Preparations are well under way with registration now open for the tenth and final edition of the Garda Tony Golden Memorial Cycle.
The annual event in memory of the late garda, who was murdered as he responded to a domestic violence incident in Omeath, Co Louth in 2015, has raised over €150,000 for charity to date.
This year's edition has been titled 'Road of Honour’ to remember not only Gda Golden but all 90 members of An Garda Síochána who have lost their lives in the line of duty, the most recent of which being Garda Kevin Flatley in May of this year.
Past beneficiaries from the charity cycle have included the Little Blue Heroes Foundation and Aoibheann’s Pink Tie while all money raised this year will go to the Irish Cancer Society.
The organisers of the event have said this year’s goal is to collectively cycle 45,000km between 6-13 September, which reflects 500km for every member of the force on the Roll of Honour.
Anyone can get involved and help in achieving this target by taking part in the virtual cycle and logging the kilometres they complete once registered for the event.
A one-day event will also take place on 13 September with cyclists, including many members of the force, setting off from Dundalk and completing either a 65km or 90km sportive around part of the Cooley Peninsula.
Garda Neil O’Malley, who has been involved in organising the annual cycle since 2016, has said they wanted to find a way to mark the tenth and final edition of the event.
He said: "It is in Tony’s memory, obviously, but we just thought because it is the last one, why not try to challenge ourselves by doing something to remember all 90 members of the force who lost their lives in the line of duty."
He went on to say that this year’s event has been designed so that anyone who wants to support the cause can get involved.
"The virtual cycle can be done absolutely anywhere and for as long as you would like. You can contribute whatever distance you want. Anything that you can contribute as a cyclist, you upload it to the website, and it will go towards the 45,000km that we have set ourselves as a goal, which is 500km times 90 for each of the gardaí on the Roll of Honour."
More information about the charity cycle and how to register for the event can be found on the LH286.com website, which takes its name from the late Gda Golden’s shoulder number.
