Adam D'Arcy, Ambassador for Destination Napoleon in Cork

Originally from Limerick, Ireland, Adam D'Arcy studied architecture at Technological University in Dublin and worked in Berlin before moving to Cork. He works as an architect in a small practice and is also a part-time tutor in the Department of Architecture at University College Cork.

Adam has a keen interest in cycling and Napoleonic history. He is a member of the Cork Cycling Campaign and has been involved with cyclist.ie - the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network. He is a member of the International Napoleonic Society and the Napoleon Society of Ireland.

Cork, which was part of the United Kingdom during the Napoleonic Wars, was an important maritime and military centre for the British, with many examples of commercial and military infrastructure and Napoleonic history. Adam is Cork's Destination Napoleon Ambassador, with a view to the city becoming a member of the European Federation of Napoleonic Cities.

Adam combined his interests in Napoleonic history and cycling to embark on a series of cycling trips across Europe following Napoleon's military campaigns. He cycled from Calais to Cairo and from Madrid to Moscow. The idea of creating a network of long-distance cycle routes based on Napoleon's campaigns was born from these journeys. The project was named Velopoleon. Inspired by the’Eurovelo and other long-distance routes, Velopoleon will enable cycle tourists to cover routes across Europe on the theme of Napoleon, as part of a unique experience that links landscape, nature and people.