Griffin unveils plans for new Wild Atlantic cycling event

NEWLY installed Minister for Tourism and Sport Brendan Griffin has announced that Fáilte Ireland is to team up with cycling specialists RideWild.ie to launch the Wild Atlantic Way Cycle Sportif.

The event is a series of bi-annual cycling events along the coastal route from Kinsale in West Cork to Muff in Donegal and running through Kerry.

It is designed to promote the Wild Atlantic Way as a cycling destination internationally and domestically as well as attract ing visitors across the full length of the route during off-season months.

An inaugural ride will take place along the route this September and a further two events per year will take place from 2018 to 2020.

The route map has been developed by Ride Wild as the most suitable along the coast for cyclists but will be subject to change as the event grows.

Fáilte Ireland is planning to invest €650,000 in the initiative between now and 2020, with the ambition to grow the average number of cyclists per day from 400 in 2018 to 1,000 per day in 2020.

“The Wild Atlantic Way is ideal for initiatives like this and the additional tourism activity generated will benefit many small rural communities all along the west coast including many in county Kerry,” said Minister Griffin at the announcement event.