TKAS - 2027
- Orwell Wheelers
- Jun 4
- 5 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
“TKAS means TKAS” - Garibaldi Phelan
For six and a half years, they, the nebulous “they”, suspended our hopes and dreams.
While they super-spread pathogenic pestilence and expanded borders exporting terrorism, TKAS, like Cthulhu, waited dead but dreaming.
Resurrected by its cult-like following.
We are going back bayyy-beeee!
What is TKAS, where did it go, why is it back?
TKAS was “The Kingdom Alliance Sportive”. It was a three, then two, day sportive that operated by all the Tralee-based Cycling Clubs in the early to mid-2010s over the June Bank Holiday.
Day one departed from Tralee, heading west over Conor Pass, to Dingle, around Slea Head, and back by Inch Beach.
Day two headed south to Killarney, over the Gap of Dunloe, up Moll’s Gap, over the legbreaker Ballaghbeama, around Lough Caragh.
Sinéad Kennedy was the first to hear about the sportive. A group featuring Diarmuid Donnelly (who got the t-shirt to prove it) ventured forth, and returned to tell the tale. Those who chose to believe started an annual pilgrimage.
Orwell Wheelers were the majority of attendees in the sportive’s final year in 2015. We kept up the tradition by using it as the basis for a Summer Weekend Away each June, until 2019. It was a fabulous final training weekend for the Wicklow 200.
In 2020, we had paid our deposits. But due to Covid, the trip was cancelled, and our deposits refunded.
After Covid, the apartments hosted Ukrainian refugees for a couple of years.
In 2025, the apartments were available for tourism again.
In 2026, a 17-strong party of Orwells, past and present, returned to Tralee, with hope in their hearts, to restart the Weekend Away Annual Pilgrimage.
We stay in the Tralee Town Centre Apartments (ttca.ie). They are fantastic value (€150pps), and excellently placed for social outings. They are four bedroom apartments, two double, two single, all ensuite. Self Catering.
There are other accommodation offerings, namely Kingscourt. But they were too far out from the town centre to retain the magic that made TKAS special.
The apartments are like hot cakes. We need to book them the first day that they are available.
The general timeline is thus:
Mid-January: You are committed to going. Join the WhatsApp Group “TKAS 2027”.
Late-January: You group up with three others. Appointing one leader to book the apartment.
Early/mid-February: Each leader books an apartment. €100 deposit.
March-May: TKAS Fever will grip the nation. Arrange Carpool or Train.
Late-May: TKAS-mania!
In 2026, TTCA allowed us to book the apartments from the 7th of January.
For 2027, updates will be via the WhatsApp Group.
Routes
The Strava Routes below have cues for Coffee Stops (you’ll get an alert on your computer), and are a better representation of the routes.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the RwGPS routes are as accurate as the Strava ones. The RwGPS routes lack the cues for Coffee, as that’s a paid feature.
Ride with GPS Collection: TKAS Routes.
June 4th Friday: Arrival
Destination: Tralee Town Centre Apartments (Link: Google Maps).
Check-in is after 3pm. It is advisable to take the day off work, as Traffic out of Dublin will be a nightmare.
Any early arrivers can check out the “Other Route Options” for nice routes to Fenit Pier, Annascaul or Inch Beach.
We can have an informal dinner, due to staggered arrival times, in the Ashe Hotel, which is co-located with the Apartments.
And have a nite cap in Roundy’s Bar.
June 5th Saturday: Slea Head
Route: Strava // RwGPS // VeloViewer // MyWindSock.
163km w/1,600m
It ignores the Slea Head Loop, and Castlemaine.
101km w/1,100m
Start Times:
White/Yellow: 08:00
Amber/Orange: 08:20
Red Group: 08:30
Location: outside the Apartments
Head west, along the north side of the Peninsula.
33km Start of the Conor Pass (Strava Segment // VeloViewer) 5.17km at 6.6%.
46km Scones will be ready on arrival in Courtney’s Bakery. Refill water.
Around Slea Head, which is 60km.
80km: Option to shorten the route by 12km, go straight to Dingle.
103km Water Refill. It is suggested to get some big bottles in SuperValu in Dingle. There are Cafes in Dingle for a food stop. Or some sambos in SuperValu will do the trick.
113km to 116km Use the Bike Path.
119km Optional Food Stop in Annascaul at Dan Foley’s, or Tom Crean’s South Pole Inn.
119km Option to shorten the route by 10km, by going through Annascaul and over the Peninsula. Lots of segregated Bike Lanes on this road.
127km Optional Food/Ice Cream stop in Inch Beach at Sammy’s.
148km Start of the Castlemaine climb (Strava Segment // VeloViewer) 4.7km at 3%. Set a good time here, and try to beat it tomorrow.
Anyone who doesn’t feel like the full route can shorten it as they see fit. Just communicate it to the group beforehand.
Evening: Champion’s League Final Gastro Pub. Plus bonus pubs to celebrate Liverpool winning the Champion’s League.
June 6th Sunday: Black Valley
Route using the N22 to start: Strava // RwGPS // VeloViewer // MyWindSock.
145km w/1,500m
From the Coffee stop at Avoca, go down Ladies View into Killarney. It’ll likely be Bike Fest in Killarney town so traffic will be backed up.
112km w/1,200
Start Times:
White/Yellow: 08:00
Amber/Orange: 08:20
Red Group: 08:30
Location: outside the Apartments
The route has two options to get to Killarney:
Using the N22, which has a hard shoulder for the first half until Farranfore, but requires you to ride single file afterwards, suitable for smaller groups. It’s the fastest option time-wise.
Or using the R2018, which has a climb at the start of it, but is much quieter traffic-wise, ideal for larger groups.
Subtract 2.5km from these markers if you take the R2018.
Have a vote the night before, to know which start road that your group will take, so everyone has the correct route.
44k Start of the Gap of Dunloe (Strava Segment // VeloViewer) 5.8km at 3.3%. Be careful of the horse-drawn buggies. Look ahead for oncoming cars and motorbikes.
62km Start of Molls Gap (Strava Segment // VeloViewer) 2.6km at 5.3%.
65km Coffee and Scones in Avoca. ETA: 11:00
65km Option to shorten the route to 112km, by going down Ladies View, through Killarney and up the R2018, or N22, to Tralee.
82km The Legbreaker known as Ballaghbeama Gap (Strava Segment // VeloViewer) 3.2km at 5.3% Max: 17%. No getting off and walking allowed! The sheep will laugh at you.
91km Coffee, Soup and Sambos at The Climber’s Inn Glencar. ETA: 12:45 for soup and sambo prep.
103km Views of Lough Caragh.
132km Start of the Castlemaine climb (Strava Segment // VeloViewer) 4.7km at 3%. Try to beat yesterday’s time.
Anyone who doesn’t feel like the full route can shorten it as they see fit. Just communicate it to the group beforehand.
Evening: Group Dinner, Pub, and Tea Party at one Apartment.
June 7th Monday: Depart
Optional short spin or Brunch.
Check-out at 11am, office is closed, so check-out is not enforced.
Travel Home.
Other Route Options
Fenit Pier Greenway
25km w/140m
The greenway starts in Tralee town, and runs north and west out to Fenit Pier to the statue of St. Brendan.
South Pole Inn, Annascaul
61km w/620m
Destination: Dan Foley’s, or Tom Crean’s Pub aka The South Pole Inn. He was an Antarctic explorer. Lovely Ham and Cheese Toasties.
Inch Beach
61km w/620m
Sammy’s Cafe does a nice brunch.
It might just be a Horse Box Cafe though, as Sammy's looks like it was closed a few years ago.
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