Anybody fancy taking a trip over to Ireland during August? The 7th Annual Eireball Run takes place from 11th to 19th August, 2012. The Eireball Run is a grueling week long sponsored drive. Each year a challenging route is set and a convoy of classic Volkswagens winds its way around the island of Ireland. This year’s route will see the convoy take to the spectacular coastal roads of Ireland. Considering that the average age of the vehicles is 30 years old mayhem and breakdowns are all part of the fun when on the Eireball Run! The iconic VW Bus is the vehicle of choice of most partcipants but Beetles and Karmann Ghias also take part. The quirky classics from the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and further afield, crammed with children, dogs and surfboards, dedicate a week of their summer to the Eireball charities. What better way to spend your summer than travelling around Ireland with your camper van or tent? Petrol and food are the only expenses as most of the camping spots belong to members of www.type2ireland.com – a diverse group including business owners, professionals, trades people, musicians and comedians to mention just a few – or to generous members of the public who donate their campsites for the event. The Eireball 2012 route has just been confimed. This year it has been shortened a bit at the request of several participants, to keep petrol costs down. Daily driving time is approx 2.5 hours per day, and gives people a chance to drive on to other sites in the area if anyone wants. We would normally have taken in the Giants Causeway between Armagh and Ballyshannon, for those who haven't see this wonderful site before I'd highly recommend you break off from convoy to pay it a visit. The Giants Causeway did add a fair bit of mileage on to the route, so that was taken out this year. Route will be beginning in Arklow, in a site belonging to one of our members, we'll be meeting here for the night of the 11th August. Sunday 12th will be camping with another T2i members site in Armagh Monday 13th we will camp up in the Grounds of Aodh Rua GAA club in Ballyshannon (birthplace of Rory Gallagher) From Ballyshannon we'll make our way down the centre of the country via Lough Erne, down to Brideswell in Co Athlone, where we have the use of Hamrocks pub carpark for the night of Tuesday 14th, thanks to another members cousin. From Brideswell we'll be travelling across the Burren over to Spanish Point in Co Clare for the night of the Wednesday 15th (the campsite owners will be charging a small charge for this overnight stay, approx 5 or 6 euro). From here we'll head to the Tarbert Ferry and cross over into Co Kerry and through Tralee to Camp where VW enthusiast, Mike O'Neill has yet again given us use of the Railway Tavern car park for Thursday 16th. From here we'll be travelling into Co Cork via Healys Pass and Bantry on to Timoleague, Co. Cork, where Sextons Campsite will be welcoming us and letting us stay in the park, at no charge - Friday 17th. On Saturday 18th we'll leave Cork and head up to Kilmaganny in Co Kilkenny, home of Krazy Kombis (www.krazykombis.com) for the final night and one hell of a party. For more info. check out www.type2ireland.com or www.eireball.com. To get added to the mailing list or to request a sponsorship card e-mail louie(AT)eireball.com with your address. Minimum to be raised is €200 for participating in the full night or €35 per night if you're only doing part of the run. Sat nav co-ordinates will be e-mailed out shortly. The way the route works we'll have access to showers at least every second night, and toilet facilities at all stops. Part of the fun of the Run is the CB radio banter. Most previous participants have one fitted in their vans. Its good fun, and is also very useful for helping to keep the convoy together. Really looking forward to this years run. We're due some nice weather for it after the amount of rain we've already had this summer! Rosslare harbour is near both the start and finishof the run for those wondering about logistics. Any TLB members up for it?
This sounds wicked and although this isn't something we can do this year it will deffo be something to consider in the future as I've been over to Ireland many times with work and have seen the inside of a few hotels but never had a chance to enjoy this beautiful country! We hope you get a good turn out and raise loads of cash for the charities... Robo...
Would a T4 be welcome, sadly that's the only VW we have now !!! We have toured the South West of Ireland in our old Viking a couple of times and I really can not recommend the experience highly enough, the country is covered in breathtaking scenery............and bars that offer the warmest possible welcome!!! ;D ;D ;D
Well folks? Anybody up for taking a trip over for this? I've spoken to the organisers who have promised no rain!! (honest) ;D
May be a little too late for me this year but I am adding myself to the mailing list for the next one.
Nice one. I'll definitely still be knocking around TLB next year so I'll remind folks in plenty of time.
Just home after a great week. My photos really don't do it justice. Had a fantastic time. It was amazing to visit Fr. Ted's house as part of it. Of course we had to go in costume! It was hilarious when we stopped en route to pick up stuff for that night with a whole load of nuns and priests buying a load of beer while kids were running around them shouting "mummy, mummy"
Many new friends made, new VW tales to tell and more parts to fix. Worst part............ Torrential rain up near the top of Molls Gap in the Ring of Kerry (google it) just as we were about to descend and my wipers letting me down! Highlight.................See above! Plenty more pics of drunken antics but think I'll keep those offline for now!
