Síle O'Brien

Síle discovered her passion for cycling infrastructure whilst researching canal restoration projects in County Carlow over a decade ago. Thing is, she didn't start out as a cyclist or transport expert—she came to this work through environmental planning and a genuine curiosity about how waterway conservation connects to community access.

After completing her B.A. in Environmental Planning at University College Dublin in 2009, she spent the next five years working directly with the Barrow Navigation Trust. This wasn't desk work. She was on the towpath regularly, documenting the St Mullins to Graiguenamanagh restoration project, understanding every challenge and opportunity that emerged from bringing a historic canal path back to life. That hands-on experience became invaluable—she learned how infrastructure decisions actually play out in practice, not just in planning documents.

What really drives Síle is a conviction that cycling shouldn't be limited by age or ability. She's watched too many retirees assume they can't cycle anymore because routes feel unsafe or uncomfortable. That's changed her entire focus. She's particularly interested in how well-designed, flat routes like the Barrow Way can genuinely open up cycling to people who've stepped away from it for years. Her approach combines meticulous local knowledge with accessibility research, ensuring her articles provide practical, evidence-based guidance that reflects real conditions on the ground.

At sellerandseller Ltd since 2019, she continues to champion Ireland's quiet, scenic cycling routes as genuine alternatives to busier road networks. She's not interested in selling the romance of cycling—she's focused on making it actually work for real people in real places.