Mickey Murray will have to be up early next Monday, Boxing day 26 December. The occasion is what has become an almost annual charity cycle. For the serious bike riders there will be a short time trial, for everybody else a short spin around the area, and a bowl of Murray’s famous soup. The meeting place is on the  Lower Lough Road, beside Oxford Island from 10 AM, with the time trial start at 11.00 AM.

While the Clann Éireann organising club will likely form the bigger group of cyclists at the event, others from the Apollo and Orchard Wheelers clubs usually turn up, some to test their off season fitness, others just to shake off any excesses of Christmas Day. or to join in for a bit of the camaraderie and funmaking.

On a more serious note, secretary John News reports a likely increase  in applications for 2012 Cycling Ireland licences, with a sizeable group of new youth cyclists included, and reminds existing members to renew their registrations as soon as practicable.

Clann Éireann Cycling Club take the opportunity of wishing all members and friends, the compliments of the season. Greetings especially to those former members who are far away in places such as Canada and Australia, and who still keep in touch.

Dromara CC Trail Quest - 27th December
Round 3 of Dromara Cycling Club's Winter Trail Quests takes place on Tuesday 27 December 2011 from event headquarters at Brennan's Garage on the Newcastle Road near Seaforde. These mountain biking orienteering events are great fun for all abilities.

You can enter solo or as a team of up to 3 adults. There are two events to chose from, the main 3.5 hour event and the 2 hour one for those who just want to try out the sport and for families. One adult can have a team of 1 or 2 youth riders (age 14 or over).

At your start time you are handed a map and a clue sheet. Your team has to work together to ride out to find the markers, note down the clue and move onto the next one. There is no set order of the collection. Different markers have different points value. You need to collect as many markers as possible and return to base within the time allocated. If you return late you lose points. The later you are the more points you will lose.

These are leisure based events. There will be leisure insurance available on the day. Helmets must be worn and riders are asked to be self-sufficient with regards to carrying a pump, spare tubes, multi-tool. An emergency number will be printed onto the maps.

Dromara CC have been using these popular events to help raise funds for the club's chosen charity, the Northern Ireland Cancer fund for children and the final round it usually based from the charity's main centre at Shimna Valley.

See www.dromaracc.co.uk for more details.

Apollo New Year's Day MTB TT - 1st January
Apollo CT are determined to help everyone get the New Year off to a good start and help burn off excess calories. They are running a mountan bike time trial on New Year's day at Tannaghmore Gardens. Riders will have two runs with their best time to count. There will be no entry fee but Apollo would like you to throw a donation into the bucket for the Children's Hospice.

Children are welcome and there will be a small prize for each. The first rider will be off at 11.00am. There will be hot soup at the finish.