WHEN you think about the senior riders we have on national teams to the teenagers coming through the ranks, the best of riders are hailing from the west of Ireland,” said Pauline Howley, highlighting the wealth of talent that continues to stream from Connacht.

And it has been an unforgettable autumn for Paddy and Pauline Howley with son Richard’s run of success. From his Gijon Grand Prix win to another Irish gold medal at Lanaken, Richard is currently on the crest of a wave as big as those tackled by Wild Atlantic Way surfers, attracted to Enniscrone’s Blue Flag beach.