Joyce-Cycle was a pageant of over one hundred participants of all ages on bicycles on the theme of Irish writers, who participated in the Dublin St. Patrick’s Parade 2019 on behalf of Dublin Cycling Campaign. The theme brought to life the wonderful writings of some of our best-loved Irish writers with connections to the bicycle, including James Joyce, Flann O’Brien, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Dervla Murphy. Some well-known Irish writers and personalities also joined in, astride and merged with their beloved bicycles!

The Joyce-Cycle Poetry Competition in collaboration with Poetry Ireland invited poets of all ages to joyfully follow in the tyre-tracks of the many Irish writers who have been inspired by their love of bicycles. Joyce-Cycle was sponsored by Dublin City Council and Healthy Ireland.

The joint first winners in the adult category are poets Catherine Ann Cullen for ‘Memory of My Rothar’ and Iggy McGovern for ‘A Cyclist’s Prayer’. The under-16 winner is Roman Ó Déaghaidh for ‘A Short Cycle’ and in second place is Aoife Kelly for ‘My Yellow Fellow’.

Runners up in the adult category were Jessamine O’Connor for ‘Backcarrier’, Keith Payne for ‘With a belle on his bike’, Caroline Bracken for ‘Birthday Bicycle’, Meghan McNamara for ‘Seat of Grace’, Lynn Caldwell for ‘Bicycle, Cavan Country Museum’, ns Adrienne Wilkinson for ‘Smog’. Under 16s runners up are Róise Ní Liatháin Ní Nualláin for ‘Memories of Inishmore’ and Alyssa Ní Ruiséil for ‘Collins’ Pushbike’. The winning poems were published online and printed on postcards and bookmarks, which were given out to the cheering public viewers during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2019.

The Judges were Maureen Kennelly Director of Poetry Ireland, Sinead Connolly, Dublin City Council Arts Officer and Donna Cooney, Artistic Director of Joyce-Cycle for Dublin Cycling Campaign.

“We are delighted to partner with the Dublin Cycling Campaign for this project. We know that the postcards of the winning poems will be a real treat for anyone lucky enough to encounter them during the St. Patrick’s Day parade.” Maureen Kennelly, Director of Poetry Ireland

The Joyce-Cycle concept is by artist Donna Cooney, who developed the highly regarded Freedom Machine in the 2018 St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Due to the success of last year’s pageant, the Dublin Cycling Campaign Joyce-Cycle pageant was in the main body of the parade this year. Donna Cooney coordinated Joyce-Cycle, and the parade creative team was assisted by artists Laragh Pittman and Gary Brady, both of whom also worked on the Freedom Machine pageant.