An eventful Cycling Ireland annual meeting in Dublin has seen Ciaran McKenna, above, beating Denis Toomey to become president of the federation.
Cycling Ireland has a new president in the shape of former international rider Ciaran McKenna.
The Dubliner was voted into the position for a two-year term at the expense of Denis Toomey, who has held the post for the past two years.
McKenna emerged victorious from a vote at the federation’s annual general meeting in Dublin on Saturday afternoon.
Toomey has been a central figure down the years in promoting paracycling, with the Irish team having enjoyed success on the biggest stages including the London 2012 Paralympics.
His term was very closely linked to the push for a new indoor international spec velodrome in Ireland.
However, while there was positive news on that front announced at the annual meeting on Saturday, it was not enough to get Toomey over the line.
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He had contacted the clubs in advance of the meeting promising the velodrome would come to fruition next season but the clubs have decided to favour McKenna for the next two years.
Denis Toomey has been very closely linked to the success of paracycling and the campaign to secure a velodrome for Ireland.
During his campaign in recent weeks, McKenna pointed to the cultural change that he believed was needed within Cycling Ireland.
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“Today Cycling Ireland seems to lack visibility and accountability to its members,” he wrote in his address circulated to members before the vote.
He believed the activities of the board now had “no relevance” for ordinary members of the federation.
“Cycling Ireland has a reputation for being an organisation that doesn’t focus enough on members’ needs and one that fails to engage with members and other stakeholders,” he added.
“It is time to change and promote a culture of engagement, transparency and accountability between the organisation and the members and recognise that the members are the central stakeholders of the organisation.”
Both McKenna and Toomey made a presentation at a sometimes heated meeting on Saturday, with Toomey becoming emotional as he outlined his achievements; a sign that he very much wanted to continue in the role.
He had made no secret of the fact he wanted to stay on board and continue working on the velodrome plan until it was built an operational; a plan that has been progressed very significantly during his tenure.
However, it is McKenna who now goes forward in the position at a time when the sport continues to boom in Ireland.
The velodrome remains a top priority, while he will also lead the federation into the Rio Olympics and Paralympics next year.
More later.
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