Roscommon Bike Week 2023 runs from 13th of May to 21st with Lots of Exciting Activities & Events Planned for Everyone to Enjoy!
Bike Week is a nationally run initiative which aims to celebrate and promote cycling as an enjoyable activity for people of all ages and abilities, with cycling events all over the country, organised by local authorities, community groups, charities and cycling groups. Bike Week is a brilliant opportunity for people to get back on the saddle – for commuting or for recreation or just for the sheer joy of it!
Roscommon Sports Partnership and Roscommon County Council are delighted to announce that Bike Week 2023 will be held from Saturday the 13th to Sunday 21st of May. This year there is an exciting variety of events organised throughout County Roscommon with support from Transport for Ireland and Department of Transport. This year’s Bike Week theme is ‘IT’S A BREEZE’.
Bike Week will kick off on Saturday 13th May with a Vintage Bicycle Display at The Square in Roscommon Town from 11am-3pm. There will be a number of old bicycles on display and RSP are encouraging those who may have old/vintage bicycles to bring them along to join the display and celebrate the evolution of bicycles and cycling and its importance to Irish society.
The bicycle was revolutionary in the way it became the primary means of transport during the 20th century. It allowed people to travel longer distances and expanded the interaction of people across work education, access to services, and social events. Replacing walking, it allowed men to travel further for better work opportunities. Postmen and guards were equipped with bicycles for carrying out their duties.
For women it allowed access to town to go shopping for the weekly supplies. The bicycle was loaded up for the journey home with one large shopping bag hung on each side of the handlebar and a basket on the carrier loaded to the brim. Children cycled to school with many having to cycle long distances particularly to secondary school as school transport did not exist.
Activities such as swimming and fishing were staples of childhood activities all accessed by bicycle. However, the biggest and most pronounced change brought about by the bicycle was the improvement of the social lives of people. Social activities such as dances were all accessed by bicycle. Young men and women were now able to get to dances further afield and many travelled long distances to dances as well as travelling by bicycle to see the All-Ireland Finals.
By end the 1950’s the motor car started to gradually become more accessible and by the 1970’s the bicycle as a form of transport had all but ceased. However, the bicycles place in Irish History and Heritage will remain.
Another Bike Week event worth looking out for are the Adult Cycle Safety Workshops. As cycling has become an increasingly popular method of both transport and physical activity, the importance of staying safe on our roads is vital. These workshops will be delivered by highly qualified cycling tutors and participants will learn essential safety and competency skills e.g. bike handling, correct use of helmets, bike safety checks and how to navigate in various road environments.
A Workplace Lunchtime Cycle around Roscommon Town and a 20KM cycle around county Roscommon. RSP are also encouraging everyone to cycle to work, school or even to the shop to celebrate Bike Week. RSP will have eagle eyes around Roscommon during Bike Week and there may be a few surprises for anyone taking part. No matter what your age or ability, there is something for everyone from beginners to experienced cycling enthusiasts.
There will also be the chance to win some fantastic prizes too by entering our photography competition for the best cycling related photo taken during Bike Week. Photos can be submitted on our social media pages or by email.
Cycling is free, fun and keeps you fit and healthy while being a sustainable method of transport. It can be done solo or in a group setting and can be an enjoyable way to socialise while being physically active. It is the ultimate family activity, that people of all ages and abilities can explore. It is identified as one of the priority sports in the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 as having the greatest potential for generating higher levels of active participation across a person’s life span.
Among the benefits of cycling are increased cardio fitness, improving balance and coordination, increase muscle strength, reduced risk of disease and depression, improved sleep and it is also a low impact way of managing conditions such as high blood pressure, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and type 2 diabetes.
Because of this, Roscommon Sports Partnership has always placed huge importance on cycling and cycle safety, with our cycling programmes being some of the most popular programmes in the RSP calendar. The CYCLE RIGHT programme, aiming to provide practical cycle safety and skills training to senior primary school classes, is delivered by our experienced cycling tutors.
Among our tutors are number 1 ranked Irish cyclist Daire Feeley and Paralympian cyclist Richael Timothy. In the CYCLE RIGHT programme, the children learn essential safety and competency skills e.g. bike handling, correct use of helmets, bike safety checks and how to navigate in various road environments. By the end of the 2022-2023 school year, RSP will have delivered this 4-week programme to over 40 schools in county Roscommon.
For anyone who can’t make some of our events during Bike Week, Roscommon boasts two scenic cycleways worth exploring this Bike Week. The Boyle to Lough Key Cycle Route and the Green Heartlands are both suitable for beginners to advanced cyclists and have numerous attractions worth viewing along the way.
To register or for more information about the events and activities available in Roscommon for Bike Week visit our website www.rosactive.org, our Facebook page www.facebook.com/RoscommonSportsPartnership or www.bikeweek.ie/events you can also contact us at the office on 090 6630853 or through email at info@rosactive.org.
