Well, what a weekend this May Bank Holiday promises to be. It’s going to be so busy, all over the island. Below are a few events we are attending ourselves or have been to in the past, as well as a full list of everything that’s happening over the weekend. By Tom Heavey, Managing Editor
The Galway Classic Motorcycle Rally is based in the Clifden Station House in Galway for the weekend, with the main rally taking place on Saturday the 29th of April. We will have a very interesting story coming from this in the future, as this is my first time to attend this event and I’m really looking forward to it.
Next up for me on Sunday the 30th is the Killtulla & District Vintage Club Show in Kiltulla, Co. Galway, which kicks off on Saturday with an autojumble. This annual show always has a great offering, with all aspects of vintage and classic on display as well as many side attractions. I’m looking forward to meeting so many readers and friends at this one.
Also on Sunday, our editor Andrew will be in Clonmel in Co. Tipperary for the Clonmel Veteran, Vintage & Classic Car Club’s static show in Powerstown Park. Always a great show in a super venue, this is another event that kicks off on the Saturday with a road run, which this year is being held for a very good cause, the Ryan O’Dwyer Road to Recovery Fund.
Monday sees me heading to the Shamrock Car & Machinery Show in Johnstown Bridge in Co. Kildare, always an excellent day out. Based on the grounds of the Hamlet Court Hotel, the event is very centrally located and is well worth checking out.
One show I’d love to be going to this year but it just didn’t work out for me is the Shane’s Castle Steam Rally in Co. Antrim, but I’m delighted to have David Heatley there on our behalf instead. The show takes place on the grounds of the beautiful Shane’s Castle estate on the shores of Lough Neagh, and being the first steam rally of the year it always attracts a massive entry of steam power, commercial trucks, amazing tractors and cars. In fact, it’s such a popular event that this year the car entries were closed a few weeks back as it was full. I’m really looking forward to the social media updates on this one, as well as David’s report for the magazine.
A fundraiser local to myself is the Larry Duane Memorial Vintage Car & Tractor Run, and while I can’t make it to all events and have to miss this one, I really hope it gets good support as the proceeds are going to local man Dermot Donohue, who was recently confined to a wheelchair.
On Monday Andrew will be heading for Kilkenny and the well-known Castleinch car boot venue on the Callan Road for this year’s Castleinch Vintage Rally on May 1st, where there will be a whole lot of family fun and entertainment on offer as well as an autojumble and a wide selection of vintage and classic vehicles on display.
Rounding off our list here is the Norman Pratt Memorial Run, which is held every year by the ever active members of the Celtic Old Vehicle Owners Club. This year it’s based at The Mullingar Park Hotel, leaving there at 11.30am but with registration from 9am, and the roads of the locality will be treated to the sights and sounds of all manner of beautiful vintage and classic cars taking part, with the lunchtime break taking place at the Crover House Hotel in Mount Nugent in Co. Cavan. Full details are available at the organisers’ website at www.covoc.ie.
These events are just a few I selected – there are indeed more, as you can see from the full list below, so do try to support some of these if you can.
29th April: Derg Valley Vintage Club tractor ran from Castlederg, Co. Tyrone, in aid of dementia charity. Open to all tractors; for more info, call 0044 (0)77 3289 9574 or 0044 (0)77 1408 7871.
29th April: Kiltulla & District Vintage Club Autojumble, Kiltulla, Co. Galway, 3 mins from M6 Exit 16. Stalls must be pre-booked; call 087 1499688 for more info.
29th April: Clonmel Veteran, Vintage & Classic Car Club run from Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, followed by dinner; for further details, call Bernie Lennon on 086 2937220.
29th April: Cars at the Cathedral, a display of exceptional vehicles in the grounds of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick, V94 E068; for more info, see Cars at the Cathedral on Facebook.
29th & 30th April: Galway Classic Motorcycle Rally, based at Clifden Station House Hotel and open to all classic motorised 2- and 3-wheelers up to 1993. Friday sign-in and meet/greet, Saturday sign-in and ride-out with optional timed element. Sunday poker fun run in aid of a local charity. For more details, email galwaydcmcc@ gmail.com, call Bob on 087 2540774 or see Galway Vintage Motorcycle Club on Facebook.
30th April: Clonmel Veteran, Vintage & Classic Car Club static show in Powerstown Park, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. All vintage, classic and retro vehicles and machinery welcome; for more details, call Bernie Lennon on 086 2937220.
30th April: Western Veteran & Vintage Motor Club’s Pre-’55 Run, Galway; for details, call Neil Fraser on 086 8527786.
30th April: Larry Duane Memorial Vintage Car & Tractor Run, Tynagh, Co. Galway, with registration at Tynagh Pitch (H62 XW98) from 1pm for a 2pm start. All proceeds to Dermot Donohue Benefit Fund; see ad in this issue for more details.
30th April: The Celtic Old Vehicle Owners Club’s Norman Pratt Run, starting and finishing at the Park Hotel, Mullingar. Entries to Gerry O’Sullivan, Dunmucky, Newtown Cross, The Ward , Co. Dublin, tel 085 1541040. Entry form available at www.covoc.ie.
30th April: Kiltulla & District Vintage Club Rally, Autojumble & Family Fun Day at Kiltulla, Co. Galway, 3 mins from M6 Exit 16; for info, call 087 1499688.
29th April to 1st May: Ballincollig Vintage Motor Club’s Bank Holiday weekend trip away, travelling from Ballincollig, Co. Cork to Tralee on Saturday, the Ring of Dingle on Sunday and returning from Tralee to Ballincollig on Monday; for details, call Cyril on 087 2428239 or Kevin on 087 7937560.
30th April & 1st May: Shane’s Castle Steam Rally at Shane’s Castle, Co. Antrim, BT41 4NB, from 10am to 5pm on both days; for details, call Walter on 0044 (0)77 12769072 or see the Facebook page.
1st May: Shamrock Car & Machinery Club Annual Vintage Show at the Hamlet Court Hotel, Johnstown Bridge, Co. Kildare, A83 WC04; for details, call Stephen on 087 2709206.
1st May: DeCourcey Vintage Club car and tractor run, meeting at Ballinspittle Church car park, Ballinspittle, Co. Cork at 11.30am; for details, call John on 086 8162529.
1st May: Garden of Ireland Vintage Car Club run to Straffan Steam Museum, Co. Kildare, leaving The Grove Inn, Delgany, Co. Wicklow at 11am; for details, call Eileen on 087 8329235.
1st May: Castleinch Vintage Rally at Castleinch, Callan Road, Kilkenny, R95 DW92, including autojumble. Open to public from 10am, donation will be made to Family Carers Ireland; for more info, call Paddy on 086 2527936, Michael on 087 2787077 or Jason on 085 1534698 (for model display).