Duckett’s Grove was perfect for Cycles event

CHOIR song, barbecue smells and the stunning backdrop of Duckett’s Grove are not the norm at a cycle finish line, but this was no ordinary Sunday spin. Around 150 cycling and art enthusiasts, young and old, gathered for ‘Cycles’ – a leisurely 18km bike ride exploring language, history, landscape and cycling.

Run by Carlow Arts Festival and Carlow Sports Partnership, the event had been due to take place last September as part of the Decade of Centenaries celebrations, but organisers were forced to cancel due to poor weather conditions. The unique experience was developed by artists Michelle Browne and Eszter Némethi with the support of community members from Rathvilly, Graiguecullen, Tullow and Hacketstown, who engaged in a series of creative workshops looking back to 1923 and imagining our future in 2123.

Orlaith Treacy, creative producer with Carlow Arts Festival, told The Nationalist that they were thrilled with how the event went. “We had great numbers and thankfully the rain held off.” The Carlow community choir performed a song especially written for the project. Orlaith says the focus of the project was to encourage people to slow down and to really look at what’s going on around them.

A colourful ‘poetic addition’ was the pink hi-vis jackets with silver capes that housed the audio guides. Orlaith explained that markers along the cycle route set off audio descriptors and information soundbites, again collected during the creative process.

Project partners included Carlow Road Cycling Club, Carlow Arts Office, Carlow County Development Partnership, Carlow County Library, Carlow County Museum and Healthy Ireland, which provided food for the post-cycle barbecue.