25th hosting of Sligo Stages Rally Dinner Dance - (Fri) 27 Apr 07

Posted: March 26, 2007 10:19 AM

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In celebration of the 25th hosting of the Sligo Stages Rally by Connacht Motor Club , the organising Committee are planning a Dinner Dance for Friday night April 27th in the Sligo Park Hotel. The night will commence at 7pm with a display of memorabilia reflecting on years gone by , and ,looking forward, will incorporate the launch of the 2007 Sligo Stages Rally. Its expected to be a joyous opportunity for the many involved in the development of the July event over the two decades to meet and share memories since its infancy in the early eighties to the prestigious event it is today .

The event was born in May 1980 when the first stages event held in the area were hosted by the Ballina Motor Club , Fintan Newport as Clerk of the Course and the late Bertie Fisher taking overall honours. The then reformed Connacht Motor Club took over the mantle in 1981 to run the Sligo Stages moving it to July 25th , the mid summer date it holds ever since and it was Donegal crew Vincent and Michael Bonnor who took the title . While still under the stewardship of Fintan Newport the event was accredited National Championship status in 1984 which inevitably saw the event attract the highest level of drivers both nationally but also attracting drivers from overseas. With only two exceptions , an insurance crises in 1990 when the club was forced to resort to a single stage event , and in 2001 , when like numerous other sporting events nationally , the event had to be cancelled due to the Foot and Mouth crises , the Sligo Stages Rally holds a prominent position in the local sporting calendar but also is highly significant in contributing to tourism in the region.

In the long list of those who competed on the Sligo Stages down through the years are many of the greats ,the late Bertie Fisher , Austin Mc Hale , John Lyons , John Price ,the late Frank Meagher , James Cullen , Donnie Keating ,the late Mickey Farrell , Kenny Mc Kinstry ,Ernest Mc Millan ,Dessie Mc Carthney , Stephen Murphy , the late Brian Mc Grath , Paul Harris , Vincent Bonner to name but a few.A number of locals also faired well among the emerging competition over the years , Joe Callaghan in both an Escort and a Sunbeam , Mickey Parkes in the Polo , Harold Thompson in the Sunbeam , later in the same well recognised JZP 777 Sunbeam, Domnic Mc Loughlin.

Tickets for the Dinner Dance are now available
Tel 087 - 2415082 (+353 87 - 2415082) after 7pm at a cost of €45 .

Music on the night is by La Bamba .

Anyone who may have material which may be of historic significance , particular of earlier years in the form of photos , video or other memorabilia and would be willing to make them available for reproduction may contact ,
086-8458894, 087-9853280 or 087-2516166. (+353 86-8458894, +353 87-9853280 or +353 87-2516166)

More Details:

Connacht Motor Club

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