Team Madigan
Cycling Club has one of the longest running sponsorships in Northern
Ireland cycling.
The club, which was founded in 1989 by Davy Brown, Bobby Law and Marty McLaughlin, was known as Carrick Road Club and immediately gained sponsorship from Mr Ronnie and Mrs Averil McKeegan, proprietors of "Madigan Pro Bike Centre " trading in Carrickfergus. The business is arguably one of N.Ireland's leading cycle shops, dealing in a full range of cycles, components and clothing etc., for kids up to the elite in all cycling disciplines, they've got it all. Special Deals @ Madigan Pro Bike Centre, click here.
Ronnie was among
N.Irelands best cyclists back in the sixties and
seventies, he excelled at track racing and was selected as a member of
the N.Ireland, Commonwealth Games track team in 1968. He has been
involved in cycle racing for some forty years plus, beginning as a
young
teenager with the Kings Moss Cycling Club, to which he remained a
member
for some thirty years. Ronnie is not just a sponsor, he is a very
active club member and indeed is Team Madigan's president. He
takes
great interest in the young riders, coaching them in the proper manner
with " a little at a time " and makes their training fun and
enjoyable.
He has a wealth of knowledge in the sport and is always on hand for
help
and advice when required.
Ronnie and
Averil
provide club clothing free, as part of the sponsorship, the club then
sells
the clothing to its members, at a third of the price, and the money
then
goes into club funds, this helps provide financial backing for riders
selected
to ride in N.Ireland teams. It also pays for trophies and other
activities,
plus the general finances of the club. The club has ran very
successfully
under this arrangement since its conception, and all members gain
benefit
from it in some form or another, plus every member receives a full
cycling
kit. Every member is treated the same in Team Madigan, one person
receives the same as another. Ronnie and Averil also sponsor the
Madigan Grand Prix each year, which is one of N.Irelands premier road
races.
Discount is also given to members when a purchase is made from the Bike
Centre.