CANNONBALL sets Temperatures soaring in Tullamore with Spectacular Finish Line and Festival

Wednesday September 10^th – Sunday September 14^th | Free Family Event

 Thousands are expected to flock to Tullamore for the CANNONBALL Festival starting on Wednesday September 10^th until Sunday September 14^th when fans can get up close and personal with 160 of the world’s top mark cars such as McLaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Porsche, Masseratti, Rolls Royce and Bentley.  2014 is the second year that CANNONBALL comes to Tullamore and this year the atmosphere will be electric as the town is set to host the biggest ever CANNONBALL finish line and festival.  Tullamore will be a spectacular sight as 160 of the finest cars on the planet reach the finish line of CANNONBALL 2014 at 5pm on Sunday September 14^th and a whole programme of events is planned for the town for the 5 days leading up to it.^. Ireland’s glitterati, celebrities such as Corrie heartthrob Ryan Thomas and co-star Martin Hancock,  Mathew Pritchard from Dirty Sanchez, Shane Lynch and all the crazy ‘Cannonballers’ will be out in force for CANNONBALL, the adrenalin-fuelled action-packed Supercar spectacle, which originated in Ireland six years ago and is now the largest organized road trip in Europe.

The motorized masquerade of Supercars roaring into Tullamore will already be an awesome spectacle but added to this is a whole CANNONBALL Festival of FREE family events.  On Saturday 13^th September, a Thrashing and BBQ Hoedown takes place at Market Square with Car Displays, Tug O War, Local Bands, Pig on a Spit and live music with local bands.  Then on Sunday September 14^th a thrilling BOX CAR RALLY tears through town from High Street to O Connell Square with lots of family entertainment including bouncing castles, water Zorbing and a gig rig on where Ruaile Buaile, Jig Jam, Hogan, Rugged Wood and more will be performing.  Singers can battle it out for the Voice of Cannonball in participating pubs from Wednesday September 10^th and Tullamore GAA Club are running a penalty shoot out competition at O Connell Square. Finally, to top off the mad-cap crazy CANNONBALL antics, Kilbride St will host a pig race at 7.30pm on 14^th after the Supercars arrive with entertainment until 11pm and into the early hours.

CANNONBALL, sponsored by Manhattan Popcorn, goes up a gear once again this year with 160 supercars worth an estimated €25 million set to blaze a trail through Dublin, Cavan, Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Tipperary with the biggest and most dramatic ever finish line in Tullamore. Fans can experience the thrill of the chase as the finest cars on the planet are on display in each host town kicking off with a live broadcast from Ryan Tubridy at the O2 in Dublin.  The gleaming convoy will drive through 850KM of Irish open roads from September 12^th to 14th but this year the spectacular convoy will be more impressive than ever with a quarter of the supercars coming in from the UK, Europe and even Dubai and the highest ever number of top mark cars.

Over 100,000 people will line the streets as CANNONBALL roars 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 Brazilian dancers, live music, DJs, The Monster Energy JAM Truck, stunt riders, aerobatic displays, local entertainers, confetti cannons, lots of Manhattan popcorn, Cannonball official merchandise and, of course, the unmistakable roar of 160 supercars.  CANNONBALL 6 will raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation which is a children’s charity that grants magical wishes to children between the ages of 3 – 17 years with life-threatening medical conditions. The route showcases beautiful villages, towns and famous Irish Landmarks to both Irish and foreign Cannonballers and fans.  The benefit to the Irish economy of this event is estimated at €2,567,000 and most of this is spread evenly throughout the counties and towns visited.

CANNONBALL is the brainchild of Kildare Businessman and AB Signs proprietor, Alan Bannon and is now in its sixth year having already raised over €600,000 for Children’s charities.   Cannonball celebrities include Coronation Street Heart Throb Ryan Thomas (AKA Jason Grimshaw) and co-star Martin Hancock,  Mathew Pritchard from Dirty Sanchez, Shane Lynch, former Miss World Rosanna Davison and husband Wes Quirke whilst celebrity chef Rachel Allen, The Voice Presenter Kathryn Thomas, and RTE’s Miriam O Callaghan and even An Taoiseach Enda Kenny has dropped the famous Cannonball chequered flag.  Models Georgia Salpa, Aisling Quinn, Hazel O Sullivan, Emma Quinlan and Holly Carpenter have been keen Cannonballers over the years as well as Roz Purcell, Nadia Forde, and Rachel Wallace.  Ryan Tubridy, Mick Galway, Gerald Kean and Lisa Murphy also geared up for Cannonball and it never disappoints in the celeb stakes. BRUNO MARS even showed up one year to join Boyzone’s Shane Lynch for a quick pit stop in Cork! 

“Cannonball 6 is set to be one of the most spectacular events of 2014” said Don O Neil of Manhattan Popcorn, main sponsor of Cannonball “ We are very proud to be part of this exhilarating event and to help raise funds for the Make a Wish Foundation.  Popcorn goes with all good movies but we are getting the opportunity to bring this mad cap movie to life and there will be lots of Manhattan popcorn on the route to celebrate our association with Cannonball” he continued. The success of CANNONBALL Ireland led to the dawn of the annual Continental Cannonball event every June and this year CANNONBALL made headlines in Holland, Germany and Switzerland as they roared through in spectacular style leaving their mark with the style, excitement and spectacle that CANNONBALL is now becoming renowned for all over the world. The CANNONBALL tour sponsor for 2014 is Carzone.ie and associated sponsors include Paddy Connolly Specialist Cars, 37 Dawson Street, The Bridge House Hotel Tullamore, BP Mitchell, Autokey.ie, Best Western Montenotti, 4×4 Exports and AB Signs. See www.cannonball.ie for further details, routes and events.