The Burren Cycling club has announced details of the Burren Charity Challenge which will take place on Saturday the 27th of December next in the usual venue of Carron, County Clare, stunningly set in the heart of the Burren. As is the custom for the last number of years, registration, along with hot drinks, kicks off in Cassidy's bar @ 11am.

The club has chosen two charities for 2008. Firstly Clare Haven, a local charity in Clare that provides refuge accommodation and support to women and children who are experiencing the horrors of domestic violence. The second chosen charity is Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania whose children's unit, run by Irish Pediatrician Dr Trish Scanlon is that country's only dedicated children's cancer unit. This 20 bed unit has a consistent bed occupancy rate of 400% (i.e. two children each with an accompanying parent such that there are four people per bed). Currently the chemotherapy programme is substantially funded by charitable donations from abroad, largely Ireland.

Sponsorship cards are available to download from the Burren Cycling Club

Website @ www.burrencyclingclub.com

Alternatively a suitable donation can be made on the day along with your event entry fee or else you can simply arrange to deposit money directly into the charity bank account (EBS, Eyre Square, Galway, A/C no.38598396, sort code 939021)

Start times for each of the race options is at 1300. Try to make it for 1200 at the very latest as every year we tend to be overwhelmed by late arrivals and start times have had to be put back.

We are very grateful to Burren Cycling Club and Kilnaboy Athletic Club for providing huge organisational support on the day from organising the race starts and recording finishing places and times not to mention the chaperoning and traffic management of both the running and cycling courses.

Race Options

  • 5k or 10k walk
  • 10k run
  • 40k cycle
  • Duathlon ( 40kcycle/10k walk )

    • Robert and Marie Cassidy have again offered to continue the very generous tradition of providing complementary soup and sandwiches to all competitors in the bar after the event. Prizes will be awarded in the running /cycling and duathlon categories for both women and men. Prize giving will take place in the bar as soon as is possible after the completion of all events.

    The now legendary after race party will kick off in Cassidy's bar at around 8pm. Musicians bring your instruments and those less talented bring your party pieces as irrespective of how you well you might have done earlier in the day, we demand a massively improved performance from everybody on the night. Accommodation is available for up to for sinners in the 'Clare's Rock Hostel' which is located approximately 100yds from the Cassidy's pub, a considerable distance that has proved beyond certain revelers in the past as they struggled to find their way to post-pub party in the hostel kitchen.

    Please let me know if you need accommodation for the night. Alternatively there are houses available to rent locally and a number of B&B options. For information on these options, contact Cassidy's pub @ 0657089109

    Everybody please make a special effort on behalf of these wonderful charities. We can't guarantee a place for you in heaven but we can absolutely guarantee a day and a night that will live long in the memory!