Motorcyclists Derek Shiels (left) who is sponsored by The Amigos, Fagan's Bar Moynalty, Keith Amor (Scotland) and Damien Mulleady (Longford) with the Kells Scouts at Farmleigh House last week.

Kells and Crossakiel the Mecca for two-wheel racing enthusiasts

Published: Wed 14 Jul 2010, 4:59 PM

Thousands of motorcycling fans as well as many curious onlookers are expected to descend on Crossakiel this weekend for the annual Kells Road Races. The festival attracts the top motorcycling talent north and south of the border and among the big names in the sport scheduled to take part are Cameron Donald, Keith Amor, Ryan Farquhar, Adrian Archibald and Michael Dunlop. For the first time this year the festival will last for four days. It gets underway on Thursday and continues until Sunday. The programme of events includes a display of vintage cars and motorbikes and races involving miniature bikes on Thursday. Friday will feature the annual classic run in aid of the Irish Wheelchair Association. Also for the first time the festival will incorporate the new Armoy/Kells Cross Border Championship. This initiative was officially launched last week at Farmleigh House in Dublin. The first round of the championship will take place at Kells next weekend with the second round scheduled for the 6th/7th August at Armoy in Antrim. The launch was attended by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and the Northern Ireland Minister for Sport Nelson McCausland. They praised the efforts of the organiser on both sides of the border. The Armoy and Kells clubs are promoting road safety with their respective councils and at Farmleigh they launched their Road Safety initiative with the help of scouts from Kells. Among those who spoke at the event was Aileen Ferguson, secretary of Kells Motor Cycling Road Club who said that motorcycling has brought people together from all parts of Ireland, north and south. She pointed out that this year children from both sides of the border will be involved in playing soccer and rugby games as part of the Kells Road Races Festival while others will engage in hurling games. It's all about forging closer links, she added. Schedule of events at the Kells Road Races Festival are: Thursday, 15th July - soccer and rugby games between teams from Armoy, Co Antrim and Kells, Co Meath, vintage car and bike display by Dunboyne Motor Club, mini-moto racing, Kells Town Centre, 7.30. Friday, 16th July - annual charity classic run, 6.30. Saturday, 17th July - Bike Fest, Fairgreen, Kells; annual Adelaide Kells (Antrim) to Kells charity ride-out from Kells, Co Antrim, 2.0 to Kells, Co Meath; practice at Crossakiel, roads close at 1.0. Sunday, 18th July - races.