No memorial cycle this year - but local club still remembers Pat Jones
For the last seven years, the Easter weekend has been a very busy one for the Edenderry-based Team905 Cycling Club.
The Pat Jones Memorial Cycle had cornered the market for Easter Saturday, with Edenderry and the towns and villages along the route becoming accustomed to a peloton of 200 or so riders passing by their front doors.
This year, of course, due to the Covid-19 restrictions, the event had to be cancelled. But the club would still like to remember Pat at this special time.
"He was a highly respected and very well liked member of our group from the time the club was founded until his untimely death in 2012," said Hugh O'Donoghue, PRO of Team905 CC.
"The ultimate believer in the value of community, Pat gave his time to a number of voluntary organisations including Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann, serving as local Chairperson for about ten years, and to Edenderry Credit Union where he served as a voluntary supervisor for many years. The credit union has now changed its name to Croi Laighean but Pat is still remembered and honoured there in the annual Pat Jones Student Bursary, a reflection of his lifelong belief in furthering education.
"Pat was a staunch family man and always strongly supported his wife Margaret and their sons Niall, Ian and Alan and extended family members. In Team905 we regularly remember Pat’s good humour and his positive and encouraging attitude to cycling and to life itself," continued Hugh.
"He was a stalwart in the setting up of the club ten years ago and was a member of our first intrepid group of seven riders that travelled to France in 2011 to tackle the fearsome climbs of the Savoie Alps."
To date the PJMC has raised over €30,000 which has benefited several local charitable and voluntary groups including Laois/Offaly Families for Autism (LOFFA), Special Olympics, Little Wishes, The Acorn Project and Football for All. This year’s fund raising effort was destined for North Offaly Meals on Wheels and the Neo-Natal Unit of Holles Street Hospital (the National Maternity Hospital) but unfortunately this has had to be put on hold for 2020.
"Hopefully we will be back up and running for 2021 and remembering Pat in the best way possible – on two wheels on Easter Saturday in the PJMC," Hugh added.
Meanwhile, all of Team905’s group club spins are suspended until further notice in the interest of public safety and in an effort to stem the spread of Covid-19. Those cycling solo these days are advised to stay safe, work within the regulations and enjoy the spins.