MUNGRET Community College are taking on the Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trails as part of the #AndSheCycles Campaign.
Launched in 2019, the campaign gives teenage girls a platform to explore and challenge the barriers preventing them from cycling to school.
Under guidance from trailbikebody.ie, students learned essential bike handling skills and built their confidence before tackling the off-road trails.
The session challenged them to step outside their comfort zones, developing balance, control and teamwork.
Paul Norton, Cycling Ireland’s participation manager, said: “It was great to see the #AndSheCycles ambassadors, from all four corners of the country, throw themselves into a new challenge and try out various cycling disciplines, with some of our top coaches, clubs and facilities.”
“With the coaching and guidance of coaches like Tom and Fiona from Ratoath BMX, John O’Reilly from Lucan BMX, Hugh Byrne from Sundrive Track Team and Aisling Cullen of Trail Bike Body, the girls made unbelievable progression from basic handling skills to riding the BMX track, mountain bike trail or velodrome with confidence.”
The Cycling Ireland participation manager added that “what made it even better, was to see the fun they were having and how they were encouraging each other. I personally attended two of these sessions and was seriously impressed by the determination and fearlessness that the girls showed. I hope that this gives them the confidence to try new challenges, be that, cycling to school, joining a club or cycling for fun, fitness and adventure.”