Harley party in Killarney

The beautiful town of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland was the setting for the 15th annual Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) rally from June 22 – 25. Over 10,000 people flocked to the rolling countryside to ride in the stunning scenery, meet friends both old and new and sample some famous Irish hospitality.

Around 6,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles rolled into Killarney to a spectacular welcome from the local population who joined in the fun and soaked up the atmosphere at the rally site. Enthusiasts came from Spain, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Norway, Germany, the US and even Saudi Arabia, joining locals in the many pubs and restaurants to sample the fine fresh seafood and traditional Irish dishes.

The highlight, as ever, was the Saturday morning parade that saw thousands of Harley-Davidson motorcycles taking a special route through and around the town of Killarney. Large crowds gathered by the roadsides to watch the spectacle, preceded by bikes flying international flags representing dozens of H.O.G. chapters from Europe and beyond. The colourful parade took over 30 minutes to pass by.

In the great Irish tradition there was music all weekend from Suzi Quattro, Bonnie Tyler, 3M Whitesnake, The Counterfeit Stones and The Commitments plus many others including traditional Irish bands and performers.

Riders enjoyed the views of the Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsular and the mountains of Macgillycuddy’s Reeks all weekend. A special VRSC experience proved to be a popular addition to this year’s rally, where customers could try one of Harley-Davidson’s performance motorcycles on a spectacular riding route.

The Custom Bike Show proved as popular as ever, with examples of different styles of customisation from across Europe in several categories including the Ladies of Harley.

Nigel Villiers, director of H.O.G. Europe said: "We received a fantastic welcome from everyone in Killarney, and we’re very grateful for the help we received from the Irish tourism authorities in making this such a successful rally for our Harley Owners Group members. The famous Irish hospitality was ever evident, and the rain even stayed away for most of the weekend!"

The Harley Owners Group is the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer-sponsored owners group with a million members worldwide For all the latest H.O.G. news and events go to hog.com