Cork cyclists dare to bare all for the Naked Bike Ride

Cyclists for the World Naked Bike Ride make good use of the cycle lane on Washington Street. Picture: David Hegarty

More than 70 cyclists bared all on the streets of Cork City today in an effort to highlight the vulnerability of cyclists on the road.

The group made for a colourful spectacle that simply could not be missed as they passed down the streets of the city.

Participants could be as dressed or undressed as they wished, and many were covered in glitter and body paint — some wearing colourful headpieces or costumes.

"The idea really is the fact that cyclists don't get seen by drivers on the road, and today is the one day that you actually will be seen because you're covered in glitter and you have a big headpiece on you," said David Hegarty, one of the organisers of the event.

"There are 20-odd cyclists ahead of you all naked and coloured, there's another 20 behind you. 

It just means you pay attention to cyclists today, because every other day of the year people actually don't pay attention to cyclists."

The event, which runs as part of the annual World Naked Bike Ride, returned today for the first time since 2019, due to the pandemic.

The large group were full of enthusiasm when 50 of them met this morning for a fully nude photo shoot in a field as an art installation as part of a sister event.

They then met the rest of their group where they got painted and ready to ride — their bikes, that is.

The event, which happily took place on a warm, sunny day, was met with laughter and joy, with bemused passers-by immediately reaching for their phones.

"They want to take pictures and send to their friends because nobody would believe them if they didn't have a photo," said Mr Hegarty.

"People get excited. This thing that comes out of nowhere and for people who don't like it, we're there for two minutes and then we're gone again."

The sharing of these photos on social media means that the message of the event reaches beyond the crowds in Cork City on what was a glorious August Saturday afternoon.

As well as promoting safety for cyclists, today's event channelled body positivity and served as a reminder of the benefits of cycling over driving.

It doesn't matter who you are or what you look like, if you can get on a bike or a scooter or skates or any other similar mode of transport, you can get as naked as you want to do, you can come and join us," said Mr Hegarty.

If you caught the nude group on their travels, you may have noticed that a group of 70 doesn't take up too much room on the road, he added.

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Cycling is the future of transport, according to Mr Hegarty, and the benefits are endless.

"It's inexpensive," he said. "It's good for you. It's good for the environment. It's good for our living city to have people actually able to get around, not worrying about parking, not worrying about traffic, just having the freedom."

The cycle ended at City Hall where the group met Fine Gael councillor Damian Boylan.

Mr Hegarty praised the work that has gone into making the city more cycle-friendly in recent years and is hopeful for what other measures will be coming down the line.