Classic Car Convoy to Cross Ireland in Annual RETRO Cannonball Event
Cannonball returns June 13-15 as 100 classic cars roll from Cork to Cooley Peninsula.
One hundred classic cars will thunder across Ireland from 13th to 15th June as RETRO Cannonball returns for another year of vintage motoring spectacle and charitable fundraising.
The convoy will begin its two-day journey at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Little Island, Cork, at 10.30am on Friday 13th June, before winding through Counties Cork, Tipperary, Offaly, Westmeath, and Tyrone to finish at the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth for the first time.
This year's event will raise funds for the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation, continuing Cannonball's impressive charitable record of €1,946,432 already raised for Irish children's charities.
The classic car collection spans four decades of automotive history, featuring vehicles from the 1960s through to the 1990s. Spectators can expect to see rare models including the Lamborghini Diablo, Jaguar E-Type, Ferrari 348 GTS, Mercedes-Benz SL Classics, Porsche 911 Carrera, Ford Escort Cosworth, and Chevrolet Corvette, among many others.
The first day's route will take participants through picturesque Irish landscapes with a lunch stop at Kilshane House in Tipperary and coffee at Kinnitty Castle in Offaly, before the overnight stay at The Sheraton Hotel in Athlone.
Day two continues through Westmeath and into Tyrone's rolling hills, with lunch at Corick House before participants take the ferry from Greencastle to Greenore. The final destination is Ballymascanlon House on the Cooley Peninsula, just 20 minutes from the medieval town of Carlingford.
"We are welcoming cars from the golden era of the 60's, 70's, 80's and early 90's to take in stunning drives and many famous Irish landmarks," said Cannonball founder Alan Bannon. "Classic cars not only appeal to car lovers, but also to lovers of engineering, design, art and history. They retain an incurable romance and that is the reason why people do, and always will, love classic cars."
Families and spectators can view the vehicles up close and take photographs at start and finish lines, pit stops, and lunch locations throughout the weekend. The event promises free family entertainment alongside the unique festival atmosphere that has become Cannonball's trademark.
Registration is also open for the main Cannonball Ireland supercar event, scheduled for 12th to 15th September, which will also benefit the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation.
Further details about all events can be found at www.cannonball.ie.
