No Rás Tailteann this year

Sir, – The Wildean phrase to do with “the price of everything and the value of nothing” seems appropriate with the announcement of the cancellation of the Rás, Ireland’s premier cycling race.

Every year, for almost seven decades in good times and bad, this event has visited and passed nearly every town and village on the island of Ireland.

A joyous carnival of colour, courage and athleticism at the start of summer that included among its winners a hermit from the side of a mountain in Kerry and a milkman from Dundrum who won the Tour de France.

For the lack of €350,000, an important part of our sporting and cultural heritage is gone. Something is wrong about this and something sad has been allowed to happen. – Yours, etc,

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Capt FÉLIM

GIBBONS (Retd),

Drumcondra,

Dublin 9.