On Saturday September 10th 2016 at 1.30pm – 3.30pm, the largest ever Cannonball event, is coming back to Bunratty with a mighty roar.
The supercar spectacle which takes place from September 9th to 11th all over Ireland was last in Co Clare in 2015 when it made a pit-stop in Killaloe. Huge crowds flocked to the event where fans got up close and personal with the world’s top mark cars such as McLaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Porsche, Masseratti, Rolls Royce and Bentley.
Now in its eight year Cannonball has raised over €850,000 for Irish Charities and this year, proceeds will go to Pieta House. Sponsored by Manhattan Popcorn, it goes up a gear this year with 190 supercars and over 150,000 spectators expected to line the streets all over Ireland, making it the largest ever event. The start line will be at the Point Village, Dublin on Friday September 9th from 9am. Cannonball is not a race but an organised road rip and the gleaming convoy will drive through 900KM of Irish open roads with stops in Dublin, Cavan, Westport, Bunratty, Galway, Tullamore and Wexford.
Cannonball will blaze a trail through towns and counties in spectacular style with free family friendly festivals all over the country. Each start and finish line at each host town is infused with an electric atmosphere featuring Las Vegas Show Girls, live music, DJs, The Monster Energy JAM Truck, local entertainers and dignitaries, confetti cannons, lots of Manhattan popcorn, official merchandise and, of course, the unmistakable roar of 190 supercars.
A quarter of the supercars are coming in from the UK, Europe and even Dubai with the highest ever number of top mark cars worth an estimated €30 million including McLaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Porsche, Masseratti, Rolls Royce and Bentley. Cannonball is the brainchild of Kildare Businessman and AB Signs proprietor, Alan Bannon and the benefit to the Irish economy of this event is estimated at €2,567,000 per year, most of which is spread evenly throughout the counties and towns visited. Nominated as Best Live Event at the National Event Industry Awards, the route showcases beautiful villages, towns and famous Irish landmarks to both Irish and foreign Cannonballers and fans.
This year’s celebrity ambassadors include TV3’s Glenda Gilson and 2FM’s Eoghan McDermott. Don O’Neil of Manhattan Popcorn, headline sponsor of Cannonball said. “We are very proud to be part of Cannonball again in 2016 and to help raise funds for Pieta House. We recently scooped the Best Event Sponsorship Award for Cannonball at the National Event Industry Awards and also this year the iconic Cannonball movie is 35 years old so we have plenty to celebrate”.