Racing fans shrug off weather to enjoy Kells festival of speed

Many thousands of motorcycle racing fans converged in Kells last weekend for the 17th annual Kells Road Races. Despite appalling weather, the races went off without a hitch, with Australian Cameron Donald winning the International Grand final, which was sponsored by Meath County Council. The Adelaide International Kells Road Races festival began on Friday night when huge crowds turned up to see stunt rider, Mattie Griffin, perform some amazing feats in the centre of the town. There was also music and enertainment in Farrell Street. The Kells to Kells Rideout on Saturday saw several hundred rmotorcycle enthusiasts riding from Kells in County Antrim to its namesake in Meath. They were accompanied by PSNI and garda riders on their journey south. Huge crowds waited on the Fair Green to welcome the motorcyclists and there was music and children's entertainment for those who were waiting. Huge crowds also lined the practice routes on Saturday to see the riders in action ahead of Sunday's day of competitions. Despite the weather, the races on Sunday were very successful and Cameron Donald won the main event on his Wilson Graig Honda 1,000cc machine. Kells Road Races secretary Aileen Ferguson, paid tribute to the riders and officials who got through the races, despite the difficult conditions, and said riders had put on great entertainment for the crowds. She paid tribute to the family of the late Stephen Larkin, who died in a practice run at last year's races, who attended the festival over the weekend. Stephen's wife, Catherine; parents, Gerald and Bernie; brother, Michael; sister, Tina, and her husband, Stephen, all travelled from Northern Ireland to support the races. Ms Ferguson thanked the residents and landowners in Crossakiel who facilitated the event and also thanked their sponsiors. She said that planning for next year's event had already begun this week.