Retro Cannonball classic car event to visit Athlone

The Retro Cannonball classic car event will stop in Athlone next month, with all proceeds going to the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation.

The two-day event is taking place from Friday, June 13, to Sunday, June 15, and will follow a route which starts in Little Island, Cork, and finishes at the Ballymascanlon Hotel in County Louth.

The route will cover counties Cork, Tipperary, Offaly, Tyrone, Louth and Westmeath - finishing day one at The Sheraton Athlone Hotel.

Visitors to the Athlone event on June 13 can witness rare classic cars, meet the drivers, and take photographs, as the drivers have their first overnight stay of the event in the Sheraton.

On day two, Saturday, June 14, the convoy will depart from Athlone and travel through Westmeath, heading north to Tyrone, where it will stop at Corick House Hotel for lunch.

The convoy will include rare cars like the Lamborghini Diablo, Jaguar E-Type, Ferrari 358 GTS and the Porsche 911.

Spectators can get up close, view the cars and take photographs at each of the start and finish lines, pitstops and lunch stops.

Alan Bannon, Cannonball founder, said: "We are welcoming cars from the golden era of the 60s, 70s, 80s and early 90s to take in stunning drives and many famous Irish landmarks.

"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."

Over the years Cannonball has already raised close to €2 million for Irish children's charities and this year is raising funds for the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation.