Essex-based cyclist Aidan Spence will be travelling through County Clare as part of a 2,200-mile journey around Ireland celebrating the historic links between Ireland and Essex while raising funds for Irish community organisations in Britain.
The challenge, titled Aidan Cycles for Cedd, aims to raise £2,200, equivalent to £1 for every mile cycled. Funds raised will support St Cedd’s GAA, St Cedd’s Céilí Band, Cúpla Focal na nGael Chelmsford and the wider work of Chelmsford Irish.
Following his journey through Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Kerry, Aidan’s route will bring him to County Clare, a county renowned for its traditional music, cultural heritage and strong sense of community. Along the way, he hopes to meet local people, experience traditional music and learn more about the traditions that continue to shape Irish life today.
Clare’s connection to the journey is not only cultural but personal. Aidan will stay in Lisdoonvarna with the family of Bríd O’Donohue-Hoctor, Music Representative for Chelmsford Irish and co-founder of St Cedd’s Céilí Band.
Originally from Lisdoonvarna, Bríd has helped build a thriving traditional music community in Essex through St Cedd’s Céilí Band, which recently won the London and Southern Fleadh and qualified for the All Britain Fleadh finals.
The band, formed through Chelmsford Irish, brings together musicians from across Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and London while maintaining strong connections to Ireland and its musical traditions.
Through the work of volunteers such as Bríd, traditional Irish music continues to thrive within the Irish community in Britain, helping to strengthen the living links between Clare and Essex.
The ride takes its name from St Cedd, Essex’s Irish-speaking patron saint. In 654 AD, Cedd founded a monastery at Bradwell-on-Sea on the Essex coast. Educated in the Irish monastic tradition associated with Colmcille and Iona, he spoke Irish and helped forge lasting links between Ireland and Essex.
There is also a remarkable connection behind the name. St Cedd was trained under St Aidan of Lindisfarne, one of the great figures of the Irish missionary tradition. More than 1,300 years later, another Aidan is setting out to explore the culture, communities and traditions that helped shape that shared history.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Aidan said: “This journey is about more than cycling. It’s an opportunity to explore Ireland, celebrate our shared heritage and highlight the connections between Ireland and Essex that stretch back more than 1,300 years. I’m particularly looking forward to visiting Clare and experiencing the county’s rich musical traditions and meeting the people who continue to maintain those connections today.”
The challenge will be documented throughout the summer on social media, where supporters will be able to follow Aidan’s progress and learn more about the places, people and traditions he encounters along the way.
Funds raised will support St Cedd’s GAA, St Cedd’s Céilí Band, Cúpla Focal na nGael Chelmsford and Chelmsford Irish, helping to sustain and grow Irish cultural, sporting and language activities across Chelmsford and mid-Essex.
To support the fundraiser, click here…
Follow the journey on Instagram.