CLONAKILTY teenage karter Ronan Hennessy is part of the Irish team that will compete in this weekend's IAME World Finals (IWF) at Leopard Circuit Viterbo to the north-east of Rome.

Ronan, a first-year engineering student at the Munster Technological University (MTU), was always destined to get involved in motorsport, even though he played GAA with Clonakilty at various underage grades and even up to junior level and mostly at wing forward.

Ironically, the GAA complex in Ahamilla is only a stone's throw from his home and could have been a motor-racing track were it not for a failed noise impact assessment in the late 1990s.

That ambitious plan was hatched by Ronan's late grandfather and builder Pat Hennessy and the late Paddy Keohane of Keohane Readymix. Both families continue to have strong ties – Ronan and his family travelled to the UK to watch Michael Keohane make his return to motorsport after a 23-year hiatus in this season’s Porsche Carwow Carrera Cup GB series.

Ronan began karting in Juniors (2021) and in 2024 moved into Seniors. He has already represented Ireland twice before, at the iconic Le Mans circuit in 2022 and in Portimao in 2023.

Ronan (18) is under the tutelage of Lissarda-based Kieran Daly, who runs the DMS (Daly Motorsport) karting outfit.

This year he contested the full Motorsport Ireland Championship in the IAME X-30 class and secured his ticket to the IWF at the final round in Cork where he also took a podium in the open class.

Karting is never predictable as he knows only too well, as he recalled a recent outing at the Irish Grand Prix.

‘I had good heats but spun out on one of them. I went from 14th to sixth in the pre-final and then in the final the kart stalled on the formation lap, so I had to start at the back.'

His father Aidan is also involved in motorsport – karting and rallying – which influenced Ronan, who added, ‘Mike (Michael Keohane) had a big influence in getting us into karting. I enjoyed watching Mike this year and what's involved and his relationship with his engineer and the team.’

Most of Ronan’s fellow students at MTU, with the exception of those from Clonakilty, are unaware of his karting exploits.

‘The ones (friends) I have that came from secondary school know for sure but the newer friends I have made, most of them are unaware,’ he said.

‘I’m looking forward to it. I've had a good enough year (karting). Okay, a few ups and downs, but definitely the best year to date in terms of pace. I feel more ready for it than ever.’

He explained why.

‘Probably just doing more test days and stuff than I have before, and trying a few different things with set-ups and probably just giving it more time.’

Split into three groups of 36 karters, qualifying heats (12 minutes) take place on Thursday and Friday with the finals on Saturday. The IAME Seniors final is on Saturday evening at 5pm (local time).