Louth W.A.T.C.H. Club launch their new tandem and trishaw bikes

The Louth W.A.T.C.H. (Walking And Tandem Cycling for Health) Club launched two new additions to their fleet of bicycles at Market Square in Dundalk this morning.

To the fanfare of music and bagpipes, volunteers showed off their new Electric Tandem Bike and Trishaw Electric Wheelchair bike to the gathered crowd.

Initially set up as a tandem cycling club for blind and partially sighted people, the club has grown to cater to people of all abilities.

At the launch, Chairman of W.A.T.C.H. Anthony Lynch explained the club’s philosophy was that “everyone with disabilities is entitled to come out and have their road space as well.”

“We at the W.A.T.C.H Club have about twenty volunteers coming from all different walks of life and cycling backgrounds and what we do is we take people out on tandem bikes.

“We put our toe in the water of every avenue of cycling and today we’re launching the wheelchair trishaw bicycle.

“We meet on a weekly basis and we cycle on Saturday mornings. We do about 50k with a visually impaired person on the back and we stop for tea and coffee. 

“It’s about social interaction as well as keeping people fit. We also have the walking element that goes under the auspices of Pat Kelly, who organises walks in Carlingford and Ravensdale.”

Anthony says the growth of the club could not have happened without the help of its members and the help of local representatives, specifically Cllr Maeve Yore and TD Ruairi O’Murchu.

“We’ve spent a lot of money this year and that’s hinged on local politicians [helping with funding.]

“Maeve Yore has been unbelievable in setting the seed and getting us anything we needed, as has Ruairi O’Murchu who has really put his shoulder to the wheel, he’s come out and cycled with us and supported us.”

The next step for the club will be getting the means to store and transport the new bikes.

“These bicycles are going to have to be housed so the next thing we’ll be looking at is ways to transport the bikes around so we’ll be hoping again to keep in contact with the councillors so we can get places for them to go.

“Fundraising is tight and we hinge on sports capital grants and now it’s all about getting clued in. We have charity status and that leaves us in a position where we can now fundraise in a proper manner.”

The large turnout in the Square evidenced just how much community support there is for the club and Andy hopes that this will translate into some new volunteers joining them.

“There’s a lot of goodwill for us going forward. The amount of people who came out today shows that.

“We’re inundated with requests for the trishaw wheelchair bike. We have ten people who are service users already.

“What we need is manpower and [to start] training up pilots. 

“There’s a wee bit of work in working them and turning them around in tight spaces, so we are looking for pilots with anyone willing to volunteer being welcome.

“We hope going forward that this is only the start.”

Also at the launch was Andrew McGinley, who founded the charity ‘As Darragh Did’ in memory of his son, and who made a €2000 donation to the club and expressed his delight that the charity could fund their good work:

“We’re funding the Louth W.A.T.C.H. Club because it’s getting people involved in cycling and getting out in the fresh air very much as Darragh did.

“He was into cycling, athletics, GAA, football everything like that, so it’s a lovely project to be involved with here today and we’re delighted to supply funding to the tune of €2000 to the club.”

The Louth W.A.T.C.H Club would like to offer their thanks to their partners Inclusion Louth, Variety Children’s Charity of Ireland and the As Daragh Did charity for supporting them in their ventures.

They also wish to thank local companies Print Express under Richard Macken, Last Lap Cafe, run by Paul and Gwen Cumisky and Cuchulainn Sportswear for their help with the launch day.

Anyone interested in volunteering with the club can contact Chairman Anthony Lynch on 0873845527 or anthonylynch1147@gmail.com