Historical

The Orwell Wheelers team, at start of first Junior Tour 1978 - thanks to Eddie Butler. L-R: David Doyle, Derek McArdle, unknown, Eddie Butler, Niall O'Rourke, Richie McSherry, Kevin Reiney.

Through the 1970s Noel Hammond and his team organised the Whit weekend Wicklow festival races for both Seniors and Juniors. While very few of the clubs listed in the results are still in existence there are plenty of well known names in there. The Orwell were just coming out of a very long drought on the racing front and about to hit one of the most successful periods in our history, in no small part due to the work of Noel O'Neill and Paddy Doran in getting young riders into

In the quiet years of the late 60s and early 70s the Orwell almost died out completely, with only one active cycling member for a number of years. Probably the only reason for the club to have remained in existence through those years was to keep going all of the Open races which they organised. The Whit weekend Wicklow 2 day was one of the races which Noel Hammond and team organised, and in 1972 it featured a Junior race: There's a few names on there that will still be famil

Rudge Cup 1971 Rudge Cup 1971, Noel Hammond looking like Elvis on the finish line. In the other picture is Shay Maguire in the Aaron Jumper and beside him a very very young Kieran Hammond!

The subs book for 1956. Two of the new arrivals this year were each to go on and win National titles in their respective careers; Basil Whelan was the first, but most significant for us now was the arrival of a very young Noel O'Neill. February 27th 1956 is the date he paid up and officially joined the club for the first time. As to whether fees have gone up or down . Checkout www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/articl...ey-changed-1900.html Here is a classic video worth watchi

Here's one just posted by Brendan Culleton of the 1955 Orwell dinner dance. 3rd from left partially obscured at the back is Noel O'Neill , currently our longest running club member and still getting out on his bike almost every day. On the floor at the front is Noel Hammond RIP, still remembered in the form of the Noel Hammond memorial trophy . We don't have a profile of Noel yet, but do have one in the works. If anyone recognises any of the rest I'd love to hear it. Photo of

The first clipping is from December 23rd 1950, and the course would have been the Navan road 25, starting from the Dublin Wheelers tram in Castleknock and going out through Blanchardstown to turn at Dunshaughlin. Unfortunately I don't actually have the results from that one, so the only other record I have of the day is that hire of the tram cost £1/10s for use as HQ and changing rooms.

The original club constitution