The rise of Lucan CRC to become one of Ireland’s top domestic teams

Dublin club Lucan CRC have this year emerged as one of the strongest domestic teams in Ireland and it’s a result of some hard work that has gone on in the background over the past number of years by both riders and other club members.

The long-established club in west Dublin with over 150 members and great racing pedigree over the last 30 years has been ramping it up over the last few years with great success at both senior and junior level.

So far this year, Lucan CRC riders have taken top-ten placings in the Shay Elliott Memorial, Des Hanlon Memorial, Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, Tour of Ulster and the Visit Nenagh Classic in addition to victories in the Tour of Ards and the Boyne GP.

Despite not having a team in the An Post Rás this year, three riders from the club are currently contesting the race. Ronan Killeen has lined up with Dublin Friends First St Tiernan’s while both Conn McDunphy and Dermot Trulock are racing in the colours of Donegal Voodoo Performance.

Club stalwart Shay Murphy explained how the change in strategy within the club arose and how working with one of Ireland’s most respected coaches was one of the supports that the club have provided.

“About four years ago, we were lucky enough to have five or six top quality senior riders and five young lads about to start riding at junior level and then the calls came from the big teams looking for the riders,” says Murphy.

“This frustrated me and we sat down as a committee to see what could be done to change this. We came up with a plan. It wasn’t to offer free stuff or anything like that. It was to put support in place and structure for the riders. One of the first things we did was coaching, and Paddy Doran was brought on board to give us a hand setting up both a junior and senior programme.

“This proved to be very successful with a junior team competing well in two Junior Tours of Ireland and gaining several wins on the road over the seasons along with a senior team riding the Rás and finishing as well as winning several stage and one day races over the two seasons.

“The next thing needed was support at the races so we bought the team car. The results kept coming and we’ve ended up with two of the brightest up-and-coming riders in Ireland at the moment in Conn McDunphy and Dermot Trulock.
Realising we had to step it up again, one of the club’s founders and main sponsor Jimmy Stagg (Stagg Cycles) came up with the goods and will supply bikes and spares to the elite team as well as support to our junior team.”

Murphy feels that it’s important that the riders stay part of the club system and train with other club members to help raise the level throughout the club and be in a position to provide advice to younger riders.

“Unlike other teams, our lads are all local both senior and junior and train with the club week in week out,” says Murphy. “The plan will be to develop the lads over the coming years and you never know we could have the next Eddie Dunbar in here but most importantly they’ll have some fun along the way. None of this can happen without the support of the club members and sponsors who take great pride in seeing all these lads develop and achieve there goals.”