Leitrim Cycling Festival comes to Keshcarrigan

Leitrim Cycling Festival is a free, family-friendly festival held during Bike Week and will be hosted in Keshcarrigan from May 17-19.

Each year, the festival moves to a different town or village and is organised by a small group of volunteers in collaboration with each local community. 

The festival aims to celebrate cycling, communities and the beautiful county of Leitrim in Ireland’s hidden heartlands.

Keshcarrigan is a small village in south Leitrim nestled between the hills of Sheebeg, the Ballinamore canal and the lakes of Keshcarrigan and Lough Scur.

As festival organiser Jo Sachs-Eldridge, said: “Some years ago a sunny spring cycle brought me to the village of Keshcarrigan. A memory of lakes, hills and a quirky beer garden perched above the canal stayed with me. So this year, we wondered whether that lovely village might be a possible host for the Leitrim Cycling Festival. And what an absolute hidden gem it has turned out to be.”

The festival organisers contacted the Keshcarrigan Development Association, a very active group that includes members of all the local businesses, GAA, and other community groups. Even prior to their first official meeting, the group had already made plans for the camping, music sessions, community cycle, and so much more. 

Keshcarrigan Development Association have continued throughout the months of organising to be welcoming, proactive, full of great ideas and enthusiasm and an integral part of curating this year’s festival programme.

As Patrick McGreevy, chairperson of the Keshcarrigan Development Association, put it, “What motivates us is the smile factor; we want people to come again and to tell their friends and family all that Keshcarrigan has to offer.”

This year’s programme includes many of the annual festival highlights including the community cycle and picnic, the launch lap, music, art workshops and of course the much-loved slow bicycle race. 

In addition, you will find many events unique to Keshcarrigan, such as the free boat tours of Lough Scur thanks to the Shannon Queen, Astrokids play time, a workshop with local author Maria Hoey, a heritage cycle and treasure hunt, and the Kiltubrid Pipe Band leading the launch lap.

This year’s festival is also during National Biodiversity Week, and thanks to funding from the Irish Environmental Network, the programme includes an event celebrating the cultural and social value of the hawthorn tree with the Leitrim Hawthorn Project.

All events are free thanks to the sponsors BikeWeek, Leitrim County Council, Leitrim Sports Partnership, BikeWeek and the Irish Environmental Network.