Rás na mBan (literally Women’s Race, pronounced ‘raws na mon’) is Ireland’s only women’s international stage race. This premier multi-day event is scheduled to take place from September 8th to 12th 2021 when it will, for the fifth time, take in the beautiful scenery of County Kilkenny. Local club and national level women riders from Ireland compete with riders from the rest of Europe and beyond.
The 2019 Rás na mBan was the 14th edition of the race and marked the 33rd anniversary of the start of international stage racing for women in Ireland. Beginning with the John Hearn Memorial Women’s Three Day in 1986, and from bases in Counties Tipperary, Dublin, Kerry, Clare and Kilkenny, Irish racers have taken on international opposition in a series of events that have laid the groundwork for the current five-day event.
Following on from the ground breaking events run in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary and later by Dublin Wheelers in Dublin and Meath, the Women’s Commission of Cycling Ireland took over promotion of Ireland’s leading women’s stage race with the creation of the two-day, Dublin-based Rás na mBan in 2006.
With generous support from Louis Moriarty and Sneem Hotel, the race expanded to three days when it moved to a new base in the village of Sneem, Co Kerry in 2008 and in 2011 Rás na mBan further expanded to five days as the event established itself on the international calendar.
The race moved to a new base in County Clare in 2013 and enjoyed three great editions in the beautiful Munster County on the western seaboard.
In 2016, the race moved east to County Kilkenny for another 5-day, 6-stage feast of top racing action and the race will once again take place in the Leinster county in 2021.
Roll of Honour
2019 Claire Steels, Great Britain
2018 Coralie Demay, France
2017 Elinor Barker, Wales
2016 Rikke Lønne, Denmark
2015 Stephanie Pohl, Germany
2014 Tayler Wiles, USA
2013 Olivia Dillon, Ireland
2012 Kamilla Vallin, Denmark
2011 Olivia Dillon, Ireland
2010 Olivia Dillon, Ireland
2009 Emma Trott, England
2008 Louise Moriarty, Ireland
2007 Marit Huisman, Netherlands
2006 Stephanie Gronow, Germany
2005 Elisabeth Braam, Netherlands
2004 Louise Moriarty, Ireland
2003 Angela Hunter, England
2002 Esther van der Helm, Netherlands
2001 Esther van der Helm, Netherlands
2000 Julie Hooper, England
1999 Louise Jones, England
1998 Claire Moore, Ireland
1997 Susan O’Mara, Ireland
1996 Angela Hunter, England
1995 Helena Kinsella, Ireland
1994 Marie Purvis, Isle of Man
1993 Claire Moore, Ireland
1992 Claire Moore, Ireland
1990 Kim Staff, England
1989 Patricia Anderson, Ireland
1988 Claire Moore, Ireland
1987 Fiona Madden, Ireland
1986 Marie O’Donoghue, Ireland