Cyclists from the Canada Life Team, Mick Quinn and Gordon Walsh, with Stephen Roche at the launch of this years event which takes place Saturday and Sunday 11-12th September. Several hundred cyclist will cycle from Mullingar to Galway and do the return journey next day for a total distace of 300km i

Into the West cyclists ready

Published: Wed 8 Sep 2010, 5:00 PM

Sixteen years ago thirty cyclists from Mullingar decided to cycle the 180 mile round trip to Galway over a weekend to raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI).The cycle has since become an annual event and has grown from strength to strength with up to 300 cyclists from all over Ireland participating in this year’s event. Easy to spot on-route in their pink cycling jerseys, the cyclists are due to arrive in Eyre Square, Saturday next, the 11th of September, between 5pm and 5.30pm and will be met by the Mayor of Galway, Michael Crowe.The group leave from Flannery’s Hotel, at 10am Sunday morning for the return leg to Mullingar.Since the cycle began, the cyclists have managed to raise over € 750,000 in support of the NBCRI reseach team athe NUIG, lead by Medical Director Prof. Michael Kerin.