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This year sees the tenth running of the Cannonball, the round-Ireland supercar rally that will see vehicles of the likes of McLaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Porsche, Maseratti, Rolls-Royce and Bentley driving through Dublin, Cavan, Donegal, Mayo, Spanish Point, Blarney, Cork, Tramore, Kilkenny and Wexford taking in the Wild Atlantic Way, Hidden Heartlands and Ireland's Ancient East.
Over the past ten years, Cannonball has raised a staggering €960,000 for various charities, and this year, for the tenth anniversary, it's child protection charity the ISPCC Childline which will be benefitting.
At an event in Dublin's Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Childline ambassador Louis Walsh made the announcement, flanked by Cannonball founder Alan Bannon, seven-year old Zane Blount Ronan and five-year old Amelia Kavanagh, as well as a Lamborghini Diablo and a BMW i8.
The Childline service answers over 380,000 contacts from children and young people across Ireland each year who may feel lonely, hurt or anxious, or who may simply wish to chat about their day. Childline volunteers listen to, support and empower children and young people, even when it may seem as though there is no-one else to listen. A call to Childline can change a child's life.
190 of the world's coolest cars will set off in support of Childline on September 7th, and star cars will include a replica of the Back To The Future DeLorean, police cars from Germany and New York, monster trucks, and just possibly a new Bugatti Chiron hypercar.
Celebrity Cannonballers include Boyzone's Shane Lynch who is a firm devotee and even has the logo tattooed on his leg! Other household names include former Miss World Rosanna Davison and husband Wes Quirke, Glenda Gilson, Rachel Allen, Kathryn Thomas, Miriam O'Callaghan, Ryan Tubridy, Mick Galway, Gerald Keane, Andy Quirke, Nicky Byrne, Colm Hayes, Ryan Thomas, Dirty Sanchez, Jenny Green, former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and former President Mary Robinson.