Joe Loughman is a man whose name is woven into the very fabric of civic and sporting life in the town of Bray, County Wicklow in Ireland.

Anyone who was ever involved in community groups in Bray, would have likely come across Joe’s legacy. He was a man of boundless energy and a true pillar of the community, dedicating his life to making the town a better place to live. 

To sports fans, he is perhaps best known as a foundational figure in the Bray Wheelers Cycling Club. In fact, back in 1958, Joe personally devised "The Shay Elliott" a gruelling, single-day race taking in the toughest terrain in County Wicklow and that remains a premier event on the Irish cycling calendar to this day.

Beyond sports, Joe was a pioneering heritage champion. With Christy Brien, he spent years preserving local folklore and history and was a founding member of Cualann Historical Society.

This conversation explores his life growing up in Little Bray offering a nostalgic look at old Bray and the many local organisations Joe helped to establish.

The original recording was made in Joe’s living room on 15th July 1987 and broadcast on BLB a few weeks later.

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