Celtic Trails

Jim McQuaid left quite a legacy behind him. Twice National road race champion, represented Ireland at the '68 Olympics and numerous Worlds championships around the world, winner of the Grand Prix of Ireland no less than 10 times, winner of every single classic bike race in Ireland throughout his long career, National track champion in almost every discipline, competed in 6 day meets on tracks all over the world, the list goes on and on. Jim actually has records that he set in the 1950s that still haven't been broken. Jim's later years saw him turning to managing Irish teams in international events. There is a famous story in Irish cycling folklore of one night in the Tour of Britain. The T.O.B., as it was know was widely regarded as one of the most presigious amateur stage races in the world and its list of winners pays testament to that. In '76 Jim was manager for the Irish National team. Early on in the race during an after dinner team meeting he told his riders that there was a 20 pound bonus, (about $30 at the time), out of his own pocket for the first Irish stage winner.