An Post Rás na mBan is over for another year and there’s been some time to reflect on what has been, by common consent, the biggest and best edition of the race to date. 

Our volunteer base increased this year and, while it’s still a small, tight knit team, the extra personnel helped make the pre-event preparation and the event itself probably the smoothest running we can remember. 

We would like to acknowledge, on behalf of the Rás na mBan crew, the hard work and selfless effort from each and every one of the team of volunteers who have helped make the 2017 edition of Ireland’s premier women’s bike race the best ever. 

For our second year in County Kilkenny, the event has benefited once again from enthusiastic local support and the legions of marshals from the various County Kilkenny and Carlow cycling clubs for which we are very grateful. 

That support, added to a record number of riders have helped elevate the event to a new standard and the preparation, presentation and promotion of the event have once again risen to match it. 

An Post Rás na mBan remains a work in progress and all involved will continue to strive to improve the race and make it a proper showcase for women’s international bike racing in Ireland. 

It continues to flourish in spite of difficult economic conditions and this year’s edition made it 31 years of international stage racing for women in Ireland in 2017. 

We would to like to say thank you and congratulations to all the managers, mechanics and masseurs who gave their time to support the riders and the race. 

We’d also like to thank and congratulate all the riders in An Post Rás na mBan 2017 for their commitment, talent and fortitude throughout what was quite probably the toughest edition yet. 

The event goes from strength to strength thanks to the efforts of all associated with it. 

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.  

Valerie Considine, Dave Cormack, Declan Quigley, Ronan Fox, Dermot Moyne 

On behalf of all the riders, officials, fans and supporters of An Post Rás na mBan, we’d like to express our gratitude to the following for making it the best bike race in Ireland:- 

 

An Garda Síochána  Sergeant Canice O’Gorman, Inspector Joe Carton, Sergeant Cormac O’Connell, Sergeant Catherine O’Gorman,  

Motorcycle Gardaí; Sergeant Paul Donoghue, Paul Keane – Carlow, P.J. Griffin – Wexford, Mark Hobinshaw – Thomastown and John Duggan – Waterford.  

Gardaí at all locations around Kilkenny and Carlow.  

   
Kilkenny County Council  An Cathaoirleach David Fitzgerald, Tim Butler, Harry Shine, Eddie O’Reilly, Seamus Kavanagh 
Title Sponsor  An Post 
Classification Sponsors  National Dairy Council 
  Kilkenny County Council 
  Irish Veterans Cycling Association  
  Cycling Ireland and The Sports Council,  

Women’s Commission of Cycling Ireland 

   

Failte Ireland 

Official Vehicle Sponsor  Honda – John Saunders, Ian Tolan, Jennifer Moran. 
Benefactors  Paul Atkinson 
All Trophies and Finishers’ Medals  Brightsport.ie  Liam Dolan 
Stage Winner Medals 

Representations 

Vincent Cronin 

Ciarán McKenna, Geoff Liffey;  Dave Tansey, Melanie Spaeth, An Post Officials;  

Special Guest  Sonia O’Sullivan 
Race Officials – Commissaire Team and Results crew  John Breen, Brian Jordan, Derek Webb and Thomas Sheehy, Miceál Concannon, Dean Watson, Gordon Parker & Alicja Cernak 

 

Drivers and Lead Cars  Eddie Keogh, Stephen O’Shea, Ronan Quigley, Eddie Lynch,  Mick Twomey, Mick O’Donnell, Paul O’Connell, Pat Moss 
   
Crews – QOH and Neutral Service  Dermot O’Gorma, Michael Jennings, Dermot McMahon, Damien Nelson, Paddy Davis, Tom Malone 

 

Race Announcer and Race Radios  Oliver McKenna, John Beattie 
Safety Officer  Dermot Moyne 
Doctor and Medical Crew  Dr Lucy Soden, Order of Malta  
Accommodation Officer & Marshal Manager  Dave Cormack 

 

Podium and Start Managers   

Jenn Sheridan, Naoise Sheridan, David Hendron and Sharon Branningan

Motorbikes  John Ryan; Gerry Murray; Chris Toner, Malcolm Goode  

Brendan Boland, Brendan Dolan, John McKenna,  Noel Tonge, Tom Roche, Lenny Carrigan, Ken Nelson, Frank Murphy, Orla Dill, Mark Corcoran, Tosh Lavery and Helen Sinnott

Other Vehicles 

 Broom wagon and signage removal 

Olympic Council of Ireland, Scott Orwell Wheelers 

 Mick Ryder and Ted Burns 

 
Finish manager and crew  Fiona Cooke, Ger Madden, Paul Deans, Tom Ryder, 

John Dillon, Paul Reid and Mick Hennessy 

Photo Finish Camera 

 

Signage crew 

Cycling Ireland, Ronnie Brannigan 

 

Fiona Cooke, Ger Madden, Ted Burns 

 

Marshal crews  Marble City Cyclers; Deenside Wheelers; Kilkenny Tri Club; 

Slaney Wheelers;  Racing 795; Leighlinbridge gang;   

  All the marshals who came from all over Ireland to help out on the criterium stage! 
 
An Post crew  Aileen Mooney, Brian Walsh; Shay Donnelly, Eimear Breen,  

Feargal Purcell, Stephen Mangan, Jim Bergin, Pat Cremin. 

An Post local presenters.  

 

NDC crew 

 

Zoe Kavanagh, Jeanne Spillane, Caroline O’Donovan 

   
Race sign on facilities  Kathy, Peter and all at Castlecomer Discovery Park, 

Michael O’Donovan, Gary Brickell and officials at Kilkenny  

Rugby Club; Tommy Lanigan, Kevin Hennessy and all at 

James Stephens GAA.   

   
Hotel  All the management and staff at Springhill Court Hotel 
   
PR, press, photography, social media, TV News, TV Highlights, Race manual 

 

InForm Sports Media – Declan Quigley, Georgie Francis; 

Lorraine O’Sullivan, Donal Glackin, David Laird, Grace Quigley, Matt Jones, Donovan Delaney, Deborah Madden, Julia Philips and Aidan Collins.