Cobh’s steepest hill was a kaleidoscope of colour once again on bank holiday Monday, August 4th when hundreds of Cobh residents and visitors lined the street for the 8th Annual Barrack Hill Ball Run. Over 6,000 sponsored balls made their way down Cobh’s steepest hill, with children and adults joining in the downhill run eager to see whose winning numbers would make it over the finish line first and win the cash prizes up for grabs. Thanks to the generous support of the public, the event raised €13,500 for Epilepsy Ireland and Cobh Youth Services and brought smiles to the winners and spectators alike.
The first seven balls over the finished line made the following supporters winners:
1st €500.00 – Kieran O’Callaghan, Rushbrooke, Cobh;
2nd €300.00 – Denis Lucey, Cork;
3rd €200.00 – Mary Hulsizer, Adrigole;
4th €100.00 – Emily Daly, Cobh;
5th €50.00 Sponsored Dinner Voucher for Gilberts, Cobh – Sheila O’Leary, Co Cork;
6th €50.00 Sponsored Dinner Voucher for Gilberts, Cobh – Judith Kelleher, Co Cork;
7th €50.00 Sponsored Dinner Voucher for Gilberts, Cobh – Cal Barrett, Cork.
Adding to the excitement of the day was the Uphill Challenge that preceded the main event with teams competing in a relay-style race to see who could push a giant exercise ball up Barrack Hill the quickest. Dylan Somers, Josh Foley and Eoin McSweeney representing Coral Leisure made light work of the challenge and walked away with the floating trophy while remaining teams all received sponsored prizes for participating. The event organisers were delighted to see an increase in the number of teams participating this year and hope to see even more at next year’s event. Entry is free and it’s a great way to get the crowd’s cheering and ready for the Downhill Ball Run.
While there are too many to mention everyone, the organising committee would like to thank Cobh’s pubs and businesses who kindly sponsored prizes and welcomed volunteers to sell tickets for the event on their premises, including Keane on Sport, Individuals, Cobh Pastimes, Port of Cork, Cork Dockyard, FDC Accountants Cork, Ray and Maura Keating (Londis), Ger Curley (Daybreak), SuperValu Ticknock and Centra Cobh. Thanks also extend to the residents of West View and Barrack Hill who, as always, are most understanding and accommodating. And finally, the organizing committee would like to express their gratitude to the volunteers who helped organise and marshal the event on the day, in particular Paddy Histon and his family who founded the Barrack Hill Ball Run and offered their continued support to the Cobh Youth Services Committee in this, their first year of taking over the organisation of this great and most popular event.
