It’s hoped West Clare businesses will reap the benefit of a high-profile sporting event coming to the county for the first time in 54 years tomorrow.
The Rás Tailteann international cycling stage race will cross the border from Galway into Clare on Friday afternoon.
Now in its 70th year, the Rás kicked off yesterday in Drogheda in County Louth, with British rider Tim Shoreman coming in first at the end of stage one, which finished in Boyle in County Roscommon.
The third stage of the event gets underway in Cong in County Mayo tomorrow and will cross the Galway border into Clare between 12:55pm and 1:34pm, when cyclists make their way towards Bell Harbour and Ballyvaughan.
Competitors will face a category two climb at Corkscrew Hill for roughly three kilometres, after coming through Ballyvaughan and before reaching Lisdoonvarna between 1:40pm and 2:34pm.
Further climbs will meet cyclists at Doonagore Cross and the Cliffs of Moher before they arrive in Liscannor between 2:03pm and 3:04pm, at which point they will continue towards Lahinch.
Race Director Gearoid Campbell has told Clare FM’s Morning Focus this region provides a varied and challenging course.
The first cyclists are expected to cross the finish line at around 2:24pm tomorrow after a left turn at Dapper Dan’s T-junction in Miltown Malbay, where TG4 Gradam Ceoil Outstanding Contribution Winner Áine Hensey will act as master of ceremonies.
Stage end organiser and member of the Miltown Malbay Development Company, Maurice Reidy says he expects the streets of the town to be thronged with onlookers.
You can listen to the full interview here:
