When republicans got on their on bikes for a united Ireland

Six decades after a controversial World Amateur Road Race, Ryle Dwyer looks at a series of stunts at cycling events by militant Irish republicans

On August 27, 1955 the National Cycling Association (NCA) tried to enter a team in the World Amateur Road Race in Frascati, Italy. It was first time the association tried to engage in an international event since the cycling split of 1934.

The NCA team consisted of Gene Mangan of Kerry, who had won Rás Tailteann earlier that month, along with Seamus McGreevy of Down, Bernie O’Brien of Kildare, and Mick Christle of Dublin. The other two Irish rival cycling organisations in Ireland — Cumann Rothaíocht na h-Éireann (CRE) and Northern Ireland Cycling Federation (NICF) — had entered a united team representing Ireland.