Ciaran O'Sullivan

Ciaran's journey into cycling advocacy began during his university years at University College Cork, where he initially studied environmental management before pivoting toward sustainable transport research. What started as academic interest evolved into genuine passion—the kind that keeps you documenting greenway openings and interviewing cyclists at dawn.

Over the past 16 years, he's documented the transformation of Ireland's disused railway corridors into thriving recreational routes, with particular focus on the southeast's growing network of greenways. He spent five years working directly with the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network, where he contributed to accessibility standards for cycling infrastructure and consulted on multiple local authority greenway projects across County Waterford and Wexford.

His work examining how older adults engage with active travel led to several published reports on age-friendly cycling design, informing best practices now used across Irish local authorities. What drives Ciaran's work is witnessing firsthand how heritage rail trails become vital community assets—he's interviewed hundreds of users ranging from keen cyclists to grandparents discovering their first bike ride in decades. He approaches each greenway with both historical appreciation for the railways they replace and pragmatic analysis of their modern accessibility, ensuring his reporting serves both enthusiasts and newcomers alike.