Michael Walker (13 August 1885 – 17 March 1971) was an Irish

cyclist Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...

. He represented Ireland in two events at the

1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad () and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 6 July and 22 July 1912. The opening ceremony was he ...

. (Ireland and Scotland entered separate national teams; France made a formal objection to this the day before the race, but the objection failed. The Irish team included Michael Walker, his brother John, also a long-distance cyclist; Francis Guy, 'Arjay' Mecredy; Matthew Walsh and Bernard Doyle.) ''The Irish Times'', describing the race, wrote: "M Walker came over

ell An ell (from Proto-Germanic *''alinō'', cognate with Latin ''ulna'') is a northwestern European unit of measurement, originally understood as a cubit (the combined length of the forearm and extended hand). The word literally means "arm", an ...

twice during the event and he had the mistortune to be compelled to ride for the greater part of the journey on a leaking tyre. BJ Doyle, who was generally regarded as the rider most likely to improve on his form at the trial race, had the misfortune to be fouled by the crack he championof the Swedish team, and fell He punctured twice, and lost his way and fell twice again before he finished. F Guy of Belfast rode excellently, and despite three falls of a puncture, he finished within five minutes of Walker, who was the fastest of the Irishmen." The team rode on Lucania bicycles, made in John O'Neill's bicycle factory in Pleasants Street, Dublin. Walker was Irish champion at 50 miles in 1913 and set national records at both 12 and 24 hours. In civil life Michael Walker was a compositor. With his brother John Walker, also an Olympic cyclist, he fought in the

1916 Rising The Easter Rising (), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the aim of establishing an i ...

for Irish independence. He was a member of the Irish Volunteers, G Company, 2nd Battalion, Jacob's Garrison, under the command of

Thomas MacDonagh Thomas Stanislaus MacDonagh (; 1 February 1878 – 3 May 1916) was an Irish political activist, poet, playwright, educationalist and revolutionary leader. He was one of the seven leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916, a signatory of the Proclama ...

. He was subsequently imprisoned in H.M.P. Stafford, but later returned to Ireland to fight in the

War of Independence Wars of national liberation, also called wars of independence or wars of liberation, are conflicts fought by nations to gain independence. The term is used in conjunction with wars against foreign powers (or at least those perceived as foreign) ...

References

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* 1885 births 1971 deaths Irish male cyclists Cyclists at the 1912 Summer Olympics Cyclists from Dublin (city) Olympic cyclists for Ireland {{UK-cycling-bio-stub