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GAZETTE
SEPTEMBER 1987
who, for the first and only time in
his illustrious career, had risked
playing an 'away game' in Balbrig-
gan District Court.
As I cycled towards Drogheda, I
conversed with fellow-cyclists.
One who came alongside, detec-
ting a northern accent, enquired as
to whether I was "coming or
going". Another, already more
weary than I, explained his reasons
for being on this foolhardy expedi-
tion as someone who could not
resist a bargain and that, while in
California last winter, he had seen
bicycles for sale at the equivalent
of £45 each. He first bought one
and then, because they were so
cheap, decided to buy another and
brought them home. He then decid-
ed at Easter that he would have to
make use of his purchases and, for
that reason, decided to participate.
He was one of the few I eventually
left behind.
As we travelled out of Dundalk,
up into the Newry Hills, (a car
driver hardly notices these hills, but
a cyclist does!) I was passed out by
a pack of four, who then proceed-
ed to collide with one another, with
me just avoiding the melee. This
was the first of t wo near personal
disasters, one accidental and the
later one clearly cons t i t u t i ng
'voluntary assumption of risk' on
my part. Samaritan-like, I assisted
the four to get re-started and rap-
port was struck, which saw us
lunching together in a nearby hotel.
The four were mature members of
the "Castlebellingham Spokes
Club". After one and a half hours,
I decided to leave the luncheon
scene. Curiously, on my return
journey from Belfast the following
day, I called into the same hotel
and saw the same four. I did not
enquire whether their presence
was continuous or a coincidental
second visit like my own!
Newry to Belfast is a tortuous
series of ups and downs. To add to
the discomfort, the rain started
about 30 miles out from Belfast,
during which time I suffered my
first and only puncture. I hoped
that Brendan Walsh, who was
behind me, might come along but
no such luckl I changed the tube
myself.
To the second near personal
disaster. Within the precincts of
Belfast, I decided to have a
photograph taken with bicycle and
perspiration. Having dismounted,
I handed the camera to a young
passer-by, asking him to kindly
take my photograph. The youth
took possession of the camera and
turned and ran off with it. I looked
around to see where I was, and
saw the surrounding walls pro-
claiming "Shankill" and "No Sur-
render". I called after him "Go on
you Fenian b
" . The youth
stopped instantly, turned and came
back, saying with surprise " ye ' re
one of us ". He took my photo and
returned the camera.
The Belfast rendezvous with
Brendan
Walsh
even t ua l ly
materialised and plans for the
evening were unfolded. They
revolved around ensuring that I
was sufficiently rested and that my
liquid requirements were replenish-
ed for the return journey. Brendan
thinks of everything, and so when
I returned to Dublin I bought shares
in 'Sudocrem'!
Brendan woke me at 5 a.m. on
Sunday and handed me a list of
names and telephone numbers.
Any colleague who had accom-
panied his commitment to our fund
with cryptic, cynical or injurious
remarks were on this list. Mary
Collins (she of the 'Dromartin' Col-
lins) was the first to answer, pass-
ing the t e l ephone to Tony
(otherwise, Anthony) who was,
apparently, awake. I delivered my
message of goodwill and hope that
it was not too early to call and was
off the line before I could receive
his equally well-meaning response.
Denis McDowell was wide awake
and, apparently, on his way to bed.
Padraic Gearty does not keep his
'phone beside the bed, neither does
Diarmuid Barry or Kevin Smith!
There were no lingering stops on
the return to Dublin, but plenty of
liquid, mainly of the innocuous
kind. The highlight was a half
hour's chat at Balbriggan with a tea
lady who convinced me that she
had organised the whole Mara-Cycle.
I learned a whole new cycling
vocabulary on this trip — such as
" p a c k ", "slipstream" and "w i nd-
break" — enough to be able to
converse in colloquial terms with
Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche.
Also, I experienced a mystery — a
pack of eight well-organised,
regularly rotating their front man on
their leader's command, passed me
on three different occasions on the
way back. I never remember pass-
ing them. That was a mystery.
This two-day cycle marathon
was a novel experience, made all
the more satisfying as I knew
Brendan Walsh had received com-
mitments in excess of £10,000 for
the Solicitors' Benevolent Associa-
tion. Any colleague out there who
has overlooked making a much-
needed con t r i bu t i on to this
deserving charity, I appeal to you
now to send your contribution to
Ms Clare Leonard, Secretary,
Solicitors' Benevolent Association,
40 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2, or
c/o The Law Society, Blackhall
Place, Dublin 7.
Brendan Walsh deserves par-
ticular thanks from all of us for con-
ceiving the idea, implementing it
and procuring so much sponsor-
ship. All I had to do was sit on a
bike to Belfast and back!
•
Viewpoint
(Contd. from P. 207)
adaptable to cope with current pro-
blems and current needs. As Mr.
Justice Walsh has said: " t he Con-
stitution is in the present tense,
and, the ultimate question always
remains, what do the words of the
text mean in our t ime?" Our
Judges have donp well by the
State in construing the Constitu-
tion in this light. Could it be that it
is our politicians, rather than our
Constitution, that are in need of
change? The summation by one of
our most distinguished political
commentators of this debate that
" we should let well enough alone"
has much to commend it. It is not
only lawyers who believe that
there is sometimes merit in main-
taining the
status quo.
•
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