I am blind but can still enjoy the thrills of cycling

I RECENTLY contacted a gentleman named Mark O’Donoghue to inquire about the ‘Cycling for All’ group here in Cork.

Being blind, I was particularly curious about trying out a tandem - a long bicycle with two seats, allowing two people to pedal simultaneously, one in the front as the ‘pilot’ and the other in the rear as the ‘stoker’.

I had been told that a tandem provides an excellent way for anyone with a visual loss to experience the joy of cycling.

I had been given Mark’s contact details by Sarah Horgan, a journalist at The Echo, and I deliberated for weeks about whether to drop him a line, battling between fear of apprehension and uncertainty.

Although I maintain an active lifestyle, frequently walking and regularly swimming at the Mardyke Arena, it’s well known among Cork locals that I’m not the most athletically inclined.

I was never the star athlete in my youth, having grown up as a studious and sensitive child with a penchant for books.

Now, as a registered blind individual, I occasionally experience a sense of exclusion. It’s not always easy to take the initiative when your vision is limited.

However, I was assured that this cycling group was open to anyone facing barriers to cycling, for whatever reason.

So there I was, with that telephone number, caught in a tug of war between fear of failure and a desire to be included.

One day, as loneliness stealthily crept into my typically busy life, I mustered the courage to give Mark a call.

My intention was only to inquire, to let Mark know that someone was interested, without any obligation to commit.

I sent Mark a message, introducing myself and expressing my curiosity about cycling. It turns out there was no need for shyness. I was promptly invited for a test cycle, and on that remarkable day, I completed a 12km cycle - the longest bike ride of my life.

Around this time last year, I was recovering from surgery. If someone had told me then that I would, in a year’s time, be participating in a 42km cycling event, I would probably have considered it a joke.

Yet, thanks to my involvement with the Cycling for All group and our weekly 12km cycles, I built the stamina and strength required to take part in the ‘Cycle Against Suicide’ event, serving as the stoker on a tandem.

Geraldine Looney, Leonard O’Mahony, and I took on the roles of stokers, while Mark O’Donoghue, Fergus Madden and Dave O’Kelly took the role of pilots, on the three tandems that entered the cycling event.

Cycle Against Suicide, an annual event in Cork held every October, aims to raise awareness of suicide prevention and mental health. It’s an event open to people of all ages and abilities, offering a range of routes to cater to various fitness levels.

Hundreds of cyclists departed from the Marina Market, embarking on a 42km journey that took us through Douglas, across the ferry to Passage West, and then through Fota, Glanmire, and Carrigtwohill, before returning to the city and the Marina Market once more.

Although I felt tired and slightly saddle sore after the ride, I experienced a huge sense of elation, having accomplished my first-ever sporting achievement.

My achievement was made possible by the Cycling for All group, who welcome those who, for any reason, can’t cycle on their own.

The group makes cycling accessible to a diverse range of abilities. In other words, the group is not only for people with sight loss.

Our group possesses a range of tandem bikes, tricycles, hand cycles, and recumbent bicycles. This variety ensures that people who cannot ride a regular bicycle due to physical or sensory issues have the opportunity to try out cycling activities.

So, people with physical and sensory issues can take part. As a result, the camaraderie is mighty because everyone is included.

I also noticed that the pilots, who are able-bodied, derive a huge thrill from sharing their strength and ability with others.

After facing exclusion for various reasons in my life, I can genuinely say that the joy tandem cycling has brought me in the last four months is one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve ever encountered.

The cycling bug has truly bitten me and long may it last!

Cycling for All Cork is hosting a fundraising quiz evening at Forde’s Bar at the bottom of Barrack Street, on Thursday, November 2, with registration at 7.30pm.