Barberstown Castle, Kildare – Sunday 18 May 2025
Beneath clear skies and with engines humming, over 260 dapper riders departed Barberstown Castle this morning in a show of solidarity, style, and strength. The Kildare chapter of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) hasn’t just broken records with 308 registered participants — it’s made a very real, very local statement about men’s mental health and prostate cancer awareness.
This isn’t just a ride — it’s a global movement. But here in Kildare, it’s personal.
Hosting the event again this year, Barberstown Castle has become more than just a scenic venue — it’s part of the reason this thing works.
Amanda Torrens, who runs the Castle, put it plainly: “Every one of us has a man in our life — a partner, an uncle, a father. And everyone is touched by Movember in some way. Men’s mental health is a big one.”
Amanda and Austin have helped grow this thing year by year, and the numbers back it up. From 57 riders at the start, to 220 last year, to over 300 today — the momentum’s real. We asked about the driving force behind DGR Kildare and we loved the response.
“Austin loves his bikes,” she said. “But he’s always been about doing things for charity. And wherever he goes, we support him.”
The support doesn’t stop at the gates. “It’s easy to take all the time,” Amanda said, “but it’s lovely to be able to give back. And we’ve had brilliant help again from the K Club, Carton House, the Dew Drop, and loads of local businesses. Our staff love it. They row in with it every time.”
Last year: around 230 riders. This year: 308 registered, with more flowing in across the morning. Over 4.5km of road taken up in convoy. Kids waving from windows. Applause in the towns. And a clear sense that the ride is no longer just about the bikes.
Austin O’Callaghan’s pre-ride speech set the tone. Emotional. Raw. Honest. After the past few years — and after what this cause means to him personally — it was the moment that stuck with most people when talking to the riders when they came back from the charoty ride across Kildare.
The Castle grounds were buzzing. Music. Food. Ice Cream Truck. Water or Beer for Riders. Prizes. A Movember “Talk Mo” phone box where people could step in and just say how they were feeling. No fuss. Just a moment. The buzz was just electric from when we arrived until we left. To see the growth over the last 3 years is immense. Just getting stronger and stronger.
The crowd was full of different stories. First-timers. Veterans. Families. A communion girl who got to wear Joe’s jacket, and get a pci and couldn’t have looked happier. People weren’t just attending — they were in it. They were part of it.
A wonderful cause that lands in all the right places. We’ve all lost someone. We’ve all struggled. DGR brings that pain, that loss, that hurt together and reframes it in such a positive way to get a community together and do something worthwhile, something positive.
Sponsors and local businesses backed this event from the ground up. Prizes were handed out for best dressed, best moustache, best bike — but the real impact was in the mix of names who helped pull it all together:
Not just names. Real people, putting things behind a cause that’s landed in the middle of the community.
Richard, GM of Barberstown, summed it: “Suicide is a huge problem in Ireland. Over 300 bikes showed up this morning. That says something.”
It does.
It says that awareness doesn’t have to be quiet. It can look good, feel fun, and still be serious. It says that showing up still counts. And that when the right people pull in the same direction, you can create something that matters.
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