Club Honours 2008

To preface this year's awards, let us first introduce the renaming of the Club's highest award:

The Brian Lennon Memorial Club Rider of the Year

Brian Lennon joined UCD CC’s FIC team in 1996/97 having previously helped UCD win the 1996 Inter-varsity Road Race Team Championships by claiming an individual bronze medal.

In 1997, the 1st Category rider won both the Newbridge GP and Stage 2 of the Dublin Bus 5-day and was runners-up in another three - the Beggan Trophy, the Dick Comerford Memorial and the M.E.R. League race at Ballymun. He won a bronze medal in the M.E.R. RR Championship and took the Overall Runners-Up spot in the M.E.R. League. He finished an incredible 6th in both the Senior Road Race Championship and the National Under-23 Championship a week later. Brian finished the season ranked 8th in the country and was unanimously voted ‘Club Rider of the Year’ for 1996/97. He received a Sports Achievements Award from UCD’s Sports Governing Body for his exploits and served as Club Captain the following year. He was posthumously inducted into the Club’s ‘Hall of Fame’ in 2007.

Sadly Brian passed away in 2004. His funeral mass was packed with his former UCDCC team mates and his peers from the wider cycling community who were present to show their final respects to a rider whose performances and attitude did much to enhance the reputation of the Club as well as promoting the sport in general. It was Brian’s endearing, genuine, easy going personality that will live in the memory of those who had the pleasure of knowing him and it was fitting that the Club’s top award was renamed in his honour in 2007.



Brian Lennon Memorial Club Rider of the Year: Cait Elliott

The Irish National XC Championships were held in Kilruddery in July and it turned out to be a memorable day for the Club when Cait Elliot improved on her bronze medal from last season to capture UCD’s first ever National Open Mountainbiking title.

A month later, sporting her new National Champion’s jersey, Cait added to her palmares by winning the Irish XC Marathon National Championships.

She was runner-up in the Cross Country National Points Series losing out on the top spot by the narrowest of margins.

Cait received due recognition from her peers of her exceptional performances over the past year at the Cycling Ireland Membership Awards where she was voted ‘Best domestic based female senior rider’, which was a fantastic honour for both herself and the Club.

Cait Elliott, in winning both the Senior National Championships she contested, is this year’s ‘Brian Lennon Memorial Rider of the Year’.


Special Achievement Award: Anthony Walsh

Anthony Walsh’s season got off to an impressive start as he finished fifth overall in the Inter-varsity Road Race Championships in what was a very competitive and large field helping the team to a podium position. 

Anthony continued to place highly in races, most notably when he finished runner-up in the 3rd category Des Hanlon Memorial in Carlow. He and 5th in both Balbriggan and in the Stamullen GP and was promoted to a second category rider as a result. Later in the season, he finished 7th in the Stephen Roche Grand Prix.

He took to track racing with ease during the latter half of the season and recording a 6th place finish in the National 4km Pursuit Championships in what was remarkably his first ever pursuit effort. The promise he has shown on the track has seen him recently called up for the testing phase for the National team.

Anthony Walsh claimed a highly commendable bronze medal as an S2 category rider in the Leinster Time Trial Championships and this, allied with the inspiration he gave to the men’s road section throughout the season, makes him a deserving winner of the Club’s ‘Special Achievement Award’.


Mountainbiking Achievement Award: Oisin Boydell

The 2007/2008 season saw the longest serving competitive member the Club, Oisin Boydell, assume the Captaincy. He began his season in the Sports category but was quickly promoted after a string of fine performances. He adapted quickly to the increased standard of the Expert category and was crowned the overall winner of the Cross Country K-Capital Cup series.

Oisín put in a tremendous effort in the Expert category at the National XC Championships and was deservedly rewarded with a silver medal.

He climbed one step higher on the podium at the end of the XC Marathon National Championships by winning his category in fine style.

He competed with distinction in the Cross Country National Points Series, the final round of which took place in Castlewellan in September. Oisín saw off strong opposition to claim yet another NPS win and was crowned the overall series champion.

2007/08 Club Scholarship student, Oisin Boydell, is this years ‘Mountainbiking Achievement Award’ winner.


Ladies Achievement Award: Louise Moriarty

Louise Moriarty, began the season with the realistic target of becoming the first UCD CC rider to qualify for an Olympic event and in that regard much of her season was concentrated overseas.

Her road season started brightly as she inspired the ladies team to victory in the All-Ireland Inter-varsity Road Championships for the second successive year. Louise comfortably won both the time trial and the road race titles as she easily claimed the overall individual crown.

Louise completed a remarkable clean sweep on the track in Sundrive Road by claiming the National 500m, 3km Pursuit, Points and Scratch titles.

She also won silver and bronze medals at the National Time Trial and National Road Race Championships respectively.

She further demonstrated her road pedigree by dominating the Rás na mBan international stage race. Not only did the Sports Scholarship student top the overall and points classifications, she also claimed the opening two stages of the 3 day event.

She went on to represent Ireland & UCD CC with distinction in the World Road Race Championships in Varesa, Italy in September.

2006/07 UCD CC Rider of the Year, Louise Moriarty, is a very deserving victor of this year’s ‘Ladies Achievement Award’.


Club Volunteer of the Year Award: Rob Higgins

Rob Higgins created the Club e-mailing lists and blog-style website in 2006/2007 in his capacity as web co-ordinator, and he has maintained and managed them to this day. The blog allow for the easy updating of news items and results whereas the mailing lists have become the main channel of communication amongst members.

Rob, who acted as Club PRO in 2007/08, was also instrumental in organising and ensuring the smooth running of the introductory mountainbiking sessions. He has provided transport for members and sacrificed many hours of his personal time to ensure that the Club bikes were available to riders by delivering them to those who wanted to use them. He also looked after much of the maintenance of these bikes which, due to harsh off-road conditions, was a considerable workload in itself.

Rob has also competed for the Club and is forever encouraging new members to try out racing for the first time.

Rob Higgins is the inaugural winner of the UCD Cycling Club Volunteer of the Year Award.


Awards Photos:


Former Captain Noel Mc Glynn (left) receiving his Hall of Fame Award from Club founding member Cormac Ó Dubhthaigh.

Former Captain Dermot O'Dwyer (left) receiving his Hall of Fame Award from the Club's founding member of the Mountaining section Brendan Kiilbride.

Louise Moriarty is awarded the Ladies Achievement Award from Niamh Stephens.

Oisín Boydell is presented with the Mountanbike Award by Club Vice-President, Brendan Kilbride.

Club President, Maoilíosa Ó Dubhthaigh hands the Special Achievement Award to Anthony Walsh.

2008 Club Captain Oisín Boydell presents the Brian Lennon Memorial Rider of the Year Award to Cait Elliott.

National Champions, Louise Moriarty & Cait Elliott show off their national jerseys.

National Champions, Louise Moriarty & Cait Elliott are joined by K-Capital XC Series Champion Oisín Boydell.

Former Captains and team mates Noel McGlynn and Cormac Ó Dubhthaigh take time to chat about days gone by.

Mountainbiking gurus Dermot O'Dwyer and Brendan Kilbride get snapped by the camera!

Bonus pic: Mil riding the 2006 Etape de Tour (stage 18 of the Tour de France - 189kms from Gap to Alpe d'Heuz)