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At the launch of the Ring Of Kerry Vintage Run at Aherns in Castleisland on Saturday were in front; Sarah and Lauren Foley, behind them is Pat Ahern, Tony Hehir, Patsy Foley and Chris Foley, with members of the Kingdom Veteran Vintage & Classic Car Club. Photo by Dermot Crean
THE Kingdom Veteran Vintage & Classic Car Club (KVVCCC) has its 40th anniversary this year and it looking forward to its Ring Of Kerry run which takes place on the weekend of May 18/19.
Aherns Garage in Castleisland have come on board this year as a sponsor for the 40th run of both the Club and the Ring of Kerry car run.
This year the club members are staying in the Derrynane Hotel after starting the run in Killarney at the Gleneagle Hotel on Saturday morning May 18 with a sign in between 9am- 11am, and the first car off at 11:30am.
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They finish the Run on Sunday, May 19 when they complete the Ring of Kerry with a stop this year on the way home in Kilgarvan on Sunday as guests of the Roughty Valley Vintage club.
The club itself was formed by Tom Twohill and P. J. O Riordan in September 1979, after its first run in the Rose Of Tralee run in August 1979.
PJ O’Riordan was Chairman of the Club for over 20 years and is now President. His grandson David O’Mahony is Club PRO and their youngest member.
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The first official run was held on Sunday, October 28, 1979 and some of those who took part included John Mitchell, Joan Mitchell (Club Secretary in the 1980s who was followed by Lucey Breen as Secretary), Francie Cantillon and Myles Foley, John Gill (Club Secretary 1990s), Mick Ahern, John Naughton, Des Walsh and Garrett Foley (present Club Secretary) at the age of 6 and his brother Chris Foley age 7, now Club Webmaster.
The first Ring Of Kerry took place the following year in 1980 and has been on every year since then, even during the Foot and Mouth outbreak of 2001 when then Chairman Fintan Foley and Secretary Mike O’Connor and Committee did an outstanding job in running the event against the odds and with permission from the Department of Agriculture.
An Autumn run was added to club events some years later and held in Dingle for a number of years but is now well rooted in Kenmare for over 20 years in the month of October, this is now the club’s flagship event with 120-140 cars attending each year from all over Ireland North and South and the UK. A new route was added in 2017/2018 by present Chairman Tony Hehir.
With a membership now of 200, many with more than one car, the Club is going from strength to strength and is looking forward to the next 40 years.
