Fabulous Fran 'broke the mould' says proud mum

Helen Meehan from Killurin has spoken this week of her pride in daughter Fran's performance at the ongoing London 2012 Paralympics. Sighted pilot Fran along with her stoker Catherine Walsh has picked up silver and bronze medals in pursuit and time trial events at the Games so far. The duo are back in action tomorrow (Saturday) for their final event, the individual road race. Helen said she "broke the mould" when she had her only child Francine 34 years ago. "Words can't describe how proud I am of her," she said this week, adding that Fran is a good person who deserves all the good things that have come her way. Helen and her partner Brendan made the trip to London to see Fran and Catherine win silver in their pursuit event last weekend. Going into the race as reigning world champions, the Irish pair thought their biggest rivals were going to be from Great Britain. However it was the New Zealand duo of Phillipa Gray and Laura Thompson who turned out to be the ones to beat in the end. Both Ireland and New Zealand broke time records in the morning qualifier, which they broke again in their Sunday afternoon final. "It was a fabulous race," Helen said. "It was really good to watch." As sporting as her daughter, Helen said she could but applaud the winners. "You couldn't whinge or crib," she said. "The Kiwis were better on the day." Helen said Fran was also happy with her performance. "She was delighted with the way they rode, and quite happy with the second place," Helen said. "As she said herself they were a damn good second." Helen and Brendan flew over to London last Saturday morning, and returned to Killurin straight after the Sunday event. They spent some time with Fran on Saturday in the Irish squad's lodge on Stratford High Street, and Helen said she can only applaud the "top class" staff working with the team there. Helen is also thankful to her Killurin neighbours and friends who made the trip possible. "We have animals here and only for our neighbours we wouldn't have been able to go over," she said. She added that local support for Fran and Catherine is overwhelming, with everyone recording televised events, collecting paper clippings and texting and calling Helen. Fran only began cycling five years ago, Helen explained, after looking at cycling events in the Commonwealth Games when she was in Australia. "She came home and met up with the cycling club in Tullamore," she explained. "The first Sunday she went out with them I think they nearly killed her!" Hard work took her up a level and she quickly moved into elite road racing before being invited to try out for the tandem cycling she now has great success in. Fran and Catherine travel abroad to train for velodrome events as Ireland does not currently offer the necessary facilities, something Helen thinks is sad. However, when training outside, she's a common sight around the Slieve Bloom mountains. As to what's in store for her daughter come the end of the Games, Helen is not sure. "I don't think she knows yet," she said. "We'll just have to see what comes down the line, but I would imagine it'd be a lot more cycling." The success of Fran and Catherine is complemented by the gold-winning time trial performance of Ballinahown native Mark Rohan last Wednesday, along with fellow midlander Damien Shaw's bronze win alongside stoker James Brown. Mark has close links to Offaly, with both his parents originally hailing from the Faithful County.