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2013
Carlow County Museum announces a new exhibition
'Mike the Man of the Rás '73'. This is a special temporary exhibition to
celebrate the fortieth anniversary of Carlow man Mike O'Donaghue winning
Ireland’s great bike race the Rás Tailteann in 1973. The
exhibition will be launched during the An Post Rás visit to the town on Friday
May 24th and will run until the end of October. Mike is the only Carlow man to have won the Rás and
he was the first cyclist from the South East to do so. With his distinctive
Carlow tri-colour jersey Mike was one of the most recognisable cyclists of his
era. Mike was also the first Irish cyclist to have a sponsor, Carlow’s famous mineral water company Corcoran & Co.
Ltd. In 1964 aged just 19 Mike took on the challenge of the Ras Tailteann for
the first time. The first stage of that Rás was from Dublin to Carlow. Mike
finished an impressive sixth that day and eventually sixth overall. Most of the
Rás Tailteann races were then over ten days and many stages near or over 200kms
in length. During his time competing in the Rás he won it in 1973, was second
in 1972, was twice fourth and he won a total of nine stages. He won his first
stage in 1965, in 1969 he won three stages, a stage in 1971 and in both 1972 &
1973 he won two stages. In both 1965 and 1969 he won stages into his home town
of Carlow. To commemorate this sporting achievement the 2013 An
Post Rás will have a stage finish and start in Carlow town. On Friday May 24th
over 170 riders will cycle just over 154kms from Mitchelstown, Co. Cork to the
finish line on Barrack Street in Carlow Town. This will be the second longest
stage of this years An Post Rás with the cyclists passing through counties
Cork, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Laois. The cyclists will descend from Killeshin
onto the northern relief road then onto Dr. Cullen Park Road, turn right onto
Green Lane and then onto the finish line on Barrack Street. The lead riders
that afternoon will be reaching speeds of near 50kms per hour on the final
sprint. The riders will be expected in Carlow from approximately 2.30pm
(traffic restrictions will be in place). On Saturday May 25th at
10.30am after a parade from the Greenbank car park, around by Courtplace and
down Dublin Street the cyclists will depart from the Post Office on Burin
Street passing along Kennedy Avenue, Barrack Street, Staplestown Road and onto
the Tullow Road. The peleton will travel across the county and into Tullow and
will head towards Shillelagh. The stage end will be in Naas via after they have
climbed the Wicklow Mountains! Ballon native Eddie Dawson will again be this years
An Post Rás Assistant Race Director, a position Eddie has held for many years.
Eddie rode the Rás in 1969, he was Mike O’Donaghue’s manager in the 1973 Ras and he has been involved
in many aspects of Irish cycling since the 1960s. Thanks to Carlow Town Council, Carlow County
Council and the Carlow Sports Partnership who assisted Carlow County Museum in
securing the arrival of the An Post Rás into Carlow town. The exhibition 'Mike
the Man of the Rás '73' will run from May 24th to October 31st
2013, free Admission to the Museum.
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