As St. Enda's members prepare to get together for a big reunion night in the club on Saturday (3rd Sept), here are a selection of the comments posted by some of our cyclists and supporters on Facebook and messages sent by text or email after the July 1-2 event.
Carl McCabe - Brilliant post-cycle party in the clubrooms. Great to see so many people in the old disco hall. Thanks for a good time and thanks for your support for the onward journey to St. Enda's and Windgap/Bearna Na Gaoithe!
Orlagh Colton - Well done Et Enda's brillant experience so well organised and of course fantastic bunch of cyclists,well done everyone brillant achievement, when's the next one :-)
Hugh Bradley - My hat off to cyclists who all made the journey from Galway to Omagh safe and sound. A big applause to my Friend Mickey Tierney who avoided so many cars on the way. not easy done as he can tell you himself. lol. Well done Mickey your a credit to your club and family.
Elaine Mc Dermott - Fantastic sight watch'n the cyclists make their way up the gortin road back to Healy park. congratulations to all who took part. well done keyesey u did it!
Kerry Mc Cullagh - Well done ta everyone a massive achivement to all =)
Justin McClements - Unbelievable! Thanks to all who came out, as we came up over the brow of the hill to Gormleys garage, we started to see crowds, we were expecting to see people at Healy Park, but not at Bundoran, Kesh, Fireagh and Gormleys and along the route so when we hit Gormleys it was fantastic.
Noelle Toner - An amazing experience! One I'll never forget! Thanks so much to all the organisers for their hard work.
Barry McAleer - Don't think it could be summed up any better
Liam Morris - Well done 2 the cyclists helpers sponsers & supporters.. Proud of ye all
Kildress Wolfe Tones GAC - Congratulations and Well Done to everyone who participated in St Enda's Trail! Comhghairdeas agus Maith sibh to everyone involved!
Kevin Mc Aleer - First class I was well down the pack when I looked up and saw this from the back it gave me goosebumps and I felt very proud to be part of a big club like Omagh and to be part of such a memorable experience thanks for the opportunity to be part of a first class event ! I will never forget doing this !!
Vicky O'Hagan - Couldn't have said it better.
Orlagh Colton - Same as that Kevin was a fantastic experience with a great bunch met some lovely
Carl McCabe - Thanks for all the support & well done everyone! A truly great experience.
Dympna McClements - Galway to Omagh was an experience I will never ever forget. I am very proud to say that I am a member of Omagh St Enda's and so glad to have taken part in this event. Every bit of it was brilliant but the scenes leaving Galway and Sligo on Friday and Saturday morning was just breathe taking. The fun along the way was great with groups encouraging each other along the way as they passed each other as well as a bit of slagging going on. The hardest part for a lot would have been the dreaded Lack hill but we all got over it and the reception we got on our homecoming was overwhelming. A big thank you again to the organising committee for what was truly a well organised event from start to finish.
Aine McAnulla - Hiya D just a txt to say thankyou for everything from start to finish. The organisation and craic was amazing. You guys really put alot of effort and time into it and thats what made it. From training session thru to the final cycle thru the town was truly unreal. I never thought that 3mths ago it wud be possible to do 60 mile never mind 165. So thank you for a wonderful experience that I'll never forget..and to all the commitee and organiser's.. Thanks
John McElholm - That was a fantastic weekend to be part of. Credit to u and thanks from the McElholm's.
Kevin Cunningham - Well done on organising and executing a brilliant event. Go raibh maith agat.
Vicky O'Hagan - A-amazing B-Brilliant Craic C- committee that organised it need medals. D-Definitely should be done again. E-Ecstatic feeling to have completed 3points 1 Goal challenge F-Friendships made. food was fantastic G-Groups were so much fun H-Happy to be part of it. I-Individuals formed every team. J-Jokes a mile a minute. K-Kinship groups. L-leaders were unbelievable. M-Magnificent views and weather. N-Next year????. O -organisation was out of this world. P-Punctures- just the 1. Q-quick service throughout ...repairs, medics everything. R-Re-group...cant wait. S-Supberb, everything was superb T-Team 10- thank you. U-unbelievable experience, never could be topped. V - van men were deadly. cheers. W- WOW. X-xtra ordinary people involved throughout. Y- yearning for the next one. Z-Zero faults at all
Caoileann McEnhill - Awwww Vicky, that's brilliant!! What an amazing weekend! Never thought that after Strictly I could have another serious "withdrawal" from yet another great St Enda's event....but here I am again!! And if it's possible,I miss the cycling more!:( Thank you so much to eveyone who made it possible, I have never been more proud of my club!!!! :)
Tony McElhatton - What can I say,just looking at the photos says it all, but to be involved was a privlege.the whole experience was brill from start to finish and fantasticly organised.david cameron wants a big society,its already here at omagh St Enda’s. What’s next the worlds our oyster.the futures bright its black and white,Naomh Eanna abu
Brian McAleer - What a weekend...absolutely brilliant. still on a high and so is everyone i have been talking to over the last few days. we were talking about what we could give to all the participants to mark the completion of the cycle...but the memories we have, the friends we made, the craic we all had and the great sense of achievement and pride in ourselves, our team and St Enda’s is all we need to mark the event. We also now have our own cycle club in St Enda’s and should do all we can to get more people involved and on their bikes...keep it up everyone!!! :)
Elaine Tierney - An amazing weekend, sad that its over, but delighted at the achievement!!! A very well organised event!! Def coming away with lots of good memories and loads of new friend!! Everyone did a great job and should be so proud of themselves!! A BIG BIG thanks to everyone in Group 8, ther was plenty of entertainment and encouragement provided, without them the hills would have defeated me!! Being the baby of the group had its advantages, i was well looked after my everyone, its truly appreciated!!! The cycle is one memory that i will never forget!! Im still laughing at all the antics!! Omagh St Endas has got all sorts of characters but thats wat makes St Endas what it is!! Bring on the next big cycle!!
Ciaran O'Doherty - Its Monday everyone and it still hasnt sunk in. This cycle without doubt was the best challenge and wekend that I have ever participated in and had. As I write this statement lol the adrenaline in my body is still pumping that I wish that I was still cycling with group 6 along the roads heading home to Omagh. We had been training along the roads of Tyrone, Fermanagh and Donegal for three months. All training sessions fuelling the will power to participate in the Galway to Omagh cycle. We had trained for approximatley three months with group cycles on our own and also including cycle programs organised by the local Omagh wheelers club. All sessions certainly were the driving fuel for me to do the cycle. Each time I went out on the cycling training sessions the more it fulfiled me with excitment of being able to participated in this encouraging challenge. Three months of training complete on 27th June 2011 their next time we sat on the saddle was at Pearse Stadium in Galway. My favorite bits in the challenge were being able to meet all of the group colleagues who will be cycling with me. Paddy Mccaul our spirtual leader made it clear that we all start together and we will finish together Which we did. Abilities meant nothing to us. Cyling through some of the most beautiful scenery in Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Fermanagh and Tyrone, Finally the tremendous support from the great general public who all came out to cheer us on. Id had never been welcome in my hometown like the way I had on saturday evening it was very warm and emotional to see people welcome us back on this glorious occasion. The hardest part of the cycle was cycling up the Knock carriage way which without doubt gave a struggle to all of the other cyclists. It took alot out of me that I though it was the end of me lol. The Funniest moments was when cycling through the knock carriage way our group 6 spotted a lonesome chip van looking to earn some cents. Fellow Group 6 colleague Stal McSorley proudly shouted 2 BURGER AND CHIP". That lady therefore popped up enthusiastically ready for a sale only to be tricked much to her disappointment. Finally I’m very proud of taking part in the cycle, Making new friends and gaining very fond memories which I will remember FOREVER!. ROLL ON 2012 till we will all be reunited hopefully preparing ourselves with another cycling challenge. THANKS. Ciarán :)
Omagh St. Enda's GAC - An absolutely brilliant few days in the company of a great group of people. Off the field it has to be one of the big success stories in the history of the club Was really proud to be St Enda’s man on Saturday evening as we arrived back in Omagh. A special word of praise to the organising cttee who did a brilliant job and had everything planned to perfection - your hard work paid off. . Thanks also to all the supporters who turned out in such great numbers to welcome us home - it was an unbelievable reception. I am already looking forward to next years event whjch I am sure will attract a lot more cyclists based on the success of this year. Well done to everyone - you should all be proud of your remarkable achievement.
Justin McClements - There was even someone ringing a cowbell as we entered Healy Park. Dunno who but it was just like the real thing.
