The MAMIL (Middle Aged Man in Lycra) is now a regular feature on the highways and byways of every county across Ireland every weekend, much to many motorists’ annoyance.
This 1-hour radio documentary takes a light-hearted & local look at the rapid rise of the MAMIL phenomenon in Ireland. Mixing expert analysis from a sociologist studying the trends alongside input from professional bodies such as Cycling Ireland and most importantly, selected personal stories of self-confessed MAMILs, the phenomena of the MAMIL is explored.
Coined in 2010 by UK firm Minitel, the acronym MAMIL was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2014 and has been happily adopted by some in the sport of cycling, while considered derogatory by others.
Interest in cycling in Ireland has swelled in recent years and the membership of Cycling Ireland has exploded – more than trebling between 2010 and 2015.
However, the personal stories behind why many men & women take up cycling later in life are as diverse as the many lycra-clad shapes themselves.
By featuring cyclists from the Cuchulainn Cycling Club in Dundalk (one of the largest clubs in Ireland) and the White River Wheelers from Dunleer, we look behind the multi-coloured lycra outfits and explore the camaraderie and social side of the world inhabited by these cyclists.
The Rise of the MAMIL was funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with the Television License fee and produced by Little Road Productions Ltd. for LMFM Radio.
It was broadcast on LMFM Radio on Monday 19th March 2018 at 12noon and the podcast can be heard here.