BeSPOKE Festival to get underway in Limerick

Pictured above: Marty Mannering, Leah Melling, Richard Lynch and Sharon Mc Meel. Photo by Billy Butler.

A Summer Solstice bike ride from Limerick City to Lough Gur and back, a family cycle along the banks of the River Shannon and a host of free fun bike events are among the highlights of the 2015 BeSPOKE Cycling Festival, taking place throughout Limerick from June 13-21.

The week-long BeSPOKE festival, a National Bike Week initiative, is being hosted by Limerick Smarter Travel, Limerick Sports Partnership and An Taisce Green Schools.

The events begin this Saturday, 13 June, from 10am-5pm with a BeSPOKE expo area on Bedford Row, Limerick city where members of the public can discover the work of Limerick Smarter Travel and receive a free bike health check on the day enjoying entertainment, music, spot prizes and much more.

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The Festival’s flagship event, the BeSPOKE Riverside Family Cycle takes place at 11am on Sunday, 21 June when participants will be taken on a cycling tour of the city’s waterfront beginning and finishing at Howley’s Quay. The Riverside Bike Parade will be followed by a family fun day along the quayside and followed by entertainment and refreshments at Howley’s Quay. Participants are invited to come in fancy dress and to decorate their bikes to win great prizes!

Sunday 21 June also offers the public a unique opportunity to experience the Summer Solstice in the magical surrounds of Lough Gur. Departing Limerick City at 5.00am, participants in the Summer Solstice Cycle will cycle to Lough Gur and back.

Ahead of this, there will be bike repair workshops in Castletroy (12 June); Corbally (17 June) The Parkway Shopping Centre, Southill Area Centre and Richmond RFC (20 June) and a number of cycling inspired events across the city and county. There will be lots of fun for schools throughout 15-19 June with a Golden Bike competition and a school travel exhibition taking place *see full details attached*

Limerick Smarter Travel Project Manager, Pat O’Neill said the 2015 BeSPOKE Cycling Festival forms part of a programme of measures and interventions targeted at encouraging people to use more sustainable modes of transport such as cycling.

“Within the last few months alone we’ve had the roll out of the Limerick Public Bike Scheme and become the first city in Ireland to offer free access to secure bike lockers and bike stands while also making bike parking spaces available at multi-story car parks,” he said.

“These initiatives seek to encourage the public to consider using their bikes when going to work or shop in and around the city centre. By providing parking facilities we are making the city centre more accessible and at no cost to cyclists.

We’re also in the process of developing, maintaining and promoting new and existing recreational infrastructure and we’re confident that the huge line up of events for the BeSPOKE festival will help to increase the number of cyclists on our roads which is key to establishing Limerick as a successful Smarter Travel Demonstration City.”

Phelim Macken, Coordinator, Limerick Sports Partnership added: “This is the sixth year of National Bike Week which was launched to raise the profile of cycling as a healthy and fun mode of transport and physical activity. We’re delighted to be involved in activities for Limerick’s premier cycling festival BeSPOKE which promote the cycling facilities available throughout the city and county and encourages people to consider travelling to work or school by bicycle.

“Every year the numbers continue to grow and without doubt the people of Limerick will once again support the events taking place during this year’s festival,” he concluded.

Highlights of BeSPOKE 2015 include:

Friday, 12 June

Bike Repair Day –  Public Park, Castletroy 5pm-7.30pm

Saturday, 13 June

BeSPOKE expo – Bedford Row, 10am-5pm

500km/100km Fun Cycle and Rider BBQ- Adare

Sunday, 14 June

Great Southern Trail Cycle – Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale 11am

20km cycle

Fun, Walk, Run and Cycle Day

Na Piarsaigh GAA grounds, Caherdavin 9am-1pm

Wednesday, 17 June

Bike Repair Evening- Shannon Fields, Corbally 5.30pm-7.30pm

National Cycle on Wednesday (COW) Day – Participating Schools

Thursday, 18 June

Cycling Pursuit Challenge – Adare GAA field 11am

Saturday 20 June

Bike Repair Day- Parkway Shopping Centre 10.30-2.30pm

Bike Repair Day and Tool Drive- Southill Area Centre 12-3pm

Bike Repair Event and Pre Cycle Service-Richmond RFC 10-2pm

Sunday, 21 June

Summer Solstice Cycle 5am-8am Registration 4.45am Penny’s O’Connell Street

BeSPOKE Riverside Family Cycle –Howley’s Quay, 11am

Saturday, 28 June

Awareness Cycle and Rider Bike Repair – RAW Cycles, Delta Retail Park. Registration from 8am

Monday 15-Friday 19 June

Golden Bike Competition – Win the Limerick Smarter Travel Golden and Silver Bike Award for your school with the most number of students cycling to school during Bike Week

School Travel Exhibition – City wide expo of art works to promote sustainable travel

For full details of BeSPOKE Cycling Festival click here

Tweet @LKsmartertravel with your #BeSPOKE photos!

Read more about Limerick’s Smarter Travel here

Hop on for a week of great free cycling fun!