By Damien Dowds, Inishowen Independent
THE secretary of the North Pole Cycling Club in
Inishowen, Carl Fullerton, has hit out at the
dangerous antics of a number of individuals in the
peninsula who, he says, have endangered cyclists in
a series of attacks in recent weeks.
Speaking to the Inishowen Independent yesterday, Mr.
Fullerton confirmed that Gardaí in Buncrana and
Carndonagh were investigating two separate incidents
in the Gleneely area on Sunday in which cyclists
were allegedly assaulted.
It is understood that a passenger in a passing
vehicle leaned out of a car window and punched the
two men who were cycling on the road at the time.
Gardaí are believed to have following a definite
line of enquiry, and are investigating the
possibility that a burned-out vehicle found at
Moneydarragh in Gleneely may have been used by the
perpetrators. Members of the Fire Service were
called to attend to the burning vehicle.
The cyclists were members of the North Pole Cycling
Club taking part in their monthly circuit of
Inishowen. Approximately 60 cyclists took part in
the cycle, which started at the North Pole pub in
Drumfries, continued to Culmore in Derry and
returned to Drumfries via Muff, Moville, Gleneely
and Carndonagh.
“While there was a group of cyclists taking part in
the race, both men were alone on the road when the
attack took place,” club secretary Carl Fullerton,
who was also on the cycle, said yesterday.
“One of the men was punched in the ribs and had to
stop racing. It wasn’t until after we returned to
the North Pole that we realised what had taken
place,” he said.
“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident,”
Mr Fullerton continued, “members of the club have
been assaulted on a number of occasions with
projectiles also being thrown from passing
vehicles.”
The club has previously raised their concerns with
Garda Traffic Corps inspector Pat O’Donnell and will
invite him to attend their monthly meeting on
Thursday night.
“The onus is on our committee to follow up on such
incidents,” Mr Fullerton said. “We need to protect
and ensure the safety of our cyclists. The first
item on our agenda will a discussion of this type of
road rage against our members.”
The North Pole Cycling Club has more than 70
members, ranging in age from under-12 to over 50.
Last year, they raised more than €50,000 for various
charities in Inishowen and further afield. |
