Cyclists on the Ring this Saturday as two triathlons run the same day

Two triathlons take over the Ring of Kerry on Saturday 29 August, and between them they put cyclists on most of the loop for the day. Neither race closes the driving route, but it is worth knowing before you set out.

The Hardman starts in Killarney: a 3.8km swim in the lakes, then 180km by bike around the full Ring of Kerry, then a marathon through Killarney National Park. It is Ireland's only full distance triathlon. There are no road closures for it, and that is the part that matters to you: the Ring stays open, and the field is sharing it with your car.

The Lost Sheep goes from Kenmare the same morning, run by Cork Triathlon Club: a 1.9km swim, an 80km cycle over the hills of south Kerry, and a half marathon. This one brings the only road closure either race causes.

Pier Road in Kenmare closes from 7am to 4.30pm, from the junction with the N71 down to the pier. Kerry County Council has signposted diversions, with local access kept for residents and emergency services. If you were planning to park down that end of town, plan somewhere else.

The practical read for anyone driving the loop on Saturday: expect cyclists from early morning until well into the afternoon, and expect them in groups rather than strung out singly. The southern stretch, roughly Kenmare through Sneem, carries both races at once. Those roads are narrow, walled and short of overtaking places, so leave the room you would want left for you, and do not take a blind bend on the wrong side because a straight is coming.

Allow more time than the map suggests. A day when you are not trying to be anywhere by a particular hour is a much better day on this road anyway.

One honest gap: neither organiser publishes start times or the direction of travel, so we cannot tell you which stretch clears first. If you need to plan around the races precisely, ask them directly rather than trusting a guess.