About the Event
Marble City Cyclers are delighted to announce that they are running the second Tour de Kilkenny on the Saturday of the August Bank Holiday weekend, 31st July 2010 in aid of Barretstown, a charity aimed at rebuilding lives affected by childhood cancer. After raising over €5,500 from the inaugural TdeKK in 2009, MCC are hoping that with your help, we can raise even more much-needed funds for this excellent charity and their good work in 2010.
Three routes will be made available to suit and cater for cyclists of all abilities, please see further description below. Both the 160km and 100km cycle will start at 9am while the 40km cycle will start at 11am. All three cycles will be leaving the Kilkenny Rugby Club, which is just outside Kilkenny on the Waterford Road; its location can be viewed here on Google maps.
How to Enter
Entrance fee is €20 and can be done online by clicking here. Registration will also be available on the Friday evening before from 7pm to 9pm and in the morning from 7am until 8.30am (registration for the 40km will continue to open until 10.45am). Please note that sign-on will still be required by those who register online.
If you are unable to make it on the day but would like to support Marble City Cyclers’ effort in raising fund for Barretstown, please click here to donate!
Tour de Kilkenny poster – please click here to download. Help us to support this worthwhile charity cause and let others know about it! You can put it up in your workplace, club, gym, local shop etc.
The Routes
40km route: This will leave the Kilkenny Rugby Club and heads into the Ring Road for a short distance before heading out by Kells Road before taking a turn for Callan Road at Seven Houses crossroad. Refreshments can be enjoyed at Callan Road before heading to Kells and then proceeding back to base camp for the Kilkenny Rugby Club. This route is suitable for someone who has no cycling experience but has some level of fitness (such as walking or jogging the mini-marathon).
Click Here to See a Map of this route – 40km Route
100km route: This is a challenging route and is ideal for someone looking to progress to the challenges of the Seán Kelly’s 160km cycle. Participants will be able to enjoy a water-stop in Thomastown and a sit down food-stop in Listerlin and will be challenge by the climbs in Graiguenamanagh, Woodstock and the final hill at Bennettsbridge. The title of this route is a wee bit misleading, as it may stretch to 107km! This route is suitable for participants with some cycling experience and is looking for a serious challenge.
Click Here to See a Map of this route – 100km Route
160km route: For almost the first half of this route, participants will be cycling the same route as their 100km route. At the food stop in Listerlin, cyclists will continue further south where they will be cycling a challenging yet enjoyable terrain. Another water-stop will also be provided in Kilmoganny for the 160km cyclists, which will help the cyclists to keep their much needed energy to bring them back to base. This route is suitable for experience and able cyclists.
Click Here to See a Map of this route – 160km Route
Accommodation
The following is a list of hotels for your August Bank Holiday weekend in Kilkenny (link provided to each hotel at their heading).
Hotel Kilkenny: Reasonably near the Kilkenny Rugby Club (approx 2 miles), walking distance into Kilkenny centre and leisure facilities and leisure facilities available. This would be our first suggestion!
Ormonde Hotel: Reasonably near the Kilkenny Rugby Club (approx 2 miles), in Kilkenny centre and leisure facilities available to its patrons.
Springhill Hotel: Nearest hotel to Kilkenny Rugby Club, approx 1½ walk into city centre and leisure facilities available to its patrons.
Langtons Hotel: Probably the most famous establishment in the Marble City, approx 3 miles from Kilkenny Rugby Club and normally includes free entrant to their nightclub!
Rivercourt Hotel: Probably has the best beer garden in Kilkenny, it’s approx 3 miles from Kilkenny Rugby Club and has leisure facilities available to its patrons.
Days Hotel: On the ring road, near Kilkenny Rugby Club.
All of the following B&Bs are reasonably located to both Kilkenny Rugby Club and Kilkenny city centre, perfect for your August Bank Holiday weekend in Klikenny.
- Olinda House, Castle Road, Kilkenny Tel 056 7762964
- Laragh House, Waterford Road, Kilkenny www.laraghhouse.com
- Fanad House, Castle Road, Kilkenny Tel 056 7764126
- Beaupre, Waterford Road, Kilkenny Tel 056 7721417
Getting there….
Getting to Kilkenny is easier than before, with new motorways recently opened to Kilkenny from Dublin, Waterford and Cork. Once in Kilkenny, look for the Waterford Rd roundabout on Kilkenny’s ring road. Approximately one mile from existing the Waterford Road roundabout (towards Waterford), you will see the Kilkenny Rugby Club on your right hand side.
You can view the location of the starting point for all three routes, Kilkenny Rugby Club, on Google maps by clicking here.
Other information
Please do not hesitate to contact us at marblecitycyclers@gmail.com.
