Meet the Rider - James Quinn
James Quinn. Man of the Ras (twice) in case he didn’t mention it.
Where do you work?
I work for BNP Paribas in Sandyford. It is every single bit as exciting as it sounds, but it pays the bills and I have been here for about 7 years now.
How/When did you start your adventure with cycling?
Cycling was always a part of my life… growing up in the countryside it was essential! I cycled a lot, then I had a fall coming home from college one evening and mangled my shoulder. I didn’t cycle at all after that for years. In 2010 the job I was in relocated to Sir John Rogerson’s Quay and I started commuting again and then extending the commutes gradually. In 2012 I got a road bike.
When and why did you join ST. Tiernan's?
After I got the road bike, I did a lot of cycling from Dundrum, where I was living at the time. Most of this was solo and then in summer 2013 I signed up for a few sportifs and got to enjoy meeting people and also, more importantly, saw the benefits of riding in a group. I had seen both Orwell and Tiernans jerseys around and so signed up to attend a club spin with each; Tiernans on Saturday, Orwell on Sunday. On the Tiernans spin I met such legends as Damien Heffernan, Helen Kerrane, Brian Hayden… what more could one possibly want from a club? I didn’t return Orwell’s calls and 12 years later I am still here.
What would you say is the best thing about being in a cycling club?
Probably meeting like-minded people. I think having someone in your life to talk to, who doesn’t call the men in white coats when you say you spent 5 hours that morning cycling around in the pouring rain for absolutely no reason, is important.
Is there anything you would like to see more or less of in the club?
Well I am aware that my own racing days are behind me but it’s disappointing that every year there seems to be less and less people competing in open racing. I get that Tiernan’s are not alone in this and the numbers across the country racing seem to be on a permanent decline but we have a lot of strong lads in the club who should be well able to get results in open racing but for whatever reason they just don’t seem interested. So I would like to see more people racing. And less half wheeling!
How often do you cycle? What is your typical weekly mileage?
At the moment I am actually probably doing more running than cycling. When I’m not racing or training for something specific I find it hard to do a huge amount of cycling so now if I get the Tuesday evening spin and maybe one more gravel ride I am happy. So around 100km a week
Tell us about your bikes, yes please to pictures
The main thing to say about my bikes is that I need one more. Until recently I had 5 bikes but thankfully this is now down to 4. Having 4 bikes and cycling 100km on an average week is possibly a tad excessive! But have you ever tried to sell a bike and deal with the adverts/done deal punters? Not worth the grief. My good bike is a BMC team machine. It’s a red bike. I like it!
Favourite place to cycle:
I don’t like ridiculously hilly spins, in fact I usually avoid them at all costs, but even saying that I love Wicklow so that has to be my favourite. Though I have to say I do love spinning through the Curragh as well.
Favourite coffee shop:
The Hollywood Café. I’m lucky if I make it there twice a year but I have had a few really great experiences there over the years, particularly as we were coming out of Covid.
Favourite event:
It may have lost a bit of its mystique in recent years now that it’s “only” a 5 day event but in Ireland the Rás is untouchable.
Favourite bit of kit: (clothes, gadgets, tools etc…)
Seeing as how I have approx. 87,000 pairs of them in my house waiting to be offloaded I will say that the STCC Sportful socks are as elite as cycling clothing can and will ever get. €6 a pair but this is just the price for you don’t tell the other members or they’ll all want them for €6.
Do you have any big cycling plans for the year?
My goals were modest to be honest! One was to do a Tuesday evening club spin to Mrs O’s pub in Skryne and this was achieved last Tuesday. Glorious. I also have a gravel route in the Sliabh Blooms which I’ll hopefully do in July. So, not exactly reaching for the stars.
What international events have you competed in?
I was lucky enough to complete the Rás myself twice in 2017 and 2018. I know this is probably not what you mean but I will use any opportunity to shoe-horn this in.
Where’s the most interesting place you have cycled?
That’s actually a good question. And I have a good answer. In 2023, my friend John alerted me to the Brevet Hibernia challenge on the Audax Ireland website. They have selected 4 spots in each county of Ireland to visit on a spin and snap a picture of your bike beside it. Some of them are pretty basic… Lough Tay, Howth Head, the Phoenix Park etc but others have definitely fallen into the “Interesting” camp. I mean, have you really cycled unless you stop and old lady in Birr on a Sunday morning asking her if she knew exactly where the world’s first automobile fatality took place in 1869, or rode up and down the main street in Abbeyleix looking for the perfect spot to photograph your bike to capture the true essence of the town? I don’t think so. But really, some of them are really interesting and they would never have been on my radar otherwise…. A mass famine burial site in Kilkenny for example. So far I am on 50 of the 128 landmarks but maybe I’ll put in a big push now and tick a few more off the list. Maybe I might need to go back and update question 12.
Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been? (non-cycling)
I went to Japan in 2015 for 2 weeks with my wife Niamh which was definitely a bucket list holiday.
What is your biggest cycling achievement? Don't be shy
I have already mentioned the Rás (and will do so again here) but winning the Inter Club League in 2016 is another one I am proud of.
What is your biggest non-cycling achievement?
My 3 amazing children of course!
What do you like doing when you’re not on the pedals.
With everyone living very busy lives it’s hard to get the time to socialise as much so those opportunities to get out and about… dinner and a few drinks with Niamh, or meeting up with friends for a catch up… basically anything that can loosely be defined as “getting out!”
Who motivates you? Who do you look up to?
Niamh and the kids answers both. I am 42 now and I no longer look up to Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman!
Do you play any other sports on a regular basis?
Is running a sport? I guess it is. So I do run regularly. I actually have an entry for the Dublin marathon but not sure I have the staying power for another 4 months but watch this space.
