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Since the early eighties, Harry Reynolds has trained pupils of the school in the skills of safe cycling. Every boy who was trained got a basic course in cycle maintenance, cycling procedures on the road, bike handling and the rules of the road. Success in this local training entitled each boy to partake in the Dublin finals of the Safe Cycling Competition. In the early years, Martin Farrelly was very unlucky not to represent Dublin City in the All-Ireland final in Athlone. Others, while not winning, have performed well, notably Andrew Campbell (second place) and a host of boys in the 1988 Millenium competition. In fact, St. David's was chosen as the venue for the earlier rounds of that years' competition.

New Competition
In 1991 cycling was brought to a new level. For the first time, the Dublin winners would have a chance to compete at European level at a competition called The European Capital Cities' Cup.
This brought intense excitement and determination to the pupils to be among the winners. Every year from 1991 onwards, with the exception of 1997, the European finalists were automatically chosen from the first and second-placed cyclists in the Dublin final.
Every year, with the exception of 1997, St. David's B.N.S. produced both finalists for the European finals. This is a record not matched by any other school.

What happened in 1997?
Due, no doubt, to the domination of St. David's pupils in the competition to date, it was decided by the Dublin organisers, to draw the names from a hat! Fortunately, Declan Lohan's name was drawn. Thus 1997 became the only year that St. David's did not have two pupils travelling to European competition. While it can be said that pupils were not picked on merit, Declan was one of our better cyclists that year and went on Amsterdam to help the Dublin team achieve Second Place.

What a performance at European Level!
In brief, pupils from the school have achieved the highest honours. In 1991, the first European Final, the team was third. At only the second European final, Paul O'Connor and Brian Clancy came home as Team Winners for Dublin. Again in 1997, the team of Declan Lohan and Kevin Dunne (from St. Joseph's, Terenure) was second. Twice the competition was held in Dublin. It is a rule of the competition that the host cyclists can only participate but not claim any prize - unfortunate for our excellent cyclists of 1994 and 1998.
There was also a moped competition every year and as time went by, our cyclists became our past pupils and progressed in secondary school to the moped competition. Derek O'Connor and Brendan Daly represented Dublin and not surprisingly came home with the prizes also!! Derek won the competition in 1997.

A Roll of Honour

1991 Paris Fergal Campbell (5th) and Glen Kearney (6th)

1992 Lisbon Robert O'Halloran and Dermot Carroll Team 3rd

1993 Brussels Paul O'Connor and Brian Clancy Winners

1994 Dublin Marc Barry and Kenneth O'Sullivan Hosts

1995 Luxembourg Vance Hennessy and Stephen McCormack Team 4th

1996

1997 Amsterdam Declan Lohan Team 2nd

1998 Dublin John Altendorf and Brendan FitzGerald Hosts
A Reflection by the teacher, Mr. Reynolds.

I have been very lucky to train many excellent cyclists over the years. Their determination and enthusiasm made it a memorable and enjoyable experience. They brought me places I would probably not have visited.
We thought it fantastic when Fergal and Glen qualified for Paris in 1991. When we got two more to qualify in 1992, we felt it could never happen again. So I went with Robert and Dermot to Lisbon, thanks to some generous sponsorship by the school. We were treated with the greatest of honour as representatives of Dublin by the hosts. From the moment we arrived we were accompanied by a guide and interpreter; the best of food was served; the sites were seen; the accommodation was comfortable for boys and more comfortable for teachers; the entertainment was enjoyable and many friendships were made.
Competition was nerve-wracking for pupils and teachers. It only seemed a tiny part of a fabulous few days.
It was the same every time I went. I also travelled to Luxembourg and Amsterdam. I kept a log of the Amsterdam visit. The itinerary should give you some idea of what a wonderful experience it must have been for the St. David's boys, who represented Dublin in the European Capital Cities'Cup.

Amsterdam, 1997.
European Capital Cities' Cup
for Road Safety.

Itinerary:

25/4/97 07.00 Leave Dublin Airport
11.00 Arrive in Novotel Hotel, Amsterdam.
11.30 Quick look around Amstelveen and Amsterdam.
18.30 Official welcome for all the teams, followed by dinner, at which a choir sang a selection of lovely songs. Draw for order of competition.

26/4/97 07.30 Breakfast
09.00 Obstacle Competition
11.30 Theory Test
13.00 Lunch in Competition Centre.
14.00 Tram tour of the city.
15.00 Free in Dam Square for shopping.
17.00 Arrive at Police Headquarters for Dinner.
18.45 Visit Ajax Stadium, see American Football Match and have a tour of the Stadium

27/4/97 07.30 Breakfast
09.00 Obstacle competition.
13.00 Canal tour of the city, packed lunch provided.
15.00 Visit traditional Dutch Village at Zaanse Schans, see clog-making, windmills, etc.
17.00 Holland Experience - a multimedia experience of Holland.
18.00 Back to hotel to prepare for awards ceremony.
19.00 Informal dinner at the Breugelhouse, artistes (musicians, face- painters, cut throat-razor barbers, witches) floating among the tables. Winners announced and awards given between courses.

The result: Cycling: Declan Lohan - 9th. Kevin Dunne - 11th.
Moped: Derek O'Connor - 1st. Ciaran Kelly - 11th.
Team Position: Dublin - 2nd. Stockholm - 1st.

The party continued back at the hotel until the early hours!

28/4/97 14.45 Return to Dublin Airport.