Large crowds expected to welcome Cannonball back into Kilkenny for fantastic finish

Organisers of this year's Cannonball are expecting thousands are expected to line the streets of Kilkenny City in a fortnight’s time as the eagerly-anticipated entourage rolls in for its photo finish.

The Marble City has been selected as the event’s official finish line this year, with the chequered flag set to fly on the Parade at Kilkenny Castle. It’s the first time since 2012 that Cannonball is coming back to Kilkenny.

Spectators will have a chance to get up close and personal with 190 of the finest cars on the planet and enjoy the unique festival atmosphere. Drivers will rest up here overnight, and then set off the next morning back to their homes all over the world from Dubai to the US and even Japan.

Now in its ninth year, Cannonball has raised almost €900,000 for Irish charitie. This year, proceeds will go to the very worthy Make-a-Wish Ireland.

Top mark cars, including McLaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Porsche, Masseratti, Rolls Royce and Bentley will blaze a trail through the country with a dramatic finish line in Kilkenny . This year, for the first time, the supercar spectacle will be preceded by some fantastic free family fun.

The Hone Energy Transformer Truck is a gigantic mobile rig coming from the Netherlands to Ireland for the first time ever. The rig transforms into a three-story children's play zone including transparent floors, crawling tubes, rope ladders, a network of tunnels, slides, a stage and a ball pit.

Also headlining this year and taking to the streets ahead of the Cannonball convoy are the Audionetworks Action Heroes and Robots. Transformer supercar legend Bumblebee will be body popping and meeting fans along with his co-star, the 12ft Robot Ted and action hero Batman. Optimus Prime will also join the Cannonball Conboy this year in his gigantic ‘vehicle mode’.

The Cannonball official Grid Girls and Brazillian dancers will set temperatures soaring and the monster truck will have fire breathers and some great tunes to get the party started and some great giveaways.

‘Doc’ and ‘Marty McFly’ will be Back to the Future this year, in their fully kitted out Delorean and the notorious NYPD, German Polizei, Fr Willie and colourful Cannonballers in crazy costumes add to the fun.

Hone, the new renewable energy provider, is the Cannonball main headline sponsor for 2017, also with the support of Kilkenny County Council and the OPW.

Cannonball roars back into Kilkenny on Sunday, September 10 at 6.30pm, and all are welcome to come out for a look. It looks set to be an unmissable and totally unique free family day out

See www.cannonball.ie for further details, routes and events.