Former rugby league internationals, sponsors and fans headed to Ireland in June for a challenging cycling adventure along the Wild Atlantic Way, raising funds for RL Cares.
AS HE reached the summit of the spectacular Healy Pass in the Caha mountains on Ireland’s Beara Peninsula, Adrian Morley slumped over his bike’s handlebars and grinned.
With sweat dripping from a glistening brow, his cycling jersey unzipped and a slight tremor shaking his weary legs, the rugby league legend’s thoughts were of a different physical challenge, one that he tackled weekly throughout a distinguished playing career in England and Australia.
“That was good, really good,” he beamed as other breathless members of the annual fundraising cycle ride organised by Rugby League Cares pulled up alongside him to admire the stunning views that lay all around.
Behind them was the wild and rugged Atlantic coast, which they had negotiated in the previous two days, while ahead stood the formidable MacGillicuddy’s Reeks, the highest mountain range in Ireland and over which they had to make their way that afternoon to reach an overnight stay in Killarney.
“Four miles up, but what goes up must come down and I can’t wait for the descent,” said the former Leeds, Sydney Roosters, Bradford, Warrington, Salford, England and Great Britain forward who was taking part in his third cycling challenge for RL Cares.
Having ridden from Niagara Falls to New York city in 2022 and crossed the whole of France via the Pyrenees in 2023, Morley was always going to go back for more.
“I would never describe myself as a cyclist – I keep telling myself I ought to train more for these rides only for life to get in the way – but I love taking part, for lots of reasons,” said the RL Hall of Fame inductee.
“Being an ex-player, I know what a fantastic charity RL Cares is and how important their work in the community is, and that’s the reason I put myself through this torture every year.
“Hopefully we’ll raise a lot of money from taking on this challenge as well.
“It really is hard work. Anyone who thinks we’re just here on a jolly is mistaken. They’re tough days but very enjoyable.
“In lots of ways the rides replicate the feeling you get being on tour. You put in a big shift through the day, helping each other get to the end, and then you sit back with your team-mates and have a couple of friendly beers, telling a few stories and having lots of laughs. They’re always great trips.”
This year’s ride, the Wild Atlantic Adventure, also featured retired rugby league internationals Gareth Ellis, Nathan McAvoy, Bob Beswick and Andrea Dobson, one of the most respected players in the history of women’s rugby league.
There were also distinguished riders from rugby union, including former Ireland international Niall Woods, ex-Leinster and Harlequins scrum-half Simon Keogh and ex-Ulster half-back Paul Marshall.
Keogh and Marshall both work with Rugby Players Ireland, which represent union players in both Northern Ireland and the Republic, and delivers much of the same wellbeing and welfare support that RL Cares does to league players in the UK and France.
The ride provided an opportunity to further develop an already strong relationship between two organisations who share best practice via regular contact between their senior officers.
The 2024 Wild Atlantic Adventure began in Cork with an 80-mile (130km) ride which wound its way along sleepy country lanes through quiet rural villages to a lunch stop on the coast at Courtmacsherry, where the brother and nephew of RL Cares chairman Tim Adams MBE run a hotel and holiday business. The rolling nature of the terrain quickly found out the riders whose derrieres weren’t as familiar with bike saddles as they should have been. Capucine Auger, who plays prop for Sheffield Eagles women, rode through gritted teeth from mid-morning, but battled bravely on, the stunning location providing plenty of distractions from her discomfort.
After lunch with the Adams family, the riders headed south to their hotel at Skibbereen, hugging the coast along a series of secluded bays and picturesque harbours with stops at the picture postcard Warren beach near Rosscarbery, and Drombeg Stone Circle, a 2,000-year-old ancient ring of 17 standing stones.
For Dobson, who now heads the Sheffield Eagles charity foundation, the opening day was as tough as she expected, not least because the distance was more than she’d cycled in the two years since having her second baby two years ago.
“I’m in a world of pain!” she exclaimed. “The pain in my knee is horrendous and the only saving grace is that I’m going so slow I can take in the amazing scenery.
“I know from the work RL Cares does delivering Offload in Sheffield what an important difference they make, and that’s why I’m here. A lot of people have sponsored me, and I’m very grateful for their support, but I know a lot of other people would give good money to see my suffer, and if they’re reading this, I hope they give plenty of that good money to RL Cares because there’s no shortage of suffering taking place!”
Day 2 revealed the truly wild nature of the Atlantic coast as the riders ventured out to the windswept Mizen Head, the most southerly point of mainland Ireland, before crossing the craggy Sheep’s Head peninsula on their way to Bantry.
With almost 150 miles and 10,000ft of elevation already in their legs, the riders left Bantry on Saturday morning for the most testing day of the ride: the ascent of Healy Pass and the climb over the mountains into Killarney via the Gap of Dunloe.
If the views on the coast had been special, the vista dial was turned up to 11 as the route plotted a breathtaking – often literally – course through the Kerry countryside.
A sharp corner on the final twisting mountain descent caught some of the riders unawares, with Gareth Ellis hitting the deck and Bob Beswick leaping head-first over his handlebars into a hedgerow to avoid him. Fortunately, both came off reasonably unscathed and were able to finish a special day which will live long in the memory for all the riders.
The day ended with a visit to Killarney RU club, which kindly hosted a barbecue for the riders who were able to watch youngsters take part in an X-League session overseen by former Oldham and Great Britain player, Des Foy.
The visit provided an opportunity for the RL Lions Association to present Des with his Lions tie and pin badge, 40 years after his involvement in the 1984 Great Britain tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Ellis, who spent six months working with RL Cares after leaving Hull FC last year before returning to the Super League club in the spring, admitted to feeling a little sore the next morning but while his crash had removed some skin, it took none of the gloss off his involvement in the ride.
“It’s been a fantastic experience for all kinds of reasons: the challenge, the banter with former international team-mates and players, and the time getting to know other riders from sponsors like Howorth Air Tech,” said Ellis.
“RL Cares works so hard not just to support players but supporters and people at companies like Howorth through its delivery of health programmes such as Offload, and the bike ride provides a unique opportunity for players, sponsors and fans to come together. It’s a very special event.”
After three days of dry, often sunny weather, the rain moved in on the morning of the final day as the riders headed north out of Killarney to join the Limerick Greenway, a traffic-free cycle route which led them towards the outskirts of Limerick and the finish at the International Rugby Experience, a new museum in the city centre.
Crossing the finish line proved to be a special moment for James Elston, whose company, Boiler Central, had been the principal sponsor of the Wild Atlantic Adventure.
Elston, who had a nine-year professional career with Dewsbury, York and Rochdale before a spell as Chief Operating Officer at Wakefield Trinity, is one of only two people to ride every single mile of every RL Cares cycling challenge since the first Ride to Wembley in 2017.
“It was a tough, but hugely fulfilling experience, as they always are,” said Elston. “Each year offers something very, very different and each one is just as challenging and hard as the one before.
“It’s always great to complete the challenge but at the same time there’s an element of sadness because the rides bring everyone together into a tight-knit group and you always make friends for life.
“More importantly, we’ve raised more money for RL Cares, a charity which deserves all our support.”
Bob Beswick, Ireland Rugby League’s second most-capped player who now works as Wellbeing Programmes Manager at RL Cares, was in reflective mood as he pushed his bike onto the support vehicle for the last time in Limerick.
The Wild Atlantic Adventure had been his first long-distance ride and he had started Day 1 with some reservations about how enjoyable four days in the saddle would be.
“Genuinely, it’s one of the best experiences of my life,” said the former Leigh, Halifax, Widnes and Toronto forward, who was taking part as the nominated rider for top law firm and RL Cares partners, Slater Heelis.
“The scenery has been stunning, the camaraderie and the feeling of working together with each other has just been outstanding.
“My legs are feeling it but if I ever get the chance to do it again, I won’t hesitate. And that’s something I wasn’t sure I’d be saying four days ago!”
RL Cares is currently finalising plans for another exciting cycling challenge in 2025: details of where, when and how to take part will be revealed in the next few weeks.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 499 (August 2024)
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