Carlow girl (15) raises funds for boy (4) with leukaemia through Superbike racing

A 15-year-old girl from Carlow has a passion for something that not every young girl has- Superbike racing.

Ciara Cahoon, originally born in Cape Town, South Africa, but living in Carlow began her motorcycling journey at just eight years old.

Since then, Ciara has raised 500 euro during her Superbike racing to raise money for a four-year-old boy from Carlow called Charlie.

Charlie was diagnosed with leukaemia in August and paid a visit to Ciara's house recently where he got to sit on her motorcycle and Ciara handed his parents the funds she raised for him.

A GoFundMe for Charlie is linked below for those who would like to donate.

Ciara's passion for racing grew quickly and she competed in her first event at the Rockabill Grass Track Club in Dublin, finishing 2nd overall in the championship on a KTM 85cc.

It all started when Ciara asked for a motorcycle one Christmas, after seeing her dad riding his own bike and her parents watching superbike racing on tv.

"Every day I just begged my parents that I want to race, I want to race. My mom and dad would always like watch bikes on the TV and my dad, he used to have a bike. So I just said to him like for Christmas that I want a bike. And he asked me why, I was like, I don't know, it just looks fun".

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Since then Ciara has become quite successful in her Superbike racing. In 2023, the first year of the Irish Mini Bikes competition, Ciara won the championship.

"Then I signed up for Team World Youth Academy for 2024 and I wasn't expecting to get on it.

"We went to, I think it was a Carrick Fergus bike show....and they called my name out saying I was on it....so I was very surprised".

Ciara completed the Irish Mini Bike again in 2024 and came second in the championship.

When the Team World Youth Academy race came around, Ciara finished sixth in the championship.

"And then for 2025 season, Brian Harding, he came up to me and asked if I would like to ride his bike for 2025...so this year I rode that.....I done good, really well.

"I was really happy with myself. I did crash once on it. But I did learn from my mistake. And I done really well. I was really happy. Made me confident on the bike.

"I got a really good start and I was sitting in like fourth position and around the first corner.....it's like the most scariest part because there's obviously a lot of people going into the one corner....and I was leaned in and some other guy
just went too fast and ran into me....and then I badly hurt my leg and then got sent to hospital. But luckily I didn't break anything".

"I'd like to thank obviously Team Wood, Mark Sandman for everything he's done for me. My mum and dad, of course, because they bring me to the races and they pay for everything. Brian Harding for letting me ride his bike and I'll be riding that next year again. John Wilkinson because he obviously helps with all the promotion for me. So that really helps a lot.
And then Liz, his wife, because we stay at their house sometimes and she makes us dinner".

The GoFundMe can be found here for Charlie.