** 3rd ANNUAL HILLBILLY RUN - 28th April 2013 **

[Tony Cooney]

The 3rd Annual Wicklow Hillbilly Run hosted by the Eastern Region will take place on Sunday 28th April 2013

Meeting Point will be at Ulster Bank, Market Square, Main Street, Blessington, Co.Wicklow at 11:00am

The run will depart at 11:30am SHARP

We will have a road road and return to Russborough House, Blessington for lunch (bring your own if weather is nice or there is a Tea Room Restaurant serving hot & cold meals)
Staff have agreed to lower the barriers and let us display our Minis in front of the house.
Link to website: http://www.russboroughhouse.ie/

Russborough House will give us a private guided tour of the house at 2:15pm with access to areas that are not usually open on normal tours.

The discounted rate for the tour is €8 (per person)

However, the Russborough tour guides needs to have enough in the group in order for us to avail of the group discount so please add your name to the list below (and the number of people in your car) by FRIDAY 19th April

If the weather is nice, the staff will have activity adventure leaflets for children to explore the grounds.

[spud1979]

Tony was telling me that he'll be doing the recce for thos run on Thurs evening so I'm just going to start a list and get this going, just over two weeks to go. Add your name if you're coming along:

1. Tony Cooney
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6.

[Mark B]

Tony was telling me that he'll be doing the recce for thos run on Thurs evening so I'm just going to start a list and get this going, just over two weeks to go. Add your name if you're coming along:

1. Tony Cooney
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett x2

[norevrse]

1. Tony Cooney
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton

[mmurfee]

1. Tony Cooney
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy
10.

[mini74]

1. Tony Cooney
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy
10. Ian Redmond(2)

[Stuie.91]

1. Tony Cooney
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton plus 2 more (4)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13.

[Tony Cooney]

Details of run updated above

1. Tony Cooney
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton (2)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13.

[BennyP]

1. Tony Cooney
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton (2)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13. Ben Pearson (2 adults) (1 child)
14. Noel Stedman (2)

[Tony Cooney]

Just completed the recce for this run and I can promise you some really good Mini driving roads.
Including a road that's literally the width of a Mini!!


1. Tony Cooney (2)
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton (2)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13. Ben Pearson (2 adults) (1 child)
14. Noel Stedman (2)
15. Tommy Hannon (2)
16.
17.

[BERT]

1. Tony Cooney (2)
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton (2)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13. Ben Pearson (2 adults) (1 child)
14. Noel Stedman (2)
15. Tommy Hannon (2)
16. Albert O'Donnell (2)
17.

[spud1979]

1. Tony Cooney (2)
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton (2)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13. Ben Pearson (2 adults) (1 child)
14. Noel Stedman (2)
15. Tommy Hannon (2)
16. Albert O'Donnell (2)
17.Noel Hayes

[woody]

1. Tony Cooney (2)
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton (2)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13. Ben Pearson (2 adults) (1 child)
14. Noel Stedman (2)
15. Tommy Hannon (2)
16. Albert O'Donnell (2)
17.Noel Hayes
18. Woody

Hope to have the car ready for a pre IMM shakedown.

[jocelynn]

1. Tony Cooney (2)
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton (2)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13. Ben Pearson (2 adults) (1 child)
14. Noel Stedman (2)
15. Tommy Hannon (2)
16. Albert O'Donnell (2)
17. Noel Hayes
18. Woody
19. Paul and Jocelyn Kelly (2)
20. Liam Cotter (2)
21. Joe Conboy
22.

[cormac]

1. Tony Cooney (2)
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton (2)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13. Ben Pearson (2 adults) (1 child)
14. Noel Stedman (2)
15. Tommy Hannon (2)
16. Albert O'Donnell (2)
17. Noel Hayes
18. Woody
19. Paul and Jocelyn Kelly (2)
20. Liam Cotter (2)
21. Joe Conboy
22. Cormac Harte (2)

[joeyfinneran]

1. Tony Cooney (3)
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton (2)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13. Ben Pearson (2 adults) (1 child)
14. Noel Stedman (2)
15. Tommy Hannon (2)
16. Albert O'Donnell (2)
17. Noel Hayes
18. Woody
19. Paul and Jocelyn Kelly (2)
20. Liam Cotter (2)
21. Joe Conboy
22. Cormac Harte (2)
23. Joey finneran (2)
24.

[spud1979]

I hope a few of ye are bringing your cb's. I want to try out mine before the Mtm

[RichyB]

1. Tony Cooney (3)
2. John Paul Scallan
3. Willie Scallan
4. Liam Molloy
5. Dermot Mann
6. Mark Barrett
7.Tom Dalton
8. John Ronan
9. Martin Murphy (3)
10. Ian Redmond
11. Stuart and Jeff Thornton (2)
12. Darran Hutchinson
13. Ben Pearson (2 adults) (1 child)
14. Noel Stedman (2)
15. Tommy Hannon (2)
16. Albert O'Donnell (2)
17. Noel Hayes
18. Woody
19. Paul and Jocelyn Kelly (2)
20. Liam Cotter (2)
21. Joe Conboy
22. Cormac Harte (2)
23. Joey Finneran (2)
24. Richy Barrett
25.

[Tony Cooney]

Some historical information about the route that will be taking tomorrow on the HILLBILLY MINI RUN.

On leaving Blessington, the route takes you around the Blessington Lakes.
This is a man made reservoir, formed by damming the river Liffey at Poulaphuca. Built between the late 1930’s and early 1940’s by the ESB to generate electricity, it necessitated the displacement of about 70 families, before the land was flooded.
Today, while still feeding a hydro power station its main purpose is as a reservoir to supply water to Dublin.

After joining the Wicklow Gap road at the hairpin junction (Toomey’s Corner), you cross the King’s River, the biggest tributary to the lakes after the Liffey.

Turning off the Gap Road you enter Scalp Lane. This was originally a pilgrim path leading to St. Kevin’s Monastery in Glendalough.
The Pilgrims walked and as you can see did not need very wide roads!!!!
If you can avoid the ditches, admire the view of at least five counties from the highest point.

On leaving Scalp Lane you turn onto the Hollywood Glen Road.
This road formed part of the Dublin/ Wexford Road before the N81 was ever thought of. As you go deeper into the Glen you appreciate why this particular piece of road was favoured by the highway men.
No highway men today, just the odd sheep or deer!

Turning left in Donard Village you join the Military Road. This road was built by the British Army in the early 1800’s to assist in hunting down Michael Dwyer and his men. Dwyer was originally from the Glen of Imaal and retreated there to continue fighting the British forces after the failure of the 1798 rebellion in Wexford. He eventually surrendered in 1803.
About a hundred years later the Artillery Range was set up in the Glen of Imaal. It was deemed as an ideal site because of its horse shoe shape and is used mainly now as a training ground for the Army before they go on overseas peace keeping missions. The range is overlooked by Lugnaquilla (3039ft), the third highest mountain in Ireland.

As you enter Dunlavin Village, after the school you pass the Green where 36 prisoners were killed during the 1798 Rebellion. Further down the street, the Market House divides the road. This building is of great architectural importance, especially the roof, which is one of only three of this design in Ireland.

Ballymore Eustace became famous in recent years as a film location as both Braveheart and King Arthur were filmed extensively in the area. Also if you look over the village as you approach it on the hill, on the far side you will see the new, modern water treatment plant for Dublin. On entering the village you cross the river again.

Welcome to Russborough House where the car run terminates.

Written by Joe Conron, Local Resident.

[Tony Cooney]

Thanks to all 26 Minis and occupants who participated on our 3rd annual Hillbilly Mini Run today.

I hope that you all enjoyed the mix of roads and the fact that we generally kept off roads that were much wider than our cars!
If anyone has photos, pop them up please.
And, if anyone has a spare sponge, Martin Murphy wouldn't mind it so that he can clean his car............

[Mark B]

Thanks for a good run around west Wicklow and we enjoyed Russborough too, now to clean the car.

Mark

[spud1979]

Thanks Tony for putting together a fantastic run today. Great turn out for such bad weather starting off.
Always good to give the old Mini a run out before the MTM to discover any problems and I think I may have a big one ;(
I put €47 petrol into the tank last night and done 240 miles and it's empty again. That cant be right, I'll need a tanker behind me for the MTM at that rate.

When is the auto jumble again?
The benefit of being nearly last on the run today meant I picked up 3 exhausts on that patch of road with the grass in the middle!!!!!!!!!!!! lol.

Cheers again Tony.

Here is a link to a few photos, feel free to tag yourselves in them:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 145&type=1

[macker]

always good to give the old mini a run out before the mtm to discover any problems, and I think I may have a big one ;( , put €47 petrol into the tank last night and done 240 miles and its empty again. that cant be right, ill need a tanker behind me for the mtm at that rate.

I'll split the cost of that tanker with you

[Tony Cooney]

Some nice photos at the link below. Thanks to John O'Byrne for posting them:

https://www.facebook.com/john.obyrne.5/ ... 877&type=1

[spud1979]

Photos must be private tony. Can't see them