The organisers of Kerry Group Rás Mumhan have announced they will not organise the race again in the future. A search will now begin for new race promoters.
While the event was due to run over the Easter Bank
Holiday Weekend it was cancelled due to Covid19.
However, the decision by the organising group not to
promote the four-day race again was taken independently of the Covid19 crisis.
The organising group, the public face of which has been
Munster cycling stalwart Tadhg Moriarty, has said in a statement on Monday they
had made their decision earlier this year not to run the event again.
Their plan had been to announce their decision at the
conclusion of the 2020 edition. However, this was not possible because the 2020
edition did not take place.
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In their statement today the organising group said they
were making their announcement now to give Cycling Munster a full opportunity
to find a new group of organisers to promote the race next season and beyond.
The Munster Council of the NCA started the race in the
late 1950s and its successor Cycling Munster still has ownership race. The
event has been run for years by a six-person group, most of whom are in Killorglin
Cycling Club.
The group stepping down is a worry for Irish cycling as
the promoters were a seasoned group, backed by a very significant sponsor in
Kerry Group, Together they have created a competitive event down the years
marked by stability as other races were lost from the calendar.
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However, the strength of the race and the way it has been
so professionally run, and so well-supported by Kerry Group, means it is in
great shape at present if a new group of organisers is found to take it on.
“The organising committee of Rás Mumhan wish to announce
that they will not promote the event in 2021,” the statement from the
long-standing organising group on Monday said.
It added the committee was “disappointed to have been
unable to host the 2020 edition” of the race.
“The decision to withdraw from event promotion was taken
early in 2020. The intention of the organising committee was to announce the
decision at the conclusion of the 2020 race, events however overtook the plan,”
it added.
“Given the complexity of organising the event, the
committee felt it necessary to provide clarity regarding the future promotion
of the race. It is hoped that this announcement will provide Cycling Munster
with sufficient time to find an alternative promoter for Rás Mumhan for 2021.
“The committee wish to sincerely thank all those involved
in the promotion of the event that has been based Killorglin since 2001.
“The committee also wishes to acknowledge the longstanding
support of all sponsors, especially, the title sponsor of the event, Kerry
Group.
“The developments of recent years would not have been
possible without Kerry Group’s support and in particular the encouragement of Frank
Hayes.
“The committee feels fortunate to have been the
custodians of the event, which has a long tradition within Irish cycling. We
wish Cycling Munster every success with the event in the future.”
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