For those interested in exotic cars, there were lots of opportunities over the weekend in the south-west and west of Ireland to see some really serious vehicles,
writes Brian Byrne.
As part of the
Cannon Run Ireland 2019, some 70 examples of high-powered Lamborghinis, Ferraris, a Bugatti and many other extreme performance car models toured those parts of the country from Friday morning until last evening.
After spending more than an hour at the start point near Ashtown Castle in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, the cavalcade drove on the first day to Tralee, with stops at the Midway Food Court in Portlaoise, Mahon Point in Cork, and Moll's Gap in Kerry.
In addition to the participating performance cars, a number of powerful pick-ups and SUVs which are used for moving equipment and luggage, and providing music at stops, were also an attraction. The trucks included a Ford F150, a Chevrolet Silverado
(driven by me for a day spent with the Run) and a Dodge Ram from the US, and a high-powered version of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen.
Everywhere they stopped there were large crowds to view the cars and speak with their owners, in particular many families with excited youngsters.
Arriving for the overnight at the famous Rose Hotel in Tralee, more crowds gathered and through the evening there was a regular stream of visitors to the hotel's car park. That evening, the entertainment included a fire-eating demonstration outside the hotel by one of the 'Cannon Run Girls' who travel with the event.
On Saturday, the cars were driven to Castlebar, Co Mayo with stops at Bunratty Castle, Peacock's Hotel at Maam Cross and finishing up in Breaffy House Hotel after driving in convoy through Castlebar itself.
The final run back to Dublin on Sunday included a stop at Enfield Services, and then on to Mondello Park where the Run participants joined the 2019 Parts for Cars Irish Rallycross Championship, which included Round 3 of the Drift Games Extreme Championship
A live-streamed arrival and convoy drive around the track was timed for after the end of the Rallycross Finals, and then the Cannon Runners staying on for some track driving and drift games before heading back to Dublin. The official Cannon Run Ireland Awards were presented at an afterparty in the city's Number Twenty Two Club.
The event was organised by Cannon Run Ltd, a travel agency which specialises in organising road trips through the UK and across Europe, taking in the most iconic cities, some of the best driving roads in the world, and stop offs with amazing motoring heritage.
The enterprise was founded by Jamie Cannon
(above) from Telford, who inherited a love of high-powered cars and racing machines from his father Jim, a well-known businessman and race driver. Jamie began racing in karts at the age of eight, and still races today in the BMW Racing Club Drivers Class A, as does his father.
He set up the Cannon Run some years ago after having taken part in a similar event organised by another company and being unsatisfied at how it was managed.
The Runs are sponsored by some of the big names in automotive performance equipment, including Atturo Tyres, Bilstein shock absorbers, and Quantum44 forged wheels, as well as a number of other businesses, such as S6 Wraps who provide the decals given to decorate participants' cars during runs, and Monster Energy Drinks.
This past weekend's event was the second Run organised in Ireland — last year's one took in the North-West and Northern Ireland, including a leg through The Giant's Causeway and into Belfast.
