Cork city centre road closures this weekend as Red Bull brings F1 spectacle to South Mall

Several city centre streets and bridges will close for Saturday’s motorsport event, with concertgoers and GAA supporters also urged to plan ahead

Oracle Red Bull Racing RB7 F1 car, which will be in Cork this Saturday, in performance at Red Bull Showrun in Dearborn, Detroit, Michigan, USA on July 25, 2026. Picture: Chris Tedesco Red Bull Content Pool

Cork city centre is set for significant traffic disruption this weekend as road closures are introduced for Red Bull’s Homerun motorsport event featuring local drifting star Conor Shanahan.

The restrictions began at 7pm on Thursday with Lapp’s Quay, between Parnell Bridge and Clontarf Street, and Connell Street closed until noon on Sunday.

Further closures will come into effect on Saturday as the city prepares for the event, which will see a Formula One car and Shanahan’s Toyota GT86 take to a purpose-built track in the city centre.

Motorists are being advised to plan their journeys in advance and allow extra time when travelling through Cork.

What roads will be closed?

From 2pm on Saturday, October 10, the following restrictions will apply:

• South Mall: Closed between Parliament Street and Parnell Place.
• Anglesea Street: Closed between Terence MacSwiney Quay and Old Station Road.
• Douglas Street: Westbound traffic will be restricted between Summerhill South and Dunbar Street.
• Fr Mathew Quay and Fr Mathew Street: Local access will be managed by traffic marshals.
• Union Quay and Copley Street: Local access will also be managed by traffic marshals.

From 6pm, Parnell Bridge will close, along with Terence MacSwiney Quay between Clontarf Bridge and Parnell Bridge.

Most restrictions are expected to remain in place until late on Saturday night or early on Sunday morning, although some event infrastructure will remain until Sunday.

F1 spectacle in the city centre

The closures are being introduced for Red Bull Homerun Cork, which will see 23-year-old Killavullen native Conor Shanahan return home for a motorsport show on Saturday night.

Conor Shanahan celebrates his victory in the third round of the Drift Masters European Championship in Finland. Picture: Mihai Stetcu / Red Bull Content Pool .

The event, part of the Oracle Red Bull Racing tour, will feature the championship-winning RB7 Formula One car alongside Shanahan in his Toyota GT86. The purpose-built track will run along South Mall and Anglesea Street.

The RB7 helped Oracle Red Bull Racing secure both the Formula One constructors’ and drivers’ world championships in 2011. Driven by Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, the car won 12 of the season’s 19 races.

Shanahan, a two-time drifting champion, began competing at the age of nine and went on to become the youngest driver to win professional drifting events in Ireland, Britain and Europe.

He claimed his first Drift Masters title in 2023 following victory at the championship’s Grand Finale in Warsaw, Poland, in front of 53,000 spectators.

Saturday’s Cork event will begin on South Mall at 8pm and run until 9.30pm.

Concert and GAA fixtures add to busy evening 

The motorsport show is not the only event likely to affect travel across the city on Saturday.

The Lord Mayor’s Community and Heritage Concert will take place at Cork City Hall from 7pm. Concertgoers are being advised to take the traffic restrictions into account when planning their journeys.

Meanwhile, Páirc Uí Chaoimh will host two Cork Premier Senior Football Championship semi-finals:

• 5.15pm: Carrigaline v Nemo Rangers 
• 7pm: Clonakilty v St Finbarr’s 

With the motorsport event, concert and football fixtures taking place on the same evening, motorists and attendees are encouraged to plan ahead and allow additional time for travel.