The Irish cycling community is mourning the loss of one of its stalwarts for decades, Brian Taaffe Snr of the Dublin Wheelers Cycling Club.
Brian was very well known to anyone who helped organise or took part in many of the races on the Irish calendar, big and small.
A former chairman of Dublin Wheelers, he helped organise the club league for many years and was one of the regulars who helped promote the league when it expanded to include a number of other clubs.
He was a tireless worker behind the scenes; readying the Dublin Wheelers for many of the stage races the club’s riders took part in, including the An Post Rás.
Brian will perhaps be best remembered for the roles he filled on races like the Rás and the Junior Tour of Ireland.
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He was also a very significant figure in organising the ‘Fingal’ evening stage race around north Dublin, later known as the Dublin Bus Five Day.
And when Dublin Wheelers began organising the TQ Paper International Women’s Two-Day, Brian was once again at the centre of the action.
He was instrumental in helping to develop that race from its fledgling days and it has since morphed into the An Post Rás na mBan; now a major international event attracting teams from all over the world.
While Brian became involved in cycling through sons Brian Jnr and Ronan, his contribution to the development of young riders and the Irish cycling scene generally stretched far beyond looking after his own boys, or even those in his own club.
A social man, he loved the vibrant scene that went hand in hand with stage racing and was known to blast out many a song on the "night stages".
He travelled to the end of season World Road Championships many times with a group of friends mainly from the Dublin and Leinster areas that included the Lallys, Connaughtons, McQuaids, Cassidys, Laverys, Seamus Kennedy and many others.
Brian Carolan of Dublin Wheelers led the tributes to Brian, saying it was with great sadness he and the rest of the club had learned of his passing on Saturday after a short illness.
“A former chairman of the Dublin Wheelers, Brian first became involved with the club in the mid 1980s when Brian Jnr started racing,” he said.
“Never one to take a back seat, he soon busied himself helping all the young riders who were coming up through the ranks at the time.
“He was always there to transport riders, drive a lead car or help out at the club races or the open races we ran.
“I got to know him best when we were running the Tour of Fingal, later the Dublin Bus Five-Day.
"And I got to know him particularly well through the TQ Paper International Ladies Two-Day, the predecessor to Ras na mBan, where he was accommodation officer for many years.
“At national level, Brian officiated on races such as the Rás Tailteann, Junior Tour, Rás na mBan and Special Olympics in 2003.
“He made friends in cycling the length and breadth of the country. As well as being a great worker for the club, Brian was simply great fun.
“His beaming grin would greet you whenever you met him and after a meeting with him, you'd always leave with a smile on your own face.
“The slagging could be fierce - but always good natured. To Brian, Ronan, Julie and the grand-children, our deepest sympathies.”
Brian’s family became steeped in cycling as not only did both of his sons race, his daughter in law – Brian Jnr’s wife – Julie O’Hagan is a former national elite road race champion.
Junior Tour race director Alice Sherratt paid tribute to Brian, saying he would be greatly missed.
“Brian was a true gent and was always there to stand on a corner for me. One person I could always depend on and a true friend to the Junior Tour. May he rest in peace.”
Kay Howard of Stamullen M Donnelly said she had gotten to know Brian very well down the years, mainly because of his constant willingness to help out.
“This is very sad news to receive,” she said of Brian’s passing.
“Brian would always offer his help to steward at Stamullen GP. His help was invaluable. He will be missed by all of us.”
Well known Cycling Ireland commissaire Gary McIlroy said he would remember Brian for his huge investment in everything cycling-related.
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“Brian would always have an interest in what was happening during a race while marshalling and would have his stop watch running to give an overall picture each lap on the radio.”
Cyclist Richie Keady echoed the sentiments of many, saying Brian made an invaluable contribution to the home scene and would be missed by all.
“Brian was a man of integrity and somebody who always had the riders’ interests at heart,” he said.
“What I liked about him most was he said it as he saw it; no nonsense.”
Donal O’Brien, who cycled in the colours of Dublin Wheelers for many years, said he was shocked and saddened to hear the “awful news” of Brian’s passing.
“He was such an amazing man and a great loss to all who knew him,” he said.
Therese Dowd, who knew Brian for many years through their shared involvement in Dublin Wheelers and their work on the Rás, described a warm man she was always glad to meet.
“I’ll miss his booming voice as he roars 'Hiya Tess' whenever he saw me,” she said.
Others to pay tribute included international rider Marcus Christie: “I'll never forget the 2008 Junior Tour in my debut season. Needless to say, Brian's support meant a lot.”
Former international Oliver McQuaid described Brian as “a great man who’ll be sadly missed by all”.
Dublin rider Shay Murphy, one of the countless young cyclists Brian mentored and helped through the years, said he had given endless support to so many new to cycling.
“Brian was a great man and gave me and many others great support in our early days in the Wheelers,” he said.
“He was always great for his view on the race and for straight talking. He’ll be missed.”
Brian Hammond, also formerly of the Dublin Wheelers and now of Lucan CRC, echoed those words.
“Brian helped all those Lucan CRC riders who cut their teeth with Dublin Wheelers back in 85-86,” he said.
“He will be sadly missed by all those that had the pleasure of knowing him; rest in peace Brian.”
Cycling Ireland chief executive Geoff Liffey said he and his club mates at Finglas Ravens had been saddened to hear news of Brian’s death.
“I have lots of memories of Brian helping out with the Ravens and Dublin Wheelers club league races amongst many other things; rest in peace Brian.”
Also of Finglas Ravens, Richie McCormack said while Brian’s death was very sad for the Taaffe family, it was a blow to the entire cycling community.
“I had the pleasure of working with Brian when we ran the inter-club league for many years; he was always great craic and a sad loss not only to family and friends but to cycling generally.”
Paul Byrne, one of the many riders to benefit from Brian’s work in Dublin Wheelers said: “It’s hard for me to express how sad I feel about Brian's passing. He meant the world to me and Steve and the Byrne family.”
Paul’s brother Stephen, who is also sadly no longer with us, was managed and encouraged by Brian on many races all over the country including the Rás.
Dave Garland, also now sadly deceased, was another among the tight group that formed within the Dublin Wheelers down the years; a group Brian was so willing to help in any way he could.
And another Dublin Wheeler, Andy O’Hara, remarked on the spirit Brian always added to an event.
“The great thing about Brian was how positive he was; always encouraging you no matter what. He’ll be missed by everyone who knew him,” he said.
Some of us here at stickybottle knew Brian very well. He was a great man and a gas man.
Quite simply; he was great craic, very giving of his time and effort and always committed to working for the good of the club, the home scene generally and other people.
There are very few people who have made the kind of contribution to cycling that Brian did; never looking for anything in return and always in great form, with such a huge appetite for life and mischief.
Rest in peace buddy, we will never forget you.
- Brian’s funeral mass will be on Tuesday, October 27th, at 10am at the Church of the Nativity, Beaumont, north Dublin. For full details follow this link.
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