When Carrick-on-Suir's Hamper Race and Sean Kelly delivered a cycling feast

Sean Kelly cycling through the streets of his native Carrick-on-Suir at Christmas 1997. In 1994, a host of stars joined him in the route. Picture: Kieran Clancy

It was the race to officially mark the end of Sean Kelly's glittering career, but not even one of the most decorated riders of all time could have envisaged how his swansong would play out.

The Carrick Wheels Road Club, as they were known since their foundation in the late 1960s, held an annual Hamper Race on the Sunday before Christmas and it was decided the 1994 edition would be a perfect send-off for the town’s most famous son.

His father-in-law, the late Dan Grant, is the man widely attributed to have discovered Kelly’s talent and it was he who took it upon himself to try and attract some of the sport’s luminaries for one final curtain call in Carrick.

But things got out of hand, as Kelly takes up the commentary on the build-up to that memorable winter’s day on December 18, 1994.

“The Carrick Wheelers had been organising the Hamper Race for years. People treated it like the World Championships and they came from everywhere for it.

“They saw it as a chance to race with or against me and often there were other riders of the class of (Stephen) Roche, (Martin) Earley, and (Paul) Kimmage who came.

“It was an event that grew and grew.”

The route was always the same: a larger 35-kilometre loop of the lumpy Carrick-on-Suir Kilsheelan-Glenbower course followed by around half an hour of racing on an incredibly tight and technical 1200m circuit around Carrick.

The race was traditionally handicapped, meaning juniors, women, and veteran riders would be given a small headstart and the stronger categories would intermittently be released like greyhounds in pursuit. The pros — including Kelly, who himself rode over a dozen Hamper Races — were always off last.

Grant only wanted one winner though, and despite many brave juniors and veteran riders' attempts to win, they had no hope if Grant’s son-in-law still hadn’t made the catch.

Mehall Fitzgerald was one such talented junior who recalled:“It was always between myself, Brian Quin and Sean…and they always added laps until the juniors got caught. There was a vet from the UK once who must have done 10 laps before he was caught!”

The Hamper Race always attracted some of the best domestic amateurs, but when the organisers of the Tour de France felt obliged to send representation in the form of five-time Tour winner Bernard Hinault, things began to escalate.

Kelly says: “I had always done the hamper race, maybe 12 or 15 years. It was pretty normal that I would do it, but this was to be my last official race and it just gathered momentum.

“My manager, Frank Quinn, was very much involved in the organisation and when he told me President Mary Robinson was coming down for a civic reception on the Saturday evening…it got hectic and a bit crazy.”

Still months out, the promoting club suddenly had an enormous task on their hands, though promotion wasn’t one of them, as Eddy Merckx — arguably the greatest rider of all time — confirmed his attendance.

“It wasn’t a case of me ringing anyone up, they were all very eager to come along.

“The Belgian media got in on it as well. Roger de Vlaminck and Merckx were sporting icons who flew into Waterford airport on a private jet for it!

“Laurent Fignon, two Tours and a Giro, he came. Acacio di Silva, a former teammate of mine, came. Claude Criquielion, former world champion and another huge name, also came.”

It was a who’s who of world cycling, in Carrick on Suir, to say farewell to one of the best.

But before that, there was the serious business of trying to arrange the thing, and Kelly had to win of course despite having effectively stopped racing in July that year.

The weather had been mild in the days leading up to the race which helped swell entries. Previous Hamper Races had around 300 signing on but this surpassed all expectations when a staggering 1200 riders descended on the town.

“There were huge crowds,” recalled Kelly.

“Again, it was initially a small event. In the cycling world the people knew about it but then the national media got word of it so more wanted to come and race and watch it.

“So it was a bit of mayhem. The place was totally blocked for hours, people trying to get into the town, parking… people wanted to take part, getting signed on was a major problem.”

Fitzgerald, 20 at the time, contests there might not have been any sign-on.

“Dan, Lord have mercy on him, I can’t remember the sign on. I’m not sure I even had a number on my back.”

While most were happy to just be there, rubbing shoulders with the best, Fitzgerald had more ambitious plans for the day. As one of the sport’s up and coming riders he possessed a devastating sprint, and being from the area he knew the roads very well.

“I remember feeling fairly good going around the laps. We raced that circuit loads over the years so I knew it well.

“Eric Vanderaerden went up the road and I went across to him quickly but Declan Lonergan brought it back as quickly as he could.

“I had ideas about trying to win but Declan kept getting in my way.”

Ah, bike racing. Cliques and circles. Tactics and treachery.

Lonergan was a close friend and training partner of Kelly’s. He wouldn’t have the great man upstaged on his lap of honour, suggested Fitzgerald.

“Kelly and Declan always trained together in the winter. I’m fairly sure there was a deal done that Sean would win, which made perfect sense.

“I was always outside that clique, even today.”

The event rolled out under blue skies with barely a puff, and for an hour or so it was a social spin in the spirit of Christmas.

But approaching the small laps, the speed went through the roof because organisers simply had to limit the number of riders on the small, closed circuit. Kelly reckons 600 made it through.

Merckx wasn’t one of them, choosing not to get involved in hostilities.

“It was pretty hectic, mad.” resumed Kelly.

“When we got into the circuit the race was full-on, down the main street of Carrick, left down a narrow lane, over the old bridge, up a rise, left again. Plenty fellas throwing a few shapes.” By shapes, he means elbows.

“The risk is there, when you finish your career you don’t think of those things. They only come into your mind many years later.

“There might have only been a Christmas hamper at stake but guys were risking a lot for it.”

Fitzgerald and Lonergan were chief among those.

“I remember the nervous excitement coming into town when the hammer went down,” said the latter, now residing in California.

“We did the big loop and it was good banter, everyone chatting and enjoying themselves but the nervous energy went up when we were coming in the Clonmel road.

“We knew there was about eight miles into Carrick and racing was really on, everyone fighting to make the (small) circuit.

“I loved that circuit. I think I won the Hamper Race on it. I loved that left turn at the end of the main street in Carrick and every time I go home to Ireland I go and do a lap of the circuit myself just for the memories.

“I know every single inch of that road between the two bridges.”

Fitzgerald knew it too and try as he might, he couldn’t shake Lonergan from his back wheel, who was happy to bring the race to a sprint for Kelly.

And so it transpired before an audience Lonergan reckoned to be in the region of “tens of thousands”, a frenetic sprint with Kelly getting the verdict ahead of Lonergan and Fitzgerald who tangled for the remaining podium spots just behind.

“I saw a video of it lately when I was going through some old footage and it really brought back a great memory for me,” recalled Lonergan.

“I’ve been in the US for over 30 years but I still remember those races fondly.”

The race’s standing might have dwindled since those halcyon days but there has never been an event like that since, or is there likely to be one like it any time soon.

“It’s hard to believe we managed to bring a crowd of that size, RTÉ, the president, the biggest names not just in cycling but in world sport, to Carrick,” Kelly adds.

“It might have been Christmas week and off-season but I always took the Hamper Race seriously as I wanted to show the youngsters who I was.

“There wasn’t anything in the way of social media back then, so it was my chance to come home, see people too and engage with them.

“It was the perfect way to end my career, really, and it’s one of the days I still look back on with very fond memories.”