Ben McKenna (1939 – 26 March 1992)[1] was an Irish cyclist. He won the Rás Tailteann in 1959.[2][3]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Gentle Ben |
| Born | 1939 Stamullen, County Meath, Ireland |
| Died | March 26, 1992 (age 52) Templemore, County Tipperary, Ireland |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Road bicycle racing |
| Role | Rider |
| Amateur team | |
| 1955–77 | St. Patrick's East Meath |
| Major wins | |
| Rás Tailteann, 1959 Tour of Ulster, 1960 | |
Early life
McKenna was born at Cottage Hill, Stamullen in 1939; his family later moved to Julianstown.[4]
Career
McKenna was a founding member of St. Patrick's East Meath cycling club in 1955.
He first competed in the Rás Tailteann in 1956, and won the competition in 1959.[5] He finished second in 1961 and 1964.
McKenna also won the Rás Laighean in 1958,[6] the Mick Beggan Memorial in 1959 and the Tour of Ulster in 1960.[7] He retired from cycling in 1977.
Personal and later life
McKenna was Chief Commissaire for the 1983 Rás.[8] He also had a role in the reunification of the politically divided Irish cycling world, which culminated in the creation of Cycling Ireland in 1987.
McKenna married Grace Bosonnet and had six children; he died in 1992 aged just 52.
Legacy
The Ben McKenna Memorial is an annual cycling race held in Balbriggan.[9][10][11]
McKenna was inducted into the Cycling Ireland Hall of Fame in 2017.[12]
References
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