D O'Brien

  • A tight TTT and fastman Fionn

    The TTT round of the league went down to the wire this year, with only six seconds separating the top two teams after the handicaps were applied, while the hill climb championships were even tighter, Fionn Sheridan winning by less than a second from Brian McArdle.

  • An Post Rás 2015

    In late May, an Orwell Wheelers team of Tom Blennerhassett, Neal Hudson, Brian McArdle, Dick O'Brien and guest rider Michael Butler took to the start line of the 2015 An Post Rás. Ably assisted by soigneurs Mary Brady and Aishling Brady, mechanic Fionn Sheridan and managed by DS Pat O'Brien, they began an eight day trial that would test their physical and mental limits!

  • Bon Bourdarias!

    Philippe Bourdarias spearheaded a seven man Orwell team at the Gorey 3 Day over the Easter weekend, which saw the fast Frenchman bag a brace of placings and a top 20 overall position.

  • Brian brings home the bacon

    The first full handicap of the league saw Scratch dominate the placings despite a concerted Limit effort to stay away, with Brian Ahern taking the win from Patrick O'Brien.

  • Brian McArdle: Man of the Rás 2015

    Our league winner for 2015, Brian McArdle, collected his trophy on Saturday night after 21 weeks of trying to fend off the Murnane brothers. Earlier this year he undertook his first Rás, and we finally published his account below.

  • Déjà vu

    The last two rounds of the club league had a eerily familiar feel to them, with Brian McArdle taking a fine solo win at Mondello last week, and Dick O'Brien and Aideen Keenan demolishing their respective fields in the 10TT Championships last night. Conor Murnane was also crowned Junior 10TT Champion - the first time that title has been awarded in a quarter-century.

  • Dick delivers despite deluge

    At Pine Forest last night, all eyes were on Dick O’Brien and Tom Blennerhassett after their recent Rás Mhaigh Eo showings, and they duly did their duty and delivered despite a dismal Dublin deluge dampening their deeds.

  • Double Dutch and Masterful Murnane

    Mark Holland made it two in a row by following up his 2nd place last week with a fine win at the head of a bunch sprint in Corkagh on Wednesday, while yesterday Conor Murnane claimed his latest result from a three man sprint. All the action below!

  • Fastest Dick in the East!

    An early evening deluge cleared for a perfect night's testing, as Dick O'Brien sealed another club championship in the face of stiff competition from Brian McArdle. Aideen Keenan took top honours for the women, while Sean Murnane and Naoise Sheridan set records for their categories.

    Update: now with photo link.

  • Gaps galore for Gilchrist and McArdle

    Two full handicap road races over two weeks saw two winners take to the line with clear gaps over the bunch. The difference in the size of the gaps was substantial, as Scott Gilchrist's race-long solo break last night ended two minutes ahead of the chasers, while Brian McArdle's late attack last week gave him just enough for a comfortable victory.

  • Good hard filthy ride for Dick

    It was a week for the testers, as the Club 10TT Champs clashed with the Nationals, with some outstanding results in both - Dick O'Brien dominating the former, and Claire McEntee setting a blistering time in the latter. Corkagh Park saw first a Horan haul, then an Orwell clean sweep, while three of the men completed the National Road Race Champs on Sunday.

  • Men's racing round-up

    Two weeks have passed since the Easter stage races, and as well as Conor Murnane's sprints there, the club have been picking up prizes since. Conor and younger brother Seán both featured in Stamullen, along with Jules Cantwell. And this weekend in Drogheda, Paul Kane, Garry Blair and Dick O'Brien all took home envelopes. Full details below!

  • Minty McArdle and Brilliant Barry

    With the league now done and dusted, we dip back into the final two rounds - Brian McArdle's ascendency on Kilmashogue, and Sean Barry's victory in Glencullen.

  • Mollaghan and Maher make mincemeat of A4s!

    Two races in early September saw two A4 performances of note - one a regular racer, the other almost a complete novice. David Maher got his long-overdue upgrade to A3 with a 3rd at the head of the bunch sprint in Laragh, while Chris Mollaghan made a impression at his first stage race, with 12th in the TT and 5th in the final stage, narrowly missing out on a top ten overall spot. Plenty more racing action below!

  • More miles mean merriment for Murnane and McArdle

    The first races of the league saw two strong performances in each, with Seán Murnane and Brian McArdle each on the attack in their respective races. Murnane capped it off with a strong sprint, while McArdle did it the hard way with a solo effort from the halfway mark.

  • Newbridge saves nearly nothing weekend

    With no Orwell results in Clonard on Saturday, all eyes were on Newbridge to salvage the weekend, and the club did not disappoint! Diarmuid Collins, Mark Mulcahy and Ciara Kinch all took home prizes, read about them below.

  • O'Flaherty flaunts his flair, while Geary gears up for gold

    Last week's club action saw two bunch sprints taken with small gaps by classy winners Bryan Geary and Owen O'Flaherty. Read all about it!

  • On the attack at the track

    Since our last update from the track, the prizes and medals have been pouring in. Uisneach, Naoise and Fionn Sheridan, Seán and Conor Murnane, alongside Andrew Ryan, David Swift, Daniel McElroy, Dick O'Brien and Eddie Lynch have all been spotted on the boards. Find out how they fared below!

  • Plus ça change!

    The opening round of the 2014 Orwell League saw some super fast times set for the Pine Forest course, with Eric Downey resuming where he left off for the 2013 league - at the top.

  • Poet Perry pops his winning cherry

    Orwell's poet laureate Paul Perry took an excellent win in Navan on Sunday, with Shane Toman, Daragh Boyd and Kilian Doyle also featuring. On Saturday, Dick O'Brien earned a fine 10th overall and 2nd unplaced A2 at the Naas CC promoted TT, while up north the Orwell representatives endured a run of bad luck in Rás Dhún na nGall. Details inside!