WestRun 2011

WestRun 2011 was held over the weekend 22-24 July 2011.

Mayor of Galway, Hildegarde Naughton, formally opened the event at our static display at Spanish Arch on Friday afternoon. We were blessed with a fine sunny afternoon, so the cars were displayed to best effect. There was a constant stream of people throughout the afternoon and everybody seemed to enjoy the display of old cars. Mayor Naughton was generous in her praise of the exhibitors and their cars. She also complemented club members on their charity fund-raising efforts.

During the Friday night gathering at Salthill Hotel, the family of the late Jimmy and Peggy Francis presented the club with a perpetual trophy to be awarded annually to the person deemed to best represent “The Spirit of the Club”. Tony Tynan was the first recipient of this new award at the Saturday Night Dinner in Lisdoonvarna.

Saturday morning saw an orderly departure from Salthill Hotel. We are very grateful to the local Gardai for their assistance. We took the Coast Road to Ballyvaughan, Black Head and Fanore. Some of us had the good fortune to see a school of dolphins just offshore at Fanore. Our first planned stop was at The Cliffs of Moher Interpretive Centre. We presented a fine display of classic cars on the grassed area in front of the Centre. Our next stop was in Lisdoonvarna. Here, open-air music and dancing was provided by Michéal Sexton Thanks to Joe O’Neill for arranging this entertainment.

Finally, we gathered at the Burren Castle Hotel for our Dinner Dance and Prize giving ceremony. The category prizewinners were as follows…..

Category Prizewinners

Category B Tom & Julie Brett (WVVMC) 1915 Ford Model T
Category D Joe & Helen Conneely (WVVMC) 1934 Austin Clifton
Category E Michael Lavin (Clonmel)Ann Francis Coyne (WVVMC)Tom Cooney (Kilkenny)Lady Driver  Mae Connally (Dublin) 1951 Mercedes Benz 170S1951 Ford Anglia1958 MGA Twin Cam1968 Mercedes Benz 280SL

Other Prizes and Trophies

Phil Denson Trophy      Ian Doherty

Geoff Power Trophy      Tom Spellman

Car in Bottle Trophy      Michael Spellman

Spirit of the Club Trophy    Tony Tynan (New Trophy)