The ninth 'Pioneer Run' of cars over a hundred years old will be run by the Royal Irish Automobile Club on Sunday 27 May through parts of Kildare and Meath, from an event HQ at Barberstown Castle in Straffan, writes Trish Whelan.
The event celebrates the heritage of Ireland's pioneering automobilists, who were never sure at the start of their journeys where they might end up. The cars will be flagged away by John Boyd Dunlop, great-gandson of the inventor of the pneumatic tyre.
The route will take the cars and motorcycles through Maynooth, Kilcock, Enfield, Johnstownbridge, Kilshanroe, Carbury, Allenwood, Prosperous and Clane.
The Run will be preceded on the Saturday by a 'shakedown' afternoon drive to Dunboyne, where the cars will be displayed for a time on the village green. This will be part of the launch of the Dunboyne Motor Club's 'Spirit of Dunboyne' event which takes place on September 23.
Pictured above at a reception in the RIAC in Dublin to promote the event is former rally champion Rosemary Smith in an Alfa Romeo that was part of a display in front of The Mansion House, with Tom Farrell, president of the Irish Veteran & Vintage Car Club, Myles O'Reilly of sponsors AXA Insurance, Cecil Sparks, chairman of the RIAC, and Tom Healy of Irish Vintage Scene Magazine; and (below) Tom Farrell with John Hayes, automotive management consultant.
