Iconic Rás Táilteann will be passing through county Longford in May

One of Ireland's most iconic sporting events, the Rás Táilteann, will be passing through county Longford in May.

Cairde Rás Táilteann has today announced details of the 2023 edition of the event. The race will again be a 5-day taking place from Wednesday, May 17 to Sunday, May 21.

Additional details of funding partners and sponsors will follow in due course. In general terms, this year’s edition features a tougher route than 2022 with lots of battlegrounds over the 5 stages.

Stage 1: Navan – Birr
Rás Táilteann 2023 will assemble and depart from Navan, Co Meath. Both Rás Táilteann and the local Navan Road Club celebrate 70 years of existence in 2023. As such, the race organisers have decided to commence the event in Navan in recognition of the role that local riders have played in the supporting the race since its inception in 1953.

After a ceremonial start in the town, the race will travel mostly on flat roads taking in two cat 3 climbs within the first 90km.

The final part of the stage gets much tougher as the race crests the cat 1 Wolf Trap mountain climb 20km from the finish. A fast run-in to Birr via Kinnitty concludes the stage. Not a day when the race can be won but a day that could put riders out of contention from the off.

Stage 2: Birr - Ennis
Stage 2 features a tough day in the saddle as the race departs from Birr and makes its way along the rolling roads of North Tipperary, skirting Lough Derg and taking in the cat 3 climb in Portroe before crossing the Shannon into Killaloe. The final 50km of the stage could be very telling with 3 back-to-back cat 3 climbs and the cat 2 Maghera Mast climb all featuring. A relatively flat final 25km into the finish at Barefield awaits on the outskirts of Ennis town. 

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Stage 3: Ennis – Castlebar (The Tommy Devereux Stage)
Stage 3 is dedicated to the memory of Tommy Devereux, a Castlebar native and stalwart of Irish cycling & Rás Táilteann who sadly passed away in December 2022.

On paper, stage 3 is a day for the sprinters with mostly fast and flat roads making up the route with two cat 3 climbs thrown in for good measure. The route takes in the towns of Ardrahan, Craughwell, Athenry, Tuam and Ballinrobe before making its way into Castlebar for a finish on Lanagh Road.

Stage 4: Charlestown – Monaghan
The race transfers to Charlestown for stage 4 départ to commence the longest stage of Rás Táilteann 2023 (~176km). The first half of the stage features mainly flat roads passing through Tulsk, Strokestown and Longford.

The race then makes a directional change northwards in Longford which features more difficult roads for the second half of the stage. The undulating roads through Co Cavan where three cat 3 climbs are featured are sure to take their toll on the riders before a relatively flat run-in from Clones to Monaghan town. The final twist of stage 4 is the last 300 metres uphill to the finish outside Monaghan Cathedral.

Stage 5: Monaghan - Blackrock
After a ceremonial start in the centre of Monaghan town, the riders will make their way through the towns of Ballybay, Shercock, Kingscourt, Drumconrath, Ardee, and Castlebellingham before passing onto a slightly tweaked and extended finishing circuit in Blackrock. The riders will complete 4 laps of an 11.1km circuit before they become men of the Rás 2023.

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Stage 5 also features one cat 3 climb at Meath Hill en route to Blackrock. After last years thrilling finale, more of the same is promised in the beautiful Co Louth seaside town this time around.