On the last Friday of every month there’s a Critical Mass bike ride through Dublin city centre.
Critical Mass was created as a form of direct action or protest about reclaiming the streets, and also to highlight the dangers that cyclists face on the city streets. By riding together as a big group, there is safety in numbers.
The event originated in San Francisco in 1992, but is now held in hundreds of cities around the world. In some places it has caused controversy, but the Dublin ride is generally well received by the general public.
How is it run in Dublin?
The ride isn’t organised by any one person or organisation. Rather it is promoted by a couple of cycling groups:
There’s also a Facebook page for Critical Mass Dublin if you prefer to follow that.
There are announcements made in the days running up to each ride on the various social media accounts, and everyone is welcome to come along and join in, including children.
It’s run more as a fun event in Dublin, and is often referred to as the I Bike Bop. There is fun music provided by some battery-powered speakers carried in cargo bikes, and there are disco lights and decorations. Some rides are themed – such as at Halloween, Christmas, and so on – and people dress up.
This makes it a fun ride for people to take part in, and it also entertains (and sometimes bemuses) other people that we pass in the city. We even have some pedestrians dancing along with us at the side of the road!

What happens?
Everyone meets at 6.00pm on the last Friday of the month, at Parnell Square North – opposite the Hugh Lane Gallery. There are a small group of volunteers that have the loudspeakers playing the music, and some other folks that act as unofficial marshals to help with road safety.
The group:
- Rides at a fairly sedate pace (around 10 km/h)
- Obeys the rules of the road, and any directions received from An Garda Síochána
- Tries to stick together as one group, unless it is not safe to do so
- Spreads out wide to take the whole lane and provide safety for the whole group
- Has fun and engages with members of the public as they look on
The route goes through the city centre, and usually takes about an hour to complete – ending up Bernardo Square on Dame Street (next to City Hall).
It’s not an ‘official’ protest, and is not supported by members of the guards. Roads are not closed to traffic, and so we always think about safety and avoid any confrontations.
Drum and Bass
In August 2022 the British DJ Dom Whiting brought his ‘Drum & Bass on a bike’ setup to Dublin for a special critical mass ride. It attracted an enormous crowd of people on bikes enjoying his music while they rode through the city.
