Thursday 31 October 2013

Nire Valley Drop going from strength to strength.

                                 They have done it again and this time it was even better!



Yes the proud people of Ballymacarbry,Nire Valley and Nire G.F.C organised one awesome mountainbike event that will live long in the memory.The organisation of the event was simply top class.It just proves what a mountain community can do when it comes together like this and shows belief by embracing an alternative mountain sport and in turn bringing a different type of tourist to our mountains leading to an even wider appreciation of what our ranges have to offer!
http://www.nirevalley.com/
http://ballymacarbry.com/
https://www.facebook.com/nire.gaa
http://www.havenpartnership.com/
In the days leading up to the event there was a buzz and excitement on Facebook and Twitter and when many status updates including the logistics were revealed;


40 Stewarts
4 course marshalls
3 registration
1 DJ
2 photo quads
1 ambulance & crew
1bike para medic
9 radios
1 base station 
15 catering
1 Garda
1 broom quad
2 quad marshalls
And a whole load of fun.

one could sense something special was in the offing! 
So there was only one thing to do get up to this area of the Comeragh mountains and witness firsthand The Nire Valley Drop! 
On arrival at a thronged Ballymacarbry Community Centre we were very kindly directed by stewards to some of the best vantage spots to see the action.The backwoods of Ballymacarbry high above Clonmel was to be our viewing area and it wasn't long before the action unfolded.We were treated to 190 riders of all abilities making this epic cross country journey through some of the wildest and remote terrain the Comeragh's has to offer.There were accents from all parts of Ireland taking part.The weather also played its part windy,clear and mainly dry.
  
This event clearly has a future now given the grassroots support from the community and the increasing participation of cyclists.Plans are firmly afoot for next years event scheduled for Sunday 26 October 2014.One lovely remark from the organisers summed up everything in the aftemath.It was a comment about a participants ranking "You enjoyed the day is what is important,not where you finished"
 Now that this has been such a success it will inspire other mountain communities (e.g. Kilrossanty could organise a downhill event from Seefin?) to follow suit with other events as covered here in April 2012.

Thanks once again people of the Nire, Ballymacarbry and surrounds take a bow! 


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

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