Bikers’ club celebrates its 50th rally with a trip to Wexford

UP TO 500 people are expected to attend the Clondalkin Motorcycle Club Harp Rally this weekend, reports Maurice Garvey.

The group, which formed in 1970, head to Wexford to celebrate at a venue they have built for the weekend.

This year is the official 50th year celebration for the club, who were unable to hold a rally in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid and lockdowns.

“The club held its first rally in 1972, there were restrictions for a couple of years but we are throwing everything at it this year and calling it our 50th,” said Declan Kettle, a member of Clondalkin Motorcycle Club since 1986.

“This weekend the club goes to Rathangan in Wexford.

“Some members go down on Wednesday/Thursday to help set up the venue.

“There is a big centre and it is in a massive field, we will have live music on Friday and three bands on Saturday, a bar, stalls, tattoo stands, the whole nine yards.

“Last year we had 350 people, but we are hoping to have 500 at it this year, including a lot of the original founding members, past members who moved away, and people are arriving from all over, including the UK, US, Spain and France.”

In July 1970, Clondalkin Motorcycle Club held its first meeting in Round Tower GAA Club in Clondalkin Village.

Founding members were all residents of Clondalkin except Shay Wolfe.

Around this time many young lads in Clondalkin used to meet in PJ Powers Cycle Shop on Convent Road, where Shay Wolfe gave advice and he was the first one to suggest forming a club.

The first meeting was chaired by Pat Farrell and weekly meetings were held in the GAA club for the next two years.

In the early years some 48 members were only from Clondalkin.

However, as time passed the club expanded and enrolled members from outside Clondalkin, growing its number to 127.

A couple of years after the club was formed the first Harp Rally was held in 1972 in Munster and it has been held every year since – bar recent restrictions – with bikers from all over Ireland and the world.

Women have played a large part in the club success including Ann Dunleavy, who painted the original club banner.

Clondalkin Motorcycle Club participated in some major national events over the early years including St Patrick’s Day Parade in the 70s, with a highly commended display of formation riding on motorcycles.

This ended eventually as it took a toll on the old, air-cooled models at that time.

The club holds the honour in 1970 of being motorcycle couriers for the world press during US President Richard Nixon’s visit to Ireland.

Club member Johnny Fagan rode his Triumph Bonnie from Naas to the Gresham Hotel in just 15 minutes with all lights and traffic stopped, for him to get the newsreel to the hotel for the evening news.

The club also hosts an annual Christmas toy run to a children’s hospital.

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