Johnny Mullen R.I.P.

On Friday last (November 25th) the death occured of Johnny Mullen, one of Dundalk's finest cyclists. Johnny first came on the cycling scene in the early 40s, with his first result of note in 1942 when he was second in the Louth 10mile Time Trial Championships, in a time of 28min 01seconds. The following year he went almost 3 minutes quicker in the same event to take home the gold medal. 1943 was in fact a landmark year for the rider with his first big success being the Leinster 25mile time trial championships. Winning the Leinster Championships was a mixed day for Johnny. To reach the event in Naas he took a train to Dublin and then cycled onto the Kildare town before winning the gold medal. A post race mix up meant that some of this friends took his after race clothing. While frantically searching for his clothes, Johnny missed the train and was forced to cycle the whole way back to Dundalk. Cycling to Dundalk without adequate clothes or money or food, he was exhausted and was later found some 10 miles from Dundalk collapsed in a ditch. However this ordeal didn't stop him from the National 25mile Time Trial later the same year.
 
In 1944 Johnny successfully defended both his Louth and Leinster Championships, but in the National event finished just outside the medals in 4th position. His next national medal was to come in 1946 when as part of The Mountpleasant Cycling & Athletics Club, a club which he had helped form a year earlier, he won the team medal again in the National 25mile Time Trial Championships. The team that day was J Mullen, P Lennon and P Hanlon. Following their exploits in the 25mile Time Trial Johnny and his friend Paddy Lennon were picked to ride for Ireland in the Paddington track meeting and in the prestigious London to Dover Road Race.
 
Following his retirement from competition he continued to play an active role within the sport and managed a number of Louth teams in the Rás, in addition to the first NCA Irish track team to compete outside of Ireland in 1969. Such was his involvement in cycling that he was acting Rás race director in 1969 for a number of stages when Joe Christle took ill. Johnny's other passion was athletics and he founded the Rás Na hEireann along with Larry McGuill and Joe Christle in the winter of 1969.
 
In recognition of his outstanding achievements and contribution to cycling in the Louth area, in 1990 Johnny was made an honorary life member of Cuchulainn Cycling Club. A minutes silence was held as a mark of respect at the clubs prize night last Friday (Dec 2nd).