Cyclists participating in the 20th annual Tour de Munster charity cycle are putting the finishing touches to their preparations as they get set to take to the roads of Munster on August 6th.
Celebrating 20 years this August, the Tour will see cyclists travel 600km over four days across the six counties of Munster in order to raise vital funds and awareness for Munster’s branches of Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI), as well as individual beneficiaries.
The Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland play a vital role in the lives of children and adults with Down syndrome in Munster, and funds are urgently required in order for the branches to continue providing their vital services. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland have seen the majority of their vital fundraising events cancelled over the past number of months, and are now facing increased costs as they prepare to re-open their doors.
Since becoming the main beneficiary of the Tour in 2010, over €2.8 million has been raised for the Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland, and participants are once again hoping to raise a significant amount this year.
Cycling legend Seán Kelly, a huge supporter of the Tour de Munster for the past 14 years, will also take to the road on August 6th.
The Tour will start from City Hall in Cork City on Thursday morning, August 6th; and will make its way through Waterford, Tipperary, Limerick, Clare and Kerry, before returning to Cork on Sunday, August 9th.
Commenting ahead of August 6th, Paul Sheridan, founder of Tour de Munster said, “We are very much looking forward to taking to the road on August 6th. While preparations for the Tour have been different from previous years, the end goal has never been more important. Over the past 10 years, we have met so many wonderful children and adults with Down syndrome and we have also met their families who have joined us on the Tour.
“We see how vital the services are that are provided by the Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland and we are driven to do as much as we can to ensure these continue. A huge amount of hard work and dedication has been put in by the participants in the run-up to this year’s Tour and we look forward to what will be a challenging, yet safe Tour in order to raise much needed funds and awareness.”
To support the Tour de Munster and donate, please visit www.tourdemunster.com.
For route information log onto www.tourdemunster.com and to follow updates on the Tour you can follow their Facebook page. For further information on Down Syndrome Ireland please see www.downsyndrome.ie.
The Irish Examiner, Red FM, Clare FM and Tipp FM are the Official Media Partners of Tour de Munster 2020.
2020 Tour de Munster Route
Stage 1: Cork – Killaloe
Thursday, August 6th, 2020
Cork (Silversprings Hotel): 8:00am – 8:45am
Cork (City Hall): 8:25 – 9:25am
Midleton (Quick stop) – MACE, Mill Road): 10:25am – 10:40am
Tallow – 11:40am-11:40pm
Lismore (MACE refreshments): 12:10pm – 12:30pm
Clogheen (Tipp DSI Pasta & Pastries: Clogheen Community Hall): 1:25pm – 2:00pm
Cahir: 2:30pm – 2:30pm
Tipperary: 3:30pm – 3:30pm
Ballykisteen(Lunch): 3:40pm – 4:30pm
Limerick (King John’s Castle): 5:20pm – 5:50pm
Birdhill: 6:50pm – 6:50pm
Killaloe: (Lakeside Hotel) – 7:05pm
Stage 2: Killaloe – Tralee
Friday, August 7th, 2020
Killaloe : 9:00am
Tuamgraney: 9:45am – 9:45am
Ennis: (tea/coffee: Temple Gate Hotel): 11:30am – 12:00pm
Kildysart: 1:00pm – 1:00pm
Kilimer (Ferry – Lunch on Board): 2:00pm – 2:00pm
Tarbert : 2:20pm – 2:20pm
Listowel ( tea/coffee & scone: Christy’s pub): 3:10pm – 3:40pm
Tralee (The Rose Hotel): 4:40pm
Stage 3: Tralee – Kenmare
Saturday, August 8th, 2020
Tralee: 9:45am
Stradbally: 10:20am – 10:20am
Dingle (Lunch: Skellig Hotel): 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Castlemaine (refreshments: MACE, N70/R561 junction): 2:30pm – 2:50pm
Milltown: 3:00pm – 3:00pm
Aghadoe Heights: 3:45pm – 3:55pm
Killarney (break: Deenagh lodge): 4:00pm – 4:30pm
Kenmare (Lansdowne Arms Hotel): 5:45pm
Stage 4: Kenmare – Cork
Sunday, August 9th, 2020
Kenmare: 10am
Glengarriff (tea/coffee: The Maple Leaf Bar): 11:00am – 11:30am
Ballylickey: 12:00pm – 12:00pm
Gouganebarra (lunch): 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Inchigeela: 2:20pm – 2:35pm
Macroom: 3:15pm – 3:15pm
Lissarda (break): 3:35pm – 3:50pm
Cork (Clayton Silversprings Hotel): 5:15pm