Willem O'Connor has gotten the nod for the Irish team for Rás Tailteann, after a late change to the line-up, with the 19-year-old deservedly securing a berth on the national senior team for the first time in his career.
O'Connor is riding for the new Irish-Portuguese team, Velo Performance Development, this season and has enjoyed a very success few months since getting his 2025 campaign underway with a series of UCI-ranked events in Greece.
He came back to Ireland and competed in Dornan Rás Mumhan, where he put in a stand-out ride and was the breakthrough rider of the race; finishing 2nd on two stages - and in the top 10 on four of the five stages - as well as taking 3rd in the final general classification.
He also raced in Portugal the week before last, when he finished 10th overall at Volta a Portugal do Futuro. He made the breakaway on two of the stages in the four-day U23 race and coming away with a best stage placing of 4th.
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O'Connor comes into the national team for Rás Tailteann, which gets underway next Wednesday, in place of Sam Coleman (Israel Premier Tech Development), who is now unable to ride the Irish stage race due to respiratory issues.
The rest of the original line-up remains unchanged, with Jamie Meehan (21) selected having shown very impressive form this year, built of several seasons of seamless progression. He is competing with UCI Continental team AVC Aix en Provence Dole this season and will go into the five-stage race as a serious prospect for the team.
Dean Harvey (22), the reigning Irish U23 road race champion, was unlucky not to win Rás Mumhan two years ago and with an additional two seasons in his legs, he will go to Rás Tailteann also wanting to win overall, and capable of doing so.
Also in the selection is Conal Scully (Dan-Morrisey Pissei). He won the Bobby Power Memorial in Carrick on St Patrick’s Day and was also 2nd at the recent Des Hanlon, as well as generally being one of the strongest on the home scene this year.
The team is completed by Ruairi Byrne (UCD Cycling Club). The Seamus Kenney Memorial and Des Hanlon Memorial are among his victories so far this season, while he also put in a very strong shift at the Shay Elliott Classic last Sunday to finish 3rd.
