Rás Tailteann postponed
FOLLOWING a break for a year in 2019, the famous Rás Tailteann is not likely to be passing through Blessington or Dunlavin again this year after it was postponed due to the Covid-19 emergency, it was revealed last weekend.
‘Following the recent developments and recommendations from Cycling Ireland, the UCI, the HSE, Sport Ireland and the Government of Ireland, Cáirde Rás Tailteann has decided to postpone the 2020 Rás Tailteann which was due to return to the roads of Ireland in June 2020 after a hiatus in 2019. This is directly as a result of accelerating developments relating to the Covid-19 virus pandemic,’ said a statement from the organisers.
‘Considering the nature of the public health emergency Ireland and the world is currently dealing with and the progressive evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cáirde Rás Tailteann has decided that it is in the best interests of everyone associated with the event and the wider public to temporarily postpone the 2020 event from its planned start date on June 10th next,’ said Eugene Moriarty, the 2020 Race Director.
He added: ‘The decision to postpone has not been taken lightly, but when we consider the on-going restrictions that are in place, the current workload of An Garda Síochána, County Councils and the Health Service, all of whom play integral roles in an event of this stature, we feel it is only appropriate that planning for the 2020 Rás does not add to the immediate burden faced by our critical frontline public servants.’
Cáirde Rás Tailteann will continue to monitor the situation and provide any updates that may be relevant as more information becomes available.
The group has made many preparations for the 2020 event and currently is now actively working toward staging Rás Tailteann in the latter half of the 2020 racing season, after July.
They will continue to work with Cycling Ireland to promote the event on any suitable date that may become available before the end of the 2020 season. They will reassess the situation in the first week of June and release a formal update thereafter.