John Drumm Cup 2015
 

The 50th race for the John Drumm Memorial Cup takes place on 26th April in Currow. Johnny Drumm as he was known, was from Tobermaing, he was a champion racing cyclist both on the road and grass track, he was also a champion ploughman and had won the All Ireland ploughing championship in Kilkenny in 1964. It was a terrible shock to locals who remember that tragic day fifty years  ago where Cordal, Castleisland and Kerry lost one of their sporting sons.

Looking back on the race over half a century there are too many stories to tell here of great winners and competitors a tireless organising committee that always put on a great race in memory of Johnny Drumm.

The list of winners is a great collection of top cyclists who are all very proud of their achievement of adding their names to this impressive Cup

The first winner was Gene Mangan of Killorglin, who had won the Rás Tailteann in 1955 as well as All Ireland road and track championships. There were many more famous names to come – the Lonergan brothers,  Johnny and Joe from Tipperary, Colm Nulty of Meath, John and Denis Mangan of Killorglin, Aidrian Byrne a Dublin based garda, the 30th race in 1995 was won by German Patrick Rives Maye who was a student at Limerick University at the time and a former junior champion of West Germany, Séamas Kennedy of Meath and Dublin, Mick Cahill of Banteer, Bobby Power of Tipperary, John O’Sullivan of Kanturk, Batty Flynn and Jack Lacey of Kerry.

There was a unique result in 1972 when the event resulted in a dead heat between Limerick man Gearóid Costello and Anthony O’Halloran of Kerry.  

John Blackwell, Billy Reidy and Paul Griffin won the race more than once to again keep the cup in Kerry but in recent years Corkmen Mick Fitzgerald, Richard Hooton and the in form Paidi O Brien have won it.

It has always been a race that cyclists really wanted to win and many competitors going on to be professionals with Sam Bennett winning the race three times and is now competing successfully with the worlds elite cyclists. Eddie Dunbarr was second last year and has since gone professional. Michael O Loughlin is no stranger to the roads of Currow and maybe one day he could emulate his father in winning the race. The Aquablue squad will want to add this title and will include Kerrymen Sean Lacey and Cathal Moynihan in their team.

There were many and varied routes for the race, the first race was over 8 laps of the Brehig circuit, also used were the Ballycarthy and Castlemaine circuits. The route for this year’s race is the one which has been used for a number of years now which will start Currow Village, Ballybeg, Dromulton, Roche’s Cross, Castleisland(Garvey’s), Lisheenbawn to finish just before Currow Village.

The plan is that there will be racing from 11am until approximately 4.30pm on Sunday 26th of April as all categories are catered for from Under 11s to our elite cyclists. The full programme will be on the clubs website.

Finally – very few sportsmen have a ballad sang after them. Many readers will be familiar with hearing it locally so I have included the words below at the bottom of this piece

 

50th Annual John Drumm Memorial Cup in Currow April 26th 2015

 

 Sign on opens for all Categories at 10am with the Underage racing starting at 11am and the Senior events at 1pm

Race HQ and Start is the Currow Hall with the finish being approx 800m on the Castleisland side of the circuit

 

The Full Programme

11am Under 16 – 45.5 km (7 x 6.5km circuit) Prizes first 10 with first unplaced under 15 and first unplaced girl

11.01am Under 14 – 26 km (4 x 6.5km circuit) Prizes first 6 with first unplaced under 13 and first unplaced girl

11.02am Under 12 – 6 km (2 x 6.5km circuit) Prizes first 6 with first unplaced under 11 and first unplaced girl

 

Sign On Closes at 12.30pm and managers meeting / car draw at 12.30pm

 

1pm A1/A2 Feature Event start – 108.5km – Almost 7 laps – 6 to go at the first crossing of the finish line

Prime first time around. Prizes first 10 and first 3 unplaced A2s

 

1.02pm A3 Race – 77.5km – Almost 5 laps – 4 to go at the first crossing of the finish line

Prime first time around. Prizes first 15

 

1.04pm A4 Race – 62km – Almost 4 laps – 3 to go at the first crossing of the finish line

Prime first time around. Prizes for first 15

 

Note This year the A4 race is going to be a handicap race as follows (only 1 prize list with unplaced ladies prizes); 

  • Ladies and Over 50 A4 Riders
  • Veteran A4 Riders
  • Remainder of A4 Riders

This handicap will be in the region of 45 secs to 60 secs depending on the size of each group