TUCKWELL TAKES TOP SPOT: Dornan Rás Mumhan 2024 Review

A gruelling test of endurance lay before the peloton as the Dornan Rás Mumhan 2024 got under way over the course of the Easter weekend. It was Dornan’s first time sponsoring the event and with the stage set for a great event across Cork and Kerry the anticipation within the business and across the community was palpable.

As Micheál O’Connor outlined “Dornan was thrilled to come in as title sponsor.  The decision to support this race was an easy one and reflected Dornan’s commitment to supporting local initiatives that contribute to the well-being and vibrancy of local communities in line with our commitment to backing brilliance.  It was an extra bonus to have two of our recent interns Liam Crowley and Ben Murphy lining out for UCD and the Dornan Composite teams with Liam holding the U23 white jersey for two days”.

Now in its seventh decade, this iconic race has been the launching pad for countless domestic and international riders, etching their names in Irish cycling history. The legacy of past champions, including the legendary Mike Breen from Beaufort, underscores the calibre of athletes drawn to this prestigious race. One such memorable moment echoes from 1979, when Breen claimed victory only to find himself challenged by a young Stephen Roche in that year’s Ras Tailteann, as Roche’s emergence marked a turning point in Irish cycling. The comparison is apt, signalling the calibre of athletes who traverse these roads.

STAGE 1A – Team Time Trial

Action got underway for the 2024 edition of the Dornan Rás Mumhan on Good Friday the 29^th March with a brace of stages taking place on the day. First up, a new addition to the event, a short Team Time Trial challenging the pace of participants over a short 8.8KM course. The speedy track from Currow village to Castleisland and competitors served up some blistering pace to open proceedings. Coming out on top in the TTT, also referred to as Stage 1A, was Team Skyline Cadence. With the three fastest times to count for each team, Liam Flanagan, Conn McDunphy and Paul Kennedy combined to post a time of 09’52”35 ably assisted by teammates Adam Lewis and Cian Keogh. Trinity Racing were an eye catching second, a team comprised entirely of U23 riders, just 3”35 off the Skyline Cadence pace with Team Foran CT 11”26 back to fill the final podium position in third.

STAGE 1B – Castleisland to Knocknagoshel

No rest for the wicked, with the TTT complete, Friday still held a challenging 70KM stage for the peloton complete with 782M of elevation. Taking the Brosna Road out of Castleisland and heading across to eventually end up in Knocknagoshel. Team Velo Revolution were pushing the pace early in the stage creating a short-lived three man break that was reeled in by the peloton. Into the circuit close to Knocknagoshel a 5-man break developed consisting of Tom Martin of Velo Revolution, Liam Crowley of UCD, George Kimber of Skyline, Luke Tuckwell of Trinity as well as Dominick Jackson of Foran CT. As the break found their rhythm, they began to put too big of a gap between them and the chasing pack – Stage 1B was suddenly down to 5 riders contesting the final sprint to the uphill finish in Knocknagoshel village.  George Kimber pressed on and took the stage. Kimber finished Day 1 with the Yellow Jersey, Tuckwell was just a second behind with Dom Jackson of Foran CT 3 seconds off the pace with Liam Crowley taking 5^th and the white jersey.

STAGE 2 – Fossa to Sneem

Saturday saw riders migrate to the Kingdom where a real test was ahead of them. The peloton assembled in Fossa, just outside Killarney, for just over 114KM with 1,141M of elevation taking the road to Glencar up and over the iconic Ballaghisheen Pass, down towards Waterville and joining the Ring of Kerry back towards Sneem. The peloton reached incredible speeds of 70KM heading out of Killarney – it was clear from an early point in the stage that there would be no hiding place. A group of 15 riders were able to manage the significant winds as they rose over the Ballaghisheen Pass and descended ahead of the peloton making them very difficult to catch. Four riders broke further clear as the leaders approached the finish line and a sprint finish developed for spectators in Sneem with Daire Feely of Velo Revolution bagging the Stage. Luke Tuckwell finished the Stage in 3^rd moving him into the Yellow Jersey.

STAGE 3 – Millstreet

Easter Sunday saw Stage 3 take place and with Easter Eggs in scarce supply for competitors it was on to the start line Millstreet for the 115.4KM course featuring over 1600M of ascent. It was a day of brutal climbing and saw Dean Harvey of Trinity Racing come out on top in the stage ahead of Jamie Meehan with Luke Tuckwell back in third cementing his Yellow Jersey position and putting a Dornan Rás Mumhan General Classification victory in touching distance.

STAGE 4 – Killorglin

Riders headed to Killorglin for the final Stage of Dornan Rás Mumhan 2024 with just over 113KM to be covered on a slightly flatter track that saw riders compete circuits from Killorglin to Beaufort and then around Killorglin itself. Action got underway on the banks of the River Laune with Luke Tuckwell of Trinity Racing in the driving seat and no doubt his team mates would be doing their best to help him where they could. Daire Feely had other plans, however, pushing the pace early in an attempt to upset the apple cart, himself 1min and 50 seconds off the Yellow Jersey. There was significant drama with crashes occurring and a sprint finished unfolded seeing Joe Pidcock of Trinity Racing outsprint Odhran Doogan of Caldwell Wheelers and Patrick O Loughlin of Greenmount Cycling Academy, to take the win with Luke Tuckwell back in the pack but retaining the Yellow Jersey.

Tuckwell Takes All

With 19-year-old Australian, Luke Tuckwell, being crowned the 2024 Dornan Rás Mumhan GC Winner, when speaking to the Rás Mumhan Instagram account he said “This week could not have gone any better. I knew I had some good form in training going in to it. I just came in with an open mind this weekend and to get the win is the perfect start to the year.”

What a weekend it was! Roll on 2025.