Hundreds honour Ita at Caherdaniel cycle

ONCE again there was a tremendous turnout in Caherdaniel as the south Kerry village hosted its now annual Valentines Ride charity cycle.

Hundreds of cyclists got on their bikes in Caherdaniel at the weekend for the village’s fifth Valentines charity ride in honour of local woman Ita Corridan.

Ita was a lynch-pin of Caherdaniel Parish and her premature passing in November 2014 left a huge void in the community.

In 2015 her family started the charity cycle to keep her memory alive and raise funds for Marymount Hospice where she was cared for before her untimely passing.

Since then the event has raised close to €50,000 with some of the money also going towards other worthy local causes.

The event helps kick off Kerry’s busy cycling season and many cyclists in southern Iveragh use the event as a way to kick off their preparations for the season’s main event the Ring of Kerry Cycle in July.

At lunchtime on Saturday some 200 cyclists of all ages – and including many regular visitors to Caherdaniel from outside Kerry – assembled at the village crossroads for the cycle to Sneem and back.

In Sneem O’Shea’s bar provided refreshments and on their return to Caherdaniel the tired but happy cyclists enjoyed refreshments in the village hall and, later, entertainment in The Blind Piper bar.

The organisers have thanked everyone who took part and everyone in the area that supported and helped organise and run the cycle.

Photos Michael Donnelly Cyclists ready for the off at the annual Caherdaniel Valentines Ride charity cycle which took place at the weekend.

(Above) Micheal and Jill Corridan at the annual Vaelntines Ride in Caherdaniel.

Philomena and Aibhlinn Cullen at the Caherdaniel Valentines Ride.

Siofra and John O’Shea ready for Satuday’s cycle to Sneem.

All photos courtesy of Michael Donnelly. (left) Marcel Scheib at the starting line at the Derrynane Valentines Ride in aid of Marymount Hospice which took place on Saturday.