I met Marcus around 2008 when we started covering the off-road part of the sport, and ones you met this bearded fellow you instantly will like him…a lover of the sport with a very pleasant habit…The love for real ales and Belgian beers combined with good food…Marcus is also a competitor at the CX league in Ulster, and despite not be a winner of races, but someone who just enjoy the pain and craic of competing, he would be more photographed than the ones in front of him. He also one of the organising committee members of the annual CX of Shimna Wheelers at Donard Park in Newcastle each year. But let Marcus introduce himself: “Well, I suppose I should start with a confession. I’m not the greatest photographer or cyclist on this island or even close. However from the early 80’s I’ve always been interested in mainly Road Racing, just as a spectator. At that time I really only played golf competitively (for my handicap) and rode my bike occasionally for exercise. It wasn’t until much later that I joined Shimna Wheelers and started riding more frequently, due to a shoulder injury preventing me from playing golf. I had always done club Time Trials but never Road Racing and it was through coaching the Rockets that I decided to start racing bikes. Cross country and then Cyclocross (which I fell in love with) and only recently Road through Newry Wheeler’s club league. It is the family atmosphere that I love, especially the Ulster Cyclocross that I mainly ride in, run by the wonderful Martin Grimley and aided by Lisa and Jim most weeks. Enough cannot be said for all the volunteers in every sport, true heroes behind the scenes. I forgot to thank you and Margaret, David and Jerome for all the wonderful work you do for Irish Cycling. Anyway, as usual, I have sidetracked, but as most of you that do know me (3 or 4 I suppose), this is a daily, sometimes hourly occurrence. I think it was my 40th Birthday that my family bought me a decent camera and since then I’ve basically been taking shots of most cycling events I can get to. From club TT’s to Sportives to local Road Racing to National Championships to World Championships. I have tried to select a few shots that I haven’t posted before. I hope you enjoy them” Thanks so much for the kind words towards us in the project…we appreciate Marcus input in this series and certainly, the love for cycling is portraited very much in his photos. (Feature photo a collage from David Mc Veigh’s photos of Marcus)
