The access to top class trails, the escapism and the adrenalin is fueling the popularity of mountain biking, which has gone up several gears. Interest levels are such that Ireland has grown a new crop of world-class athletes.

Last January’s crowning of teen cyclist Oisín O’Callaghan as RTÉ’s young sportsperson of the year brought mountain biking into the minds of many as a serious sport in this country.

With Ireland playing host to the Enduro World Series in the past, the exposure to the sport was certainly cranked up a notch, but what we are seeing on the ground now is an explosion in the take-up of the sport, as anyone familiar with the forest and mountain recreational areas run by Coillte will testify.

These spectacular public spaces, notably at Ticknock, the Slieve Blooms, Ballyhoura, Ballinastoe and Coolaney, were once the preserve of walkers and hikers, but now they attract a growing number of mountain bikers.

According to Coillte, Ireland is earmarked to become one of the world’s elite mountain biking destinations with the proposed expansion of these five sites. Coillte say this development, which will see an investment of €13m, will ultimately boost rural economies.

Private enterprises are also getting in on the action. Glencullen Adventure Park in South County Dublin opened its doors in 2017, offering a trail network of various skill levels, while also providing an uplift service to the top of the trails. These venues are really helping progress the standard of riders in the country, by offering top-notch, year-round facilities to riders of all capabilities and ages.

National race events are continually selling out and bike shops just can’t keep up with demand. Robin Seymour, former Irish cross-country Olympian and now of Expert Cycles in Rathfarnham, says: “We have seen nearly a threefold increase in the number of mountain bikes coming into the service end of the shop, and sales would be the same if only we could get stock”. He reiterates the development of the trail centres has really boosted the sport, enticing people to give it a try.

It’s not all about the adrenaline. The escapism to the wilderness is a big draw. In this technological age, the huge benefits of biophilia are to be cherished. Mountain biking can bring you to areas of natural beauty on your door step, places you didn’t know existed. The scenery, the smells, the sounds. The awesomeness. And then the exhilarating ride!

Obviously it’s also a great form of exercise too, for both the legs and upper body.

Oisín O’Callaghan won a first downhill gold for Ireland at the Junior World Mountain Bike Championships in Austria last year. The Limerick teen is not the only Irishman carving a professional career out of the sport though. We now have a number of athletes competing on the world stage. In the Enduro World Series, we have Devinci Global Racing’s rider Greg Callaghan, who has three world series victories to his name and is an absolute contender at the sharp end of the stick. There’s also Chain Reaction Cycles’ rider Kelan Grant, and professional mountain biker Dan Wolfe. This year they are joined by series rookies Gavin Carroll, Harry Byrne, Ross Ennis and Emmet Callaghan.

Greg Callaghan says the sport is in such a good place in Ireland because of the great trails that are so close to and overlooking the capital city. “It’s the discovery of new places and new people that make it a fantastic sport. Once people try it once they are usually grabbed by it. There are endless benefits, both mentally and physically.”

Fellow professional Dan Wolfe agrees that the development of trail centres has certainly contributed to the boom. He adds: “The sense of community among the sport is great. This certainly keeps people involved and the sport thriving, and with the introduction of electric mountain bikes, the sport has become a lot more accessible across all ages.”

The state of Irish mountain biking is looking healthy, very healthy indeed.

Kevin Moran is a former masters national champion turned accredited mountain bike coach. bikecoach.ie