Timmy Mallet keeps his late brother's mantra in mind as he cycles the Wild Atlantic Way
The children's TV legend put April and May aside to see how much of the 2,600km west coast tourist trail he can complete on his e-bike, and is documenting his adventures on social media and through paintings and sketches.
The British presenter and artist said he is 'inspired to be in the moment' on the voyage by his brother Martin, who had Down syndrome and died in 2018 aged 64. Pic: Timmy Mallet/Facebook
Mallet, whose regular posts showcase the very best of the West Coast, told Extra.ie: 'Martin would say, 'You and me, I'm happy', which is a lovely phrase. It talks about the joy of being in this moment, the here and now, rather than the planning, looking forward to something else happening.'
The former Wacaday presenter added: 'We say 'It will be great when the weekend comes; when I go on holiday; when I get promoted.' We don't enjoy the here and now.'
Mallet had a 'rather powerful' moment early in the trip that invoked his brother's memory, on the way west from the Belfast ferry.
While sheltering from the rain in Portadown, Co. Armagh, a man and his son, who had Down syndrome, approached. 'They said, 'We're following your story because of your brother Martin and we'd like to meet you,' Mallett recalled.
'He said, 'Look, I've got the bikes in the back of the car. Can we go for a bike ride?' The weather cleared enough for us to go, and we cycled down the canal towards Newry. Timmy Mallet. Pic: File
'I was reminded of my bike rides with my brother Martin, where he would always be involved in the business of pedalling.
'It's not about where you're going or where you've been, it's the here and now and the business of actually doing it. And it was a joyous reminder of being in the moment and of saying, 'I don't have to go anywhere. I'll just do this.'' Mallett recalled 'another family episode' that happened further along his route, at Blacksod Lighthouse in Co. Mayo, famous for its involvement in the D-Day landings of 1944.
Ireland continued to provide weather updates to Britain under an independence agreement, and it was Maureen Sweeney's reports from Blacksod that convinced US General Eisenhower to delay the Normandy landings by a day.
Earlier that year, Mallett's mother, Nancy, had been seconded to Supreme Headquarters to work on the weather forecasting for D-Day.
'So I was really intrigued to go out to Blacksod. I met Maureen Sweeney's grandson, Fergus, who tells the story of Maureen putting her weather report in and getting a phone call from a squeaky-voiced English lady, who would have been my Mum. Pic: Timmy Mallet/Facebook
'Now hang on a second – this is two women involved in world events, and their son and grandson meet 80 years later. It was a profoundly moving experience to stand with Fergus in the lighthouse and to give him a photo of my mum in uniform, and to look at Maureen and to think: 'Yeah, we've all got a little role to play.''
'The former I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here contestant is something of a bike tour veteran – he has cycled from his home in England to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, around the entire coast of Britain, around Northern Ireland, and around Co. Donegal.
It was the latter trip that put Mallet on the radar of Sligo County Council tourism officer Aidan McCormack, who helped convince the colourful broadcaster to return and venture further south.
'It's just me and the bike,' Mallett said. 'I carry what I can carry. I've got two panniers, a little bar bag which has got my sketching stuff in, and then a dry bag, which carries my wet weather gear for that rare occasion when it rains!' Friends have helped add a sheen to some of his regular social media posts, which together form a travelogue that would lend itself well to a Sunday evening TV series. Mallet once filmed in counties Cork and Kerry for Wacaday – including a swim with Fungie the dolphin – and he said his fondness for the country increases with each visit.
'There's a generosity and a welcome that is wonderful,' he said. 'I think generosity and hospitality are part of the DNA of Ireland. I love the pride that people have in their county. I love the way that every county flies its flag and proudly sings the praises of their county and [says] 'down with the other ones!'
'I love how GAA brings that out. I do like that sport [hurling]. I think it's a great game – fast and furious. And it's a great thing that they have the women's version, camogie. Ireland's very proud of what they have and so they should be, because it's a beautiful country with very kind people, with a welcome that is open-armed, openhearted and generous.'
Mallett said he has had a puncture-free voyage so far, which has brought him as far as Kilkee, Co. Clare, when he spoke to Extra.ie this week.
'I go slowly, is the answer. And I choose traffic-free routes as much as I can. The greenways are amazing. I love these cycle greenways in Ireland.'
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