Katie appeals for support to help her and Dundalk rider Eve reach Paralympic Games

Eve McCrystal and Katie-George Dunlevy

Irish Paralympic cyclist  Katie-George Dunlevy is appealing for financial support to help her achieve her dream of qualifying and being a top medal contender at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.

The visually impaired cyclists rides on the back of a tandem, with Dundalk woman Eve McCrystal her pilot.

Katie’s father hails from Mountcharles in Donegal and she competed in the London 2012 Paralympic Games, where she gained three fifth places and a seventh.

She is confident that she can get amongst the medals in Ro but admits that funding is tight.

“As a UK-based athlete, my funding from the Irish Sports Council doesn’t go far. I have to pay for flights to and from Ireland, my own bikes, specialist equipment and maintenance. I also have to pay for regular physiotherapy, sports massage, a strength and conditioning coach and yearly gym membership.

“I am looking for sponsorship to enable my pilot Eve McCrystal from Dundalk and myself compete on a level playing field with the other medal contenders. Eve has to continue working full-time to support her family. Because of this she cannot make all training camps, competitions and get the recovery she needs. This is a great concern of mine, as without my pilot I cannot achieve my full potential.”

Katie said that financial support would enable the pair to get together more often to train and race.

The pair are currently ranked second in the world on the Union Cycliste Internationale website and recently returned from the Paracycling World Cup in Italy with two bronze medals in the time trial and the road race.

Eve is the sister of another well-known local cyclist, Bryan McCrystal.

If you would like to support Katie call 0044 7743 027 004 or email kgdcycling@hotmail.com

Rounding up? That makes cents!

Ever get sick of having a load of change, made up primarily of one and two cent coins?

Well that could be a think of the past – in Dundalk, at least.

The town is in the running to be chosen to pilot a new Central Bank scheme aimed at removing the smaller coins from circulation.

In their National Payments Plan report, the Central Bank found that one and two cent coins are not actively used and are expensive to mint.

In other countries such as the Netherlands and Finland, the rounding rule is used to either lower or increase a bill to the nearest five cents.

The NPP has recommended that a pilot of the rounding rule be used in a mid-sized Irish town to investigate consumer and merchant reaction to it. Dundalk is one of three towns being considered, along with Drogheda and Bray.

Source: Plan could see one and two cent coins phased out (The Irish Times)