Pink Fast

Nothing says anticipation like pink bunting. Dublin city has undergone a bit of an old-school Disney makeover with pink flaps lining the street to welcome the Giro D?Italia when it arrives in our capital this Sunday. Tomorrow 200 of the world’s elite cyclists will set out from Armagh, speedily snaking their aluminum way down 187 km of rugged coast. The southern stage of the journey will comprise of Dundalk, Drogheda, Malahide and Clontarf, with the finish line breaking out into Merrion Square where the winner wil be awarded the coveted pink jersey.

The Georgian square will become an Italian square, albeit very leafy one, with food and drink on offer alongside an Irish Cycling Show. *drifts off to dream about carbs, pizza and carbs* Dunne & Crescenzi are helping us get our rosa on with some nice deals while Fallon & Bryne win the Little Pink Flags War with their Foodhall get-up.

Meeting House Square will be saying goodbye to culinary pop-up hit Secret Garden and welcoming some cycling cinema. Saturday night sees the post-war classic The Bicycle Thieves and the Sunday screening is coming-of-age US drama Breaking Away. Oxfam and One4all are teaming up for the first female-only charity cycle, Women on Wheels Giro Cycle, on Saturday, which runs out to Bull Island and back to the Irish Cycling Show. Sign up?here.?Meanwhile Storymap are hosting a bike tour from Kilmainham May 9^th, 10^th and 11^th at 3pm each day. If whizzing by history and hearing some amazing stories while you rest those calve muscles sounds like your cup?n tae book a space here.

All those cherry blossoms are now looking mightily serendipitous. Go forth and #pinkthecity

Jeanne Sutton @jeannedesutun