Connect with us

News

Ballyfinnane Hillclimb was deemed a massive success

Published

on

0261079_Hillclimb_5.jpg

Kerry Motor Club and the Ballyfinnane Community Hall Association created motorsport history in the mid-Kerry village on Sunday.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Driver John Kennedy. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Andrew Boyle Patrick Clifford Jack Clifford and Liam Pigott from Castlemaine at the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Ann and Carla Ann Flynn from Croughmore Ballyfinnane pictured at the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Brian O’Connor Cian O’Mahony Stephen O’Connell and Jay O’Rourke took a break from marshalling at the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Connor Ashe and his dad Shane from Firies had fun at the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Connor Ashe and his dad Shane from Firies had fun at the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

David McCarthy (Moyvane) Sophie Kelliher (Cromane) Siobhan and Cian McCarthy (Moyvane) pictured at the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Having the craic while taking a break at the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Ken O’Neill (Milltown) George Edwards (Camp) Martin Quirke (Camp) and Dave Curran (Tralee) has some shelter from the showers during Sunday’s Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Lillyrose Cronin and Sheila Vaughan were busy keeping everyone fed at the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Mossie Costello (Tarbert) Cyril and Ronan Clohessy (Clare) took part in the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Natalia McDermott from Ballymac had fun with her twin brothers Oscar (left) and Ollie (right) at the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Sarah Morris Abbey Kelliher Brendan Kelliher and Sophie Kelliher from Cromane pictured enjoying the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed in the rain on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Sylvia and Emma Walsh pictured taking time out from the rain in the Ballyfinnane Community Hall during the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

Teresa Daly and Robin (5) from Ballyfinnane got a chance to see the rally cars up close at the Ballyfinnane Festival of Speed on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography

The two groups marked the 120th anniversary of the first motorsport event in Kerry by running a hillclimb event in the area.

Modern safety rules prevented the use of the original hill but Kerry Motor Club and Motorsport Ireland officials identified a new section of road in the area that allowed the local club to run its first hillclimb in Kerry since the mid-1980s.

Huge crowds descended on the village where a range of sideshows like a classic car display and a motorcycle exhibition added to the occasion.

The 1.41km course ran from Aubee Bridge to the Ballyfinnane Community Hall, winner John Donnely from Tyrone cleared the course in an incredible 44.29 seconds in his Pilbeam single-seater racing car.

He set the time on his first of five passes over the course.

Limerick’s Ben O’Brien was second in his Gould GR 37 racing car. His best time over the distance came 46.79 seconds, coming on the fifth and final run.

Ed Synan from Shanagolden was the best of the rally car drivers, he finished third overall in his Escort.

Firies-based West Cork man Vince McSweeney was the best of the local drivers. The rules stated that a driver must have a Kerry address to qualify for the award. The Mitsubishi Lancer E7 driver finished fourth overall.

Several Kerry drivers took home class awards. Killarney’s David Maes won class 2 for Modified Production Saloons in his BMW Mini. This was his first-ever motorsport award of any description.

Billy Burke, who usually races in Mondello Park, contested his first closed road event and won Class 3A in his Honda Civic.

The event also permitted rally cars and local drivers took the opportunity to take their cars for a run.

PJ O’Dowd double-drove Ken McKenna’s Peugeot 205 and beat the car’s owner for the Class 8A win. David Griffin was third in this class, Declan O’Sullivan fourth and London-based Killarney man Mick Smith fifth.

Mark O’Leary won class 8B. Local man Keith O’Connor, a member of the organising team was fourth in the same class.

Cyril Wharton, one of the sponsors of the event won class 9B and despite clutch issues motorcycle racer Anthony O’Carroll was fourth.
Killarney and District Motor Club members Brian Hickey was third in class 10, John Hickey fifth and Tom O’Sullivan seventh.

Kerry Motor Club officials praised the support they got from the local community to get the event off the ground and sponsors Brian O’Neill Garden Equipment and Trailers, Cyril Wharton Tool Hire and Moriarty’s Central Cars Sales for their support.

Advertisement

News

Bumper GAA weekend in town

Published

on

By

Killarney is set for a bumper GAA weekend as Kerry faces Cavan in a do-or-die All-Ireland Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-final.

The game is scheduled for Saturday, June 21st, at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, with a 3:30pm throw-in and traffic and parking restrictions will be in place on the bypass and on all approach roads.
Kerry will be looking to recover quickly from their recent defeat to Meath in their final round-robin match.
The match will be streamed live on GAA+. Radio Kerry will provide live commentary with Timmy Moynihan and Ambrose O’Donovan. Jerome Henry will officiate the match.
This game is one of four All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals. The other Munster county still in the championship, Cork, will play Dublin at Croke Park at 6:15pm on Saturday, with that game also broadcast on GAA+.

Attachments

Continue Reading

News

Killarney café to host free event in aid of local charity

A local cafe in Killarney is hosting an event to celebrate cherished sporting memories in Killarney. The event is taking place in Clann Housing, Coill na Darrach on June 28 […]

Published

on

A local cafe in Killarney is hosting an event to celebrate cherished sporting memories in Killarney.

The event is taking place in Clann Housing, Coill na Darrach on June 28 and it is part of the wider Alzheimer Society of Irelands sporting memories initiative.

There will be stories, photographs, and memorabilia shared on the day.

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is organising a sporting memories initiative which aims to harness the power of sport to spark memories and create connections with people living with dementia.

John Don O’Donoghue, who is a joint organiser of the event, is emphasising the importance of events like these for those who suffer with dementia.

He said: “They offer people, especially older adults and those living with dementia, a meaningful way to reconnect – not just with their memories, but with each other. We’ve seen first-hand how powerful it can be when someone’s face lights up remembering a match, a goal, or a moment they thought was long forgotten.”

All members of the community are welcome to attend and take part. The event is free and guests are encouraged to bring their own photos, memorabilia and stories to share.

For more information, please contact: Triona Heffernan or John Don O’ Donoghue Email: soccermemoriescafe@gmail.com

Attachments

  • (665 kB)
Continue Reading

Last News

Sport