Cllr Butler hosts Dundalk’s first Bike Light event to promote road safety

Dundalk saw a great turnout for its first-ever Bike Light event, hosted by Green Party Councillor, Marianne Butler. The event, aimed at promoting road safety awareness and equipping cyclists with essential safety gear, was a great success, with over 120 rechargeable bike lights distributed and many fitted on-site.

Cyclists also received hi-vis vests, armbands, and backpack covers to improve their visibility on the roads. A very grateful Cllr Butler stated: “A huge thank you to all who came along and supported this initiative. Promoting safe cycling is a priority for us in Dundalk, and it was great to see so many people coming together for this event.”

Cllr Butler said that the event was made possible through the efforts of key partners, including Ciara from the Road Safety Authority; Adrian, Louth County Council’s road safety officer; Paul, and all the members of the Louth Disability Cycling Club.

She added that special thanks go to Garda Darragh Prior and Olympic medallist Garda Eve McCrystal for their presence, as well as to Gerry from DKIT Students’ Union; Trish, the DKIT student health nurse; Deputy Principal John Carraher from O'Fiaich College; and local cycling advocates, Ollan, Sean, and Tony from the Dundalk Cycling Alliance. Gareth from Cyclopath also played a crucial role in supporting this event.

“Cycling safety as we go into winter and long dark nights is hugely important", Cllr Butler commented. "Not everyone knows how to keep themselves safe and visible but events like this raise that awareness. We want our cyclists to be safe. We want our drivers to see them and take notice of them, and for everyone to safely get around Dundalk this winter.” 

The success of Dundalk’s first Bike Light event demonstrates Dundalk's commitment to road safety, the Green Party councillor added, and says she looks forward to building on this momentum with more initiatives to support cyclists and road users in Dundalk and Louth.