Nearly 160 classic vehicles take part in Ballymac Run
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A staggering 157 classic and vintage cars and motorcycles took part in the 12th annual Car & Honda 50 run, organised by Ballymac Vintage Club on Sunday.
The O’Riada’s Bar and Restaurant-based event raised money for the nearby Glanageenty Walkways and followed a new for 2022 route via Ballymac, Raemore, Knocknagoshel, Brosna, and Mount Eagle before the finish line in the Mart Yard in Castleisland.
Gerard Healy from Knockysheehan, Headford, Killarney had the oldest car on the run.
He has owned his 1948 Jaguar Mark 4 saloon for the last seven years.
“This car was manufactured in Coventry after World War Two,” he said. “And it was then shipped to Ireland in kit form to avoid high import duty on complete cars. It was reassembled in Dublin and painted Emerald Green.
“This is a Sligo car, the first owner was a Miss Teresa Ferry, it was very unusual for a lady to own a car in those days.
The car was then sold to a vicar and then a soldier before, somehow, ending up in The Netherlands. There it underwent a full restoration in 1999. Gerard bought the car from a restorer called Roberto Verboon.
“I was proud to bring the car back to Ireland,” he added. “But the car got a frosty welcome from the motor tax authorities in Sligo and Tralee. Through their own slovenly record keeping, they had lost all records of the car and they gave a cold shoulder to all my efforts to have the car out back on the road with its original Irish registration number. Such people are slaves to bureaucracy and far removed from any spirit of the law and any fine appreciation of any Irish motoring history.”
Thanks to generous sponsorship from local businesses and sponsors: O’Riada’s and BG Motors over €500 worth of spot prizes were handed out on the day.
Blennerville’s Geraldine McElligott was one such winner after judges were impressed with her 1966 Ford Consul Classic.
George Carey from Tralee won the motorcycle award with his finely turned out 1986 Honda 90.
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