The annual octane extravaganza known as Cannonball is almost upon us. On 14 September, 100 supercars from manufacturers like Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren will leave Dublin's Merrion Square for a three-day blast around the country.
Now in its fourth year Cannonball has grown into the largest organised road trip in Europe and attracts entrants from as far afield as Italy, Germany, the US, UK and Monaco. The brainchild of AB Signs boss, Alan Bannon, the event has risen over a quarter of a million Euro for charity to date and this year's event will be run in aid of Laura Lynn House, which supports children with life limiting conditions and their families by providing high quality transitional care, home support, respite, crisis and end-of-life care.
For the 2012 running, Cannonball has attracted sponsorship from XS Direct car insurance, a company that seems perfectly suited to the event as it specialises in insurance for high premium drivers. Speaking at a press call to mark the announcement of Cannonball's route Chris McCann, Managing Director at XS Direct said "The Cannonball supercar drivers are a fine example of drivers that won't pay a super-premium with XSDirect.com. We will be supporting the fund raising efforts of Laura Lynn House as the event moves through each town."
For the first time the Cannonball will venture north of the border when it visits Galgorm Resort and Spa in Ballymena before moving onto the Giant's Causeway on the way to Galway City then Dundrum House Hotel, near Cashel in Tipperary before finishing in Kilkenny. Over 100,000 people are expected to line the streets over the three days of the event.