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Buncrana couple pedal
into history books
27.06.08
Story: Inishowen Independent
CARL and Sandra McLaughlin have become the first
husband and wife team to complete the 407-mile Mizen
Head to Malin Head cycle.
They completed the marathon cycle on Sunday as part
of a 32-strong group from Donegal and Derry.
Buncrana men Paddy McCallion, Liam O’Donnell, Eunan
McLaughlin and Owen McBride also completed the cycle
that is understood to have raised around €30,000 for
the Foyle Hospice. |
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The group flew to Cork
from Belfast early on Wednesday morning and embarked
on their epic journey that afternoon. The first
stage saw them traverse the Cork and Kerry mountains
and take an overnight stay in Killarney. The second
stage was 70 miles from Killarney to Limerick, while
Friday saw the cyclists cover the 93 miles from
Limerick to Claremorris in County Mayo. |
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Saturday was the
longest trip, some 110 miles from Claremorris to
Ballybofey, while Sunday was a 55 mile spin from
Ballybofey to Malin Head.
“Saturday and Sunday were disastrous with driving
rain and wind,” Carl said. “There was torrential
rain on Wednesday too, but Thursday and Friday were
fine.”
“Conditions were tough,” Sandra McLaughlin admitted.
“It’s a pity the weather didn’t hold up, but you
just had to get on with it and pedal on.”
Carl almost came a cropper in Ballyshannon on
Saturday when he had a near miss with a lorry. “The
lorry driver cut across a lane and he must not have
seen me,” a relieved Carl said. “He came within
inches and I had to throw myself off the bike. The
fall destroyed the carbon fibre frame of the bike.”
Cycling clearly runs in the McLaughlin family. Son
Ronan is a professional cyclist with the Sean
Kelly-An Post cycling team. Now based in Belgium,
Ronan completed the Mizen to Malin cycle four years
ago.
Showing no ill-effects from the mammoth cycle, Carl
and Sandra are already planning their next major
event – they’ve signed up for the Foyle Hospice
charity cycle in Cuba in November 2009. |
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