avid cyclist, Taoiseach Enda Kenny hopes to wheel up to the starting line and pedal his way around the Loop Head Peninsula for this year’s Loop the Loop charity cycle.

In its 25th year and organised by the West Clare Cycling Club, the 130k September 28 charity cycle will raise much needed funds to support both local hospice services in the mid-west and national end-of-life initiatives.

The journey resonates personally for An Taoiseach as his maternal grandfather James John McGinley was the principal keeper at Loop Head Lighthouse from January 1933 until October 1934.
The cycle around West Clare’s stunning Loop Head peninsula contrasts the picturesque Shannon estuary coast with the majestic, rugged Atlantic coastline while also visiting the famed lighthouse.

The Loop Head Lighthouse is the centrepiece of the cycle. It remains in the care of an attendant, and was opened to the public in 2011.
“Loop Head and the lighthouse have a particularly special meaning for me and my family because my grandfather was the lighthouse keeper there some 80 years ago.

“But I think Loop Head promises a special memory for anyone who visits because it is a place of such extraordinary beauty. I would like to encourage people to participate in this cycle to experience the stunning landscape while raising money for really important charities,” An Taoiseach said.

The charities benefiting will be Cahercalla Community Hospital and Hospice in Ennis, Milford Care Centre in Limerick and the Irish Hospice Foundation.
Mary Maloney of Cahercalla Community Hospital and Hospice commented, “We are delighted to be involved in this fundraising feat and we wish everyone well on the day.”

Cillian Murphy, chairman of Loop Head Tourism, said, “We are sure this will become one of the foremost mass cycling sportives in the country. We have long known that the Loop Head Peninsula is a world-class destination for cyclists with its quiet roads and tranquil settings.
“Cyclists taking part in this event will not only enjoy the stunning coastal scenery but will also be completely entranced by the welcome the peninsula community shows to all visitors.

This is all part of the responsible tourism ethos that has seen Loop Head win the Irish Times 2013 best place to holiday award,” he added.

Chairman West Clare Cycling Club, Michael Gleeson noted that cycling is in the DNA of the Irish and there is no better place to take part in this great sport than Clare.
“It makes it even more special when we are helping to raise funds for such great causes,” he said.

Online registrations are now being accepted on www.looptheloop.ie.