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| Pqaddy Flanagan Kildare Winner Of The 1964 Ras Tailteann |
As the wheels of the racing bicycles rolled out of Kildare town recently for the final stage of the 2025, 70th International Rás Tailteann to take the 144 riders on the 142.8km journey to Bective in Co Meath, many locals recalled the feats of their hero, triple Rás winner the late, great Kildangan and Kildare’s Paddy Flanagan.
‘Flying Flanagan,’ as he was known, won his first gruelling Rás in 1960, followed in 1964 by another victory and his third success 50 years ago with his hat-trick in 1975 at the age of 36. Paddy was quoted as ‘one of cycling’s true gentlemen and one of the greatest racers the country has ever known, a gritty road man.’ Sixty-five years ago, Paddy won the 1960 eight-day eight stage covering 1,385.6km, clocking 35h.48m. The 1964 event eight-day, nine stages was 1,163.0km and done in 32.04.28. In 1975, the 1,100km took him 29.02.04 for the nine-day, eleven stages with Naas thronged for the penultimate stage which took the riders from Kilkenny through the tough Wicklow mountain climbs to ecstatic spectators where he took over the race leader’s jersey which was held all week by Seamus Kennedy and then to maintain overall victory the following day in Dublin.
Paddy finished in third place overall in the 1967, 1974 and 1977 Rás and had 11 stage wins and held the overall coveted yellow jersey on 18 occasions during his Rás career.
Outside of the Rás, this shy, modest gentle but tough bike man held 30 All-Ireland championship titles (seven on grass track and 23 on the road). He captured the 25-mile time trial title in 17 different years (once in Edenderry, Blessington and Slane and the remainder on the Navan Road, Dublin). He won the 50-mile championship four times, all on the Navan Road. He captured the 100-mile massed start championship twice, once in Armagh and the other on home turf in Clane, where he dead-heated with Mick Christle.
His grass track titles were three 3-mile titles in Ballinaree, Carlow and four 10km in Navan, Ballinaree, Gorey and Mallow. He represented Ireland abroad on international teams. Paddy, through his skills, ability, stamina and dedication was the winner of about 300 races during his amateur cycling career.
He tasted his last victory as a veteran in a 28-mile time trial at the Glen of the Downs in Wicklow in 1996, four years prior to his untimely sudden death aged 61 in 2000 and had his last regular 40-mile spin two days prior to his death.
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| Paddy Flanagan Kildare Winner Of The 1960 Ras Tailteann |
