West Cork Rally Book - Launch - (Sat) 21 Sep 13

Photos:

Posted: September 22, 2013 4:17 PM

rally.ie Photos on flickr

Winning Cars to Appear at Book Launch

Posted: September 19, 2013 4:03 PM

With just over 48 hours to go before the launch of “The West Cork Rally, A History”, by Kevin O’Driscoll, Cork Motor Club are pleased to announce that four of the cars that have won the event in the past will be on display on the night outside of the cinema.
One of the cars in question is John Moynihans ex-Richie Heeley / Frank Meagher Ford Escort RS1800 which is the only car to date to have won the event three times, in 1984, 85 & 86. Incidentally this car also appeared in West Cork in 1979 as an ex works car driven by Malcolm Wilson. Russell Brookes winning Chevette HSR from 1982 will also be on display and this is currently owned by Corkman Frank O’Mahony who competed many times in Clonakilty.

The other two cars are owned by Denis Cronin, the famous GXI 9427 BMW M3 that Bill Connolly drove to victory in 1991 and the Subaru Impreza WRC that Denis himself won in back in 2005. This display of cars should add a touch of nostalgia to the occasion on the night and will generate a lot of interest. The timetable for the launch has been finalised with a rally show in the cinema to start proceedings at 8pm in the Park Cinema next to Quality Hotel. This will be approximately 45 minutes long and will feature footage from 1977 to the present day.

This will be followed by the book launch with Ari Vatanen and from there a questions and answers forum will take place with some special guests including Ari and Billy Coleman. Books will be on sale after the forum for €35 and payment can be made by either cash or card. There will then be a book signing session for 30 minutes for anyone who wishes to get their copy of the book signed. There will be finger food served after the book signing and it promises to be a great night. The event is open to all with no tickets or cover charge, but seating at the cinema will be on a first come first seated basis. There are three screens in the cinema complex and which will be audio visually linked. We look forward to seeing you all there. A list of stockists will be available in the coming days.

Sample Pages from "The West Cork Rally, A History"

Posted: September 11, 2013 12:20 PM

Countdown to Launch of “The West Cork Rally – A History”

Posted: September 11, 2013 11:59 AM

With less than two weeks to go before the launch of the “The West Cork Rally, A History”, a book by Kevin O’Driscoll, Cork Motor Club would like to announce that WRC co-driver Paul Nagle will now be in attendance on the night. Paul joins a list of guests which will include former world rally champion Ari Vatanen, Billy Coleman, Keith Cronin, Brian O’Mahony, Bob Fowden & Gerard Quinn among others. All six past and present Clerks of the Course will also be in attendance.

The night’s proceedings will begin at 8pm with archive footage of the rally from the past 35 years compiled by Bernard Crowley. This will take place at 8pm in The Park Cinema on the grounds of the Quality Hotel which is the headquarters and title sponsor for the West Cork Rally each St. Patrick’s weekend. Once the archive footage has been shown, Ari Vatanen will then launch the book at 9pm, and this will then be followed shortly afterwards by a forum hosted by Michael O’Carroll with interviews and questions to the special guests. Once the forum has ended, refreshments will be provided in the Quality Hotel. The night is open to all but attendance is on a first come first served basis and there is no cover charge.

The West Cork Rally – A History, which is 392 pages in length, contains reports on each rally since 1977, a full starters list and final classification from each year, interviews with competitors and officials, and over 1000 photographs in what is a very comprehensive history of one of the most popular clubman events in Ireland.

Ari Vatanen to launch West Cork Rally Book

Posted: August 28, 2013 11:31 AM

Cork Motor Club is proud to announce “The West Cork Rally, A History”, a book by Kevin O’Driscoll will launched by 1981 World Rally Champion Ari Vatanen on Saturday September 21st in Clonakilty at 8pm.

Other well known rally names to attend the book launch will include the winner of the first West Cork Rally, Millstreet’s Billy Coleman, three times winner, Welshman, Bob Fowden and his Charlaville co-driver Gerry Hynes. Also in attendance will be the winner of the 35th West Cork Rally, Brian O’Mahony from Carrigaline, three times British Rally champion Keith Cronin from Bantry and many more.

Gerard Quinn from Macroom who is head of motorsport for Ford Europe, and Ireland’s longest serving MEP Brian Crowley, who is a personal friend of Mr Vatanen’s from when Ari also served as an MEP from 1999 to 2009.
“I am very much looking forward to going to West Cork for the book launch and indeed meeting my friend Brian Crowley MEP” Mr Vatanen said when speaking with Darren McCarthy of Cork Motor Club.
Michael (Bones) O’Connor, 12 times Clerk of the Course is travelling from Australia for the occasion and current President of the Motorsport Ireland Commission, Joe Corcoran, will also be in attendance.

The book which celebrates the 35th running of The West Cork Rally highlights how popular this event has become locally, nationally and internationally. The content of the book will consist of interviews with the winners of each event, as well as many other characters tied to the rally down through the years, and a huge selection of pictures taken from an archive of over 35,000 photos. The starters list and results list for each of the 35 event will also be included along with much more information.
The author Kevin O’Driscoll said
“I grew up close to the famous Ring stage and I have been a fan of the event for my entire life. I have gathered an enormous amount of information and photos of the rally over the past twelve years, and after 35 events I feel it’s a milestone worth celebrating”.

The book launch will take place in The Park Cinema on the grounds of the Quality Hotel which is the headquarters and title sponsor for the West Cork Rally each St. Patrick’s weekend. The night will open with footage for each of the 35 events compiled by Bernard Crowley. This will then be followed by a forum hosted by Michael O’Carroll with interviews and questions to the panel above. Ari Vatanen will then officially launch the book followed by refreshments afterwards in the Quality Hotel.

More details will be available shortly on

• Cork Motor Club
• West Cork Rally