CRITICAL Car Show coming to Fota House this June
Eddie Jordan's 2001 F1 car heads to Fota House on 28 June as CRITICAL charity hosts its inaugural car show in aid of emergency response volunteers.
A charity car show featuring one of Ireland's most iconic motorsport vehicles is coming to Cork next month, with all proceeds going towards life-saving emergency response work.
The inaugural CRITICAL Car Show takes place at Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens on Sunday, 28 June 2026, raising funds for CRITICAL, Ireland's leading emergency medical response charity. The event will feature supercars, vintage and classic cars, emergency response vehicles and live demonstrations, alongside CPR awareness, family entertainment, and food vendors.
The star attraction will be Eddie Jordan's 2001 Formula One car, which will be on display at the historic venue for the day. Škoda Ireland has signed on as the event's main sponsor.
Visitors will have the chance to meet local Gardaí, members of the Fire Service, emergency responders, and CRITICAL volunteers who work on the frontline in communities across Ireland every day.
CRITICAL operates a network of more than 300 responders nationwide, alerted to life-threatening emergencies by the National Ambulance Service. Volunteers include doctors, consultants, Community First Responder groups, and off-duty paramedics and emergency medical technicians. In 2024 and 2025 alone, CRITICAL volunteers responded to 3,330 serious and life-threatening emergencies.
The charity has been in operation since 2009 and launched the Irish Community Air Ambulance in 2019, a service that proved so successful it is now operated by the HSE. Since 2023, CRITICAL has been operating across 21 counties.
Edward Walsh, CRITICAL Head of Operations & Standards, said:
"Having Škoda Ireland as event sponsor is really important to us. Our volunteers are often first at the scene of an emergency and they don't arrive in ambulances, they arrive in cars. We are incredibly grateful to Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens who are generously providing the venue for our inaugural car show. This event is about bringing the reality of emergency response into the public space in a way people can see, experience and connect with. Every single day across Ireland, CRITICAL responders are helping people during the worst moments of their lives. The support we receive from communities, businesses and the public is what allows us to continue doing that work. The CRITICAL Car Show is about awareness, community and ultimately saving lives."
Michele Hillenbrand, CRITICAL Community Fundraising Officer, added:
"The cars will absolutely attract people on the day, but what we really hope people leave with is a greater understanding of emergency response and the importance of those first few critical minutes before an ambulance arrives. We want families to come along, enjoy the day, learn CPR, meet responders, and see first-hand the incredible work being carried out by volunteers across Ireland."
No tickets are required for the event; attendees can make a donation to enter. Car exhibitor entries are still open. For more information about the charity or to make a donation, visit criticalcharity.ie.