These are some pictures that were on negatives I dug out from old boxes in my garage. A couple of years ago I bumped into an old friend of mine Peter Morton, he told me the old pictures I had been posting on my website (IrishCycling.com) are the only coverage from those years and they are an important record for the sport. That got me thinking and I put it on my bucket list to publish what I can find in videos and pictures over the next number of years. Sadly Peter Morton passed away earlier this year, it's thanks to him that started me putting these online.
I started cycling in the early 70's, it was a time when many people used bikes as there was not much money, around. Cycling was also freedom and allowed you to see your surroundings. I joined the Les Jeunes Cycling Club in 1973, at that time the club did both cycle touring and cycle racing. The following year I started racing and raced for a few years. I got involved in the organising side of things with the club and I felt I my time was better spent there than racing. Separate to that I did a bit of photography as a hobby. During the time I was racing I was surprised that there was little or no pictures of local races, yes there were pictures of the Tour of Ireland and the Ras Tailteann but little of anything else.
Occasionally, I would take pictures at events and this is how I have a built up a collection. Then, in the early 80's I was working for a TV company and purchased a portable video recorder and camera that was a step up from pictures and I captured some video of races. Over the years the cameras got better and when time allowed I got some video or pictures.
Now many years later, in my retirement, I have more spare time and have appeared at events with a camera again. I am publishing pictures and video of cycling events to have an archive for people to see how things have changed over the years.
Pictures and Editing by Peter Purfield
Enjoy - More to follow when I have time
MORE OLD PICTURES SLIDESHOWS - click here