The Cannonball Run in aid of Barretstown, noted to be one of the most spectacular events of 2009, is back and ready to roll on September 10th 2010! In 2009 the first Cannonball run successfully raised over €150,000 for Barretstown to help rebuild the lives of children affected by childhood cancer.

The Official Launch of the Cannonball Run 2010 takes place at Lillie’s Bordello on Friday June 25th at 7.30pm and is hosted by Ireland AM’s Sinead Desmond. The Cannonball Bentley Flying Spur, Ferrari 360 Spider, Aston Marton and two Rolls Royce Phantoms will give guests a preview of the line-up for this year.

A host of familiar faces from Dublin’s social scene are expected to the launch, including Sybil Mulcahy; Anna Daly; Deric Hartigan; Conor Clear; Martin King and Jenny McCarthy; DJ and former ‘Big Brother’ housemate Ray Shah and Noreen Kelly; trainer to the stars Paul Byrne and Fiancé Siobhan; models Louise Kananagh; Georgia Salpa; Sarah Kavanagh; Tiffany Connor-Stanley; Georgina Tracey and Hazel O’Sullivan; Wes Quirke and Restaurateur Ronan Ryan.

Also expected are newly-crowned Mr World Kamal Ibrahim; Paul Sheeran; Berni and Lorenzo Cafolla; socialites Catriona Hanly, Triona McCarthy, Brendan Scully; Sean Montegue, Gail Kaneswarren, Izabella Chudzicka; Johnny Norton and many more.

With people coming from as far as Dubai, Italy, Germany, the US, the UK and Monaco, Cannonball Run Ireland is set to put Ireland on the world map in motoring terms.

Expect the unexpected with this adrenalin-fuelled event, the most exciting motoring and social event of the year with some of the world’s finest cars such as Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Aston Martins, Porsches, Maseratis, Rolls Royces and Bentleys.

Some of the unique cars already registered for the cannonball include an SL Mc Laren, a Ford GT 40, an American NYP Police Car, some new and classic Mustangs, not forgetting General Lee’s car from the movie ‘Dukes of Hazzard’.

Many enthusiastic cannonballers add to the party theme by wearing a colourful array of fancy dress costumes from characters in the cannonball movie such as Burt Reynolds, priests, nuns and Arabs.

The Cannonball Ireland Convoy consists of three action-packed days, taking in some of Ireland’s most scenic routes while also travelling through the most welcoming towns and villages in Ireland such as Westport, Donegal, Clarinbridge, Killarney, Cork City and Cashel.

Spectators and car enthusiasts along the route will hear the roars of the mighty convoy as they approach their final destination

Cannonnball Ireland commences On Friday September 10th 2010, when Dublin will awaken to a spectacular sight of 160 cars being escorted out of Merrion Square at 9.30am for the start of a very exciting drive to Donegal.

An appetizing lunch will be served in the World’s Top Luxury Country Hotel, the five-star Solis Lough Eske Castle. After a lap of Donegal town, the Cannonball Run makes its way towards the lively town of Westport, Co Mayo, where cannonballers will relax in the beautiful setting of Hotel Westport.

On day two the Cannonballer’s convoy departs Westport to Ashford Castle for a unique boat trip before enjoying the popular ‘Lady Ardilaun’ traditional morning tea.

Next stop is Clarinbridge, Co Galway, where Mr Alan Bannon, chairman of Cannonball Ireland, will officially open the Clarinbridge Oyster Festival 2010. Oysters and Guinness are the order of the day but Cannonball adds a most thrilling ‘sight in the sky’.

The skies will tremble with a spectacular aerial dance and gravity-defying aerobatics from champion aerobatic pilot Mr Eddie Goggins. Brazilian dancers will wow the crowd of spectators and the cannonballers will stay at one of Ireland’s most beautiful Victorian hotels, The Malton.

On day three, departing from the kingdom, it’s off to beautiful Cork City, where the Cannonball Run will parade through the city for the final lap to the finish line.

Then it’s finally time to step out of the metal and into the Boardwalk Bar and Grill Restaurant for the final party of Cannonball 2010.
Car entry fee is €750.00, with all of the money going to Barretstown. Driver entry fee is €460.00 per person sharing. This includes three nights B&B, meals and entertainment. Places are limited.

Barretstown was founded by Hollywood actor Paul Newman in 1994 after the success of his Hole In The Wall Camps in the USA. Barretstown has grown from serving 124 children in a marquee in 1994 to over 12,000 children and their families from 23 European countries.

The site has grown to offer a first-class facility for seriously-ill children with an excellent medical centre and a unique therapeutic programme backed by the medical community.