Patricks Hill ball run bounces back

Katie O'Keeffe

The famous Patricks Hill Ball Run is back!

The Cork Lions Club’s charity event will make its post-pandemic comeback on Sunday 20 March.

The event will see 12,000 coloured balls released down the famous Patrick’s Hill.

Normally the ball run raises funds for the club’s Defibrillator Project but given the need to provide humanitarian aid to displaced persons, they have decided to send the proceeds to the Lions International Fund for Ukrainian Refugees.

Lions clubs in Poland and Romania are providing care packages to refugees arriving from Ukraine and all donations will be passed directly to these clubs.

Each ball in the ball run is individually numbered and released from a cage at the top of Patrick’s Hill in a colourful cascade.

They are then guided down the hill and gathered in a trap at the bottom where the first six balls win a prize. First prize will win someone €500, while second wins you €300, it’s €100 for third, and €50 for fourth, fifth and sixth. Balls will be sold on the hill or can be purchased online ahead of the day at €2 each on corklionsclub.ie.