The Galway politician who was seriously injured when his bike was in collision with an SUV exactly two years ago aims to prove his return to full fitness this weekend – by cycling cycle through every county on the island of Ireland.

Galway East Deputy Ciaran Cannon is embarking on a monumental cycling challenge to complete the 900km journey in under 48 hours, all while raising funds for Galway based charity, Hand In Hand.

He admits that the challenge is a personal one after he was seriously injured in a collision while cycling through Moycullen two years ago – and he hopes, through his marathon trek, to show solidarity with the hundreds of cyclists who are injured on Irish roads every year.

“This weekend is the second anniversary of a very traumatic time for me. I was seriously injured in a road traffic collision in 2021 and underwent surgery to my leg,” he recalled.

“I’m marking this anniversary by setting myself this challenge, perhaps in an act of defiance to show that I’m still capable of cycling, but also in solidarity with the hundreds of cyclists who are seriously injured on our roads every year.

“This is a way to highlight what we have been through in the hope that we can work towards safer roads for all in the future,” the Fine Gael TD added.

Ciaran will leave Co. Clare at 5pm this Friday evening and hopes to arrive back in Co. Galway before 5pm on Sunday evening.

The 900km ride will be the longest distance he has ever covered on a bike.

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