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Spring 16. Irish Olympic cyclists Michael and John Walker might be largely-forgotten sporting figures but they were the key figures behind the story of PUSH.
Their exploits as part of 6 man Irish cycling team at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics deserve remembrance. The road race took place at night-time, taking almost 12 hours to complete. The Irish team received a merit award from the Olympic Council for being one of the few teams whose full complement finished the race. Many teams pulled out either before or during the race due to a storm. The Walkers, alongside team-mates Ralph Mercredy, Matthew Walsh, Francis Guy and Bernhard Doyle, pushed on through the storm, hampered by old bikes and without even spare tyres, to finish in 12th position.
In 1916 the Walkers pushed further boundaries when they served as bicycle couriers to the leaders of the Rising, cycling around town disguised in 3 piece suits dispatching messages to help the rebel cause. The collection includes cycling-inspired fabrics, jerseys, tee shirts, polos and sweatshirts mixed with more traditional formal wear from early 1900’s Ireland.