P O'Brien

  • A Family Affair

    There must be something in the water in the Murnane household, with both races this week won by the emerging riders. Seán Murnane won a aggressive race on Wednesday, while Conor Murnane came out on top from a more negative competition on Thursday. All the action below, including videos of both finishes!

  • A self-reliant Raid

    After successfully topping the Leisure participation competition for 2015, Eugène Dillon was presented with his winner's jersey last Saturday night. Below, he recounts sealing the win with his independent attack on the Raid Pyrénéen.

  • A tight TTT and fastman Fionn

    The TTT round of the league went down to the wire this year, with only six seconds separating the top two teams after the handicaps were applied, while the hill climb championships were even tighter, Fionn Sheridan winning by less than a second from Brian McArdle.

  • An Post Rás 2015

    In late May, an Orwell Wheelers team of Tom Blennerhassett, Neal Hudson, Brian McArdle, Dick O'Brien and guest rider Michael Butler took to the start line of the 2015 An Post Rás. Ably assisted by soigneurs Mary Brady and Aishling Brady, mechanic Fionn Sheridan and managed by DS Pat O'Brien, they began an eight day trial that would test their physical and mental limits!

  • Andersons opens his account!

    There was plenty of Orwell action across the plains of Meath and the hills of Carlow at the weekend, with Valdis Andersons winning a bunch sprint for 2nd, Tom Blennerhassett in the mix again, and a great showing for the women with Aideen Keenan, Monica Marconi and Claire McEntee all taking home prizes. Read on!

  • Blair and Brendan both beat big bunches

    Further along the age categories the seniors have been holding their own, with several big results in the last ten days. The A4s have enjoyed a great week's racing. Earlier last week, in the Boyne GP and St Patrick's Day race, Garry Blair and Brendan Lawless scored two smashing A4 victories, and Paul Kane took 4th in the latter. Lawless then earned his A3 upgrade with 3rd at the Des Hanlon, while Neal Hudson took an unplaced A2 prize. There were also two Orwells in the top ten for the women - Michelle Geoghegan and Brianne Mulvihill.

  • Blazing saddles

    Ahead of tomorrow's Shay Elliot classic, we've put together an account of one of the other tough events of the Irish calendar - the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan. This year the riders were blessed by blazing sunshine for three of the four days, with standout rides from Aidan Collins and Eric Downey, though many of the Orwell contingent's chances were scuppered by crashes. Read on for all the details!

  • Brian brings home the bacon

    The first full handicap of the league saw Scratch dominate the placings despite a concerted Limit effort to stay away, with Brian Ahern taking the win from Patrick O'Brien.

  • Brian McArdle: Man of the Rás 2015

    Our league winner for 2015, Brian McArdle, collected his trophy on Saturday night after 21 weeks of trying to fend off the Murnane brothers. Earlier this year he undertook his first Rás, and we finally published his account below.

  • Bumper Haul for Bank Holiday!

    The June bank holiday saw Orwell riders in action both on the track and on the road, in racing and leisure, with two standout performances in Isabel Cogan's excellent victory at the Boyne GP, and Brian McArdle's superb stage win in the Rás Dhún na nGall. Plenty of other Orwell riders scooped prizes, most notably Orla Hendron who was second overall at the Duane Delaney GP.

  • Déjà vu

    The last two rounds of the club league had a eerily familiar feel to them, with Brian McArdle taking a fine solo win at Mondello last week, and Dick O'Brien and Aideen Keenan demolishing their respective fields in the 10TT Championships last night. Conor Murnane was also crowned Junior 10TT Champion - the first time that title has been awarded in a quarter-century.

  • Dick delivers despite deluge

    At Pine Forest last night, all eyes were on Dick O’Brien and Tom Blennerhassett after their recent Rás Mhaigh Eo showings, and they duly did their duty and delivered despite a dismal Dublin deluge dampening their deeds.

  • English earns insane Dunsany triple, McEntee grabs gold

    On the same day that Marcel Kittel sprinted to victory in Belfast, our own Bernard English did the same a little further south. Mark Mulcahy and Eamon Finn also placed at Dunsany, while earlier in the week Claire McEntee chalked up a superb time in Dundalk to take the Leinster 10TT title.

  • Fastest Dick in the East!

    An early evening deluge cleared for a perfect night's testing, as Dick O'Brien sealed another club championship in the face of stiff competition from Brian McArdle. Aideen Keenan took top honours for the women, while Sean Murnane and Naoise Sheridan set records for their categories.

    Update: now with photo link.

  • Fionn's fast finish delivers in Donegal!

    The June bank holiday marks the first long weekend of the summer, and this year marked the first edition of the Deenside Cup in Kilkenny. Ciara Kinch, Aideen Keenan, Rachael Kaye-Mellor and Bryan Geary all came away with prizes, while in the north-west of the country, an Orwell contingent was ripping up Glengesh, with a star turn from newly minted sprinter Fionn Sheridan.

  • Good hard filthy ride for Dick

    It was a week for the testers, as the Club 10TT Champs clashed with the Nationals, with some outstanding results in both - Dick O'Brien dominating the former, and Claire McEntee setting a blistering time in the latter. Corkagh Park saw first a Horan haul, then an Orwell clean sweep, while three of the men completed the National Road Race Champs on Sunday.

  • Hamper Race 2014

    The results are in from the annual hamper race, with Conor Murnane capping a very successful 2014 by bringing home a basket full of fine goods. Freddie Stevens won the Devil race, while Ann Horan topped the costume competition! Full results and report inside!

  • Magic McArdle makes it in Mondello

    A gorgeous evening in Mondello for the Club Champs saw Brian McArdle solo to victory, with defending champ Darragh Long coming in ahead of Brian Ahern at the front of the bunch.

  • McArdle makes the most of it

    The first 10TT of the club league saw a new course record from overall winner Brian McArdle, and some other great performances and new PBs across the field.

  • Men's racing round-up

    Two weeks have passed since the Easter stage races, and as well as Conor Murnane's sprints there, the club have been picking up prizes since. Conor and younger brother Seán both featured in Stamullen, along with Jules Cantwell. And this weekend in Drogheda, Paul Kane, Garry Blair and Dick O'Brien all took home envelopes. Full details below!