Killarney Historic Car Stages Rally - DATE CHANGE - (Sat) 7 Dec 13

Posted: February 3, 2014 11:06 PM - 44041 Hits

Counting Round - 2013 Southern 4 Rally Championship (Historics)
Counting Round - 2014 Tarmac Championship (Historics)

Photo: Paul Mcllory

Report

Posted: February 3, 2014 11:06 PM

FIA APPENDIX K CARS:
Mark Falvey and his co-driver Diarmuid Lynch dominated the Rentokil-Initial Killarney Historic Rally by setting fastest times on all eight special stages to win their home rally.
Even early problems like the gear lever coming off in Mark's hands as they powered their way through the opening Moll's Gap stage could not hinder the Ford Escort Mk1 crews clean-sweep of fastest stage times. The rally followed a classic route of Kerry stages including Ballaghbeama and Collick which was run back-to-back , once in the daylight and once under the cover of darkness.
It was a dream come true for the Rathmore man.
He said: "I have won the West Cork Historic and the Cork ?20' Historic rally, each of them twice but this is the one I really wanted, it is the only proper historic rally in the country and it is my home event. I really enjoyed the dark stages and want more of them."
Millstreet's Denis Moynihan and his Killarney co-driver Shane Buckley reported a trouble free run in their Escort Mk1 to second place while Drew Wylie and Dean Beckett were third making it an all Escort M1 podium.
Rally winner Mark Falvey's uncle Todd, who was on his maiden outing in a left-hand drive Escort Mk2 took the early stages to adapt to his new machine and eventually finished fourth.
Father and son team Ernie and Will Graham made the long journey from London to compete. Their run was hampered when their Ford Escort Mk1 suffered a puncture on the opening stage and they never recovered the lost three minutes.

HISTORICS: There was a huge battle for Historic section with Ray Cunningham and Adrian Cusack eventually getting the upper-hand over defending Clonakilty Black Pudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship champions James O'Mahony and Kerrie Barry. Volvo driver James O' Mahoney se the early pace over Moll's Gap and Ballaghbeama. Mini mounted Cunningham set a string of fastest times over the latter part of the day to win the category by 16 seconds. Killarney-based Mini crew Aidan Kennedy and Tara Dugan were third in this category.

POST-HISTORICS:
County Louth's Phillip McKibbin and his Tralee co-driver Padraig Brick won the post-historic section despite suffering an overheating engine in their Ford Escort Mk1 during the second running of the Kilgobnet stage. The stopped in a shop in Beaufort village where they bought water, ironically just feet from the fast flowing River Laune, and were able solve their problem and continue.

CLASSICS:
The Classic rally was dominated by overseas visitors.
Former Irish national champion, Welsh man, Melvyn Evans, is usually found at the wheel of a Subaru Impreza World Rally Car but was on his first outing in his Ford Escort Mk2 since this event last year.
He and his West Cork co-driver Sean Hayde did admit that they were missing the modern technology connected with the Subaru, the Escort's conventional steering taking its toll on Evans' arms over the twisty Kerry roads.
Another Welsh man, Gareth Lloyd and his Carlow co-driver Jim Crowe were second and English visitor Alan Watkins and his Cork co-driver William Lynch were third.

MODIFIED:
Donegal crew Declan Gallagher and Ryan Moore surprised many of the regulars with their pace in the hotly contested modified section.
The Toyota Starlet crew were on their first visit to the Kingdom but left as worthy winners after overcoming the strongest field ever assembled for this popular section of the rally.

Indeed the top five crews were separated by six seconds after the opening Moll's Gap stage but when early leader Barry Meade's Ford Escort broke a drive shaft on stage two it should have promoted Wesley Patterson in to the lead. However Patterson, very uncharacteristically, crashed out of the rally almost within sight of the start line of Ballaghbeama.
In turn it allowed Garry McPhillips to enter stage three, Kilgobnet, as the rally leader but he too crashed on this test, , his accident resulted in a blocked stage so all of the following crews received notional times.
When the dust settled after this highly dramatic first loop Gallagher found himself with a scant 0.04 second lead over the local crew of Fergus O'Meara and Mikie Galvin.
The crews promised an epic battle over the afternoon stages and while the delivered on the opening two stages Moll's Gap and Ballaghbema Two, the battled fizzled out when O'Meara's Escort suffered a broken exhaust on the second running of Kilgobnet. He lost the best part of 15 seconds to the Donegal man and , reluctantly, had to settle for second.
Last year's winners Martin McGee and Denis O'Mahony enjoyed a day long battle with Killarney /Dublin pairing Kevin O'Donoghue and Karl Atkinson in their Ford Escorts. O'Donoghue's Escort suffered an event long misfire, especially in the lower speed sections, and the issue surely cost him some of the nine seconds he needed to claim the final podium spot.
Chris Armstrong and Tom Clinton inherited fifth place when local crew , a winners of the recent Banna Beach Resort Kerry Winter Rally, Mike Quinn and Tony Healy retired late in the day.
The Kerry crew came off the first running of the Collick stage but their Escort Mk2 had suffered a broken half-shaft, they limped back in to the service area at Killarney's Gleneagle Hotel, where they were able to fix the broken item. The did make it to the start of the final stage but did not actually start it.

Video: Promo for TV Program

Posted: January 29, 2014 11:50 AM

Video Clips

Posted: January 29, 2014 11:47 AM

In Car:

Posted: January 29, 2014 11:38 AM

Declan Gallagher & Ryan Moore (Toyota Starlet) SS1

Dave Slattery & Denis Coffey (Ford Escort) SS6

Ernie & Will Graham (Ford Escort) SS8

Melvyn Evans & Sean Hayde (Ford Escort) SS6

Falvey/Lynch take the initiative in Killarney

Posted: January 29, 2014 11:36 AM

There are few places in the world that can match the Killarney stages and when run in December they present an even tougher challenge. For Mark Falvey and Diarmuid Lynch though it was a case of a job well done as they took top points in the opening round of the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Historic Championship, the Rentokil Initial Killarney Historic Rally. The top seeds Falvey and Lynch led the 120 plus starters as top seeds in their Mark 1 Escort to tackle a loop of stages that included Molls Gap, Beallaghbeama, Kilgobnet and Coolick. From the start it was obvious that they were the crew to catch despite the best efforts of Denis Moynihan and Shane Buckley in a similar car. By the end of the first loop of three stages Falvey led by 20 seconds from Moynihan with Alan Watkins in third place in another Escort and Drew Wylie fourth over a minute further back. There was disappointment for John Spiers and Susanne Niedrum as they retired their Porsche after the first stage.

The second loop of three stages saw Falvey extend his lead despite a broken gear leaver and the lead was almost out to a minute over Moynihan. Melvyn Evans was holding third in the category which was a bonus for his co-driver Sean Hayde who was registered for the Historic series. Drew Wylie, Ray Cunningham and 2013 champion James O’Mahony were battling it out for third place among the championship contenders and there was very little to choose between them.

The sting in the tail was two runs over the Coolick stage, one in daylight and the other n darkness. It didn’t matter to Falvey though as he extended his lead out to over 90 seconds by the end of the event from Moynihan. A very late charge saw Ray Cunningham pip Drew Wylie by just 0.7 seconds with James O’Mahony only 15 seconds further back. Todd Falvey who had made the switch to an Escort after many years campaigning a Porsche came sixth of the championship contenders. Ernie Graham who lost a lot of time on the first stage with a puncture was next up followed by the Chevette HSR of Andy Johnston. Alan Watkins and Philip McKibbin rounded off the top ten placing’s.

Results

Posted: January 29, 2014 11:31 AM

FIA APPENDIX K CARS:
1 Mark Falvey/Diarmuid Lynch (Escort) 70m 04s,
2 Denis Moynihan/Shane Buckley (Escort) 71m 40s,
3 Drew Wylie/Dean Beckett (Escort) 74m 48s,
4 Todd Falvey/Peter Falvey (Escort) 75m 42s,
5 Ernie Graham/Will Graham (Escort) 77m 33s,
6 Andy Johnson/Jim McSherry (Volvo) 77m 35s.

HISTORICS:
1 Ray Cunningham/Adrian Cusack (Mini Cooper S) 74m 48s,
2 James O’Mahony/Kerrie Barry (Volvo 144S) 75m 04s,
3 Aidan Kennedy/Tara Duggan (Mini Cooper S) 82m 09s,
4 Mervyn Johnston/Wendy Blackledge (Mini Cooper S) 84m 42s,
5 Fin Mackintosh/Mike Bartlett (Mini Cooper S) 85m 35s.

POST-HISTORICS:
1 Philip McKibbin/Padraig Brick (Escort) 79m 33s,
2 Tim Lenihan/Kieran Crowley (Escort) 97m 21s.

CLASSICS:
1 Melvyn Evans/Sean Hayde (Escort) 72m 28s,
2 Gareth Lloyd/Jim Crowe (Escort) 74m 55s,
3 Alan Watkins/William Lynch (Escort) 78m 17s,
4 Anthony Robinson/Robbie Ward (Porsche 911) 79m 56s,
5 John Mulholland/Aidan O'Connor (Escort) 84m 26s.

MODIFIED:
1 Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet) 67m 51s,
2 Fergus O’Meara/Mikie Galvin (Escort) 68m 34s,
3 Martin McGee/Denis O’Mahony (Escort) 69m 27s,
4 Kevin O'Donoghue/Karl Atkinson (Escort) 69m 36s,
5 Chris Armstrong/Tom Clinton (Escort) 69m 57s,
6 Phil Collins/Adrian Deasy (Escort) 70m 12s.

JUNIORS:
1 John O’Flaherty/Tommy Commane (Starlet) 45m 32s,
2 Sean Fleming/Gavin Culloty (Fiesta) 47m 09s,
3 Kenneth Quirke/Martina Quirke (Sunbeam) 48m 10s,
4 Diarmaid O'Crowley/Eimear Hurley (Nova) 49m 49s.

results.shannonsportsit.ie (Angus Sealy)

Rally Programmes

Posted: December 4, 2013 12:47 PM

Rentokil Initial Killarney Historic Rally Programmes in the following shops:

Late Entries

Posted: December 4, 2013 12:45 PM

Car no. 38 Frank Kelly / Russell Harold . Ford Escort class 19
Car no. 39 Adrian Hetherington / Gary Nolan . Ford Escort class 19
Car no. 40 Gary McPhillips / Emmett Sherry . Ford Escort class 19
Car no. 151 Daniel Lucey / Gill White . Ford Escort .
Car no. 152 Denis Buckley / Declan Casey . Ford Escort

Donegal Vs Kerry.... ‘It’s going to be Historic’

Posted: December 4, 2013 12:44 PM

With less than one week to go until the 2013 Rentokil Initial Killarney Historic Stages Rally, excitement among some of the Donegal Motor Club members is starting to build.

On Saturday the 7th December 2013 at 7:40am, Rally cars will begin to leave the first control area in Killarney, with a huge entry of over 150 cars starting out on what is known as the ‘Baby Lakes’ among the rallying community. The stages being used are amongst the most famous classic route of stages available, starting with Molls Gap, followed by Beallaghbeama, Kilgobnet with service after these and then a repeat of these before the Coolick stage which will be tackled in daylight and darkness.

The Historic field, for older cars enjoying a second life, will lead the field away on Saturday morning; while the ever spectacular modified competitors following the historic’s away. It promises to be a weekend of thrills and spills.

Interest from the Northwest comes from top modified seeds, Donegal man Martin McGee at number 41 in his mountune powered Ford Escort, who has always had strong runs in Killarney, he will be followed by Wesley Patterson in his Millington Powered Ford Escort with experienced Donegal navigator Johnny Baird guiding him through the classic Killarney countryside.

The excitement in Donegal doesn’t stop there with the sensations of 2013, Declan Gallagher and Ryan Moore lining up at 49 in there ever rapid RWD Toyota Starlet, with many fantastic results throughout 2013 all over the country with 4th Overall at the Galway Summer Stages Rally and running as high as 2nd Overall and beating many of the World Rally Cars during the Fastnet Rally in Skibbereen a number of weeks ago, let hope this event is no different.

Along with these is the entertainer award winner of the Donegal International Rally, Laghy’s Gary McElhinney, Gary has had some impressive results this year from the navigator seat, with 14th Overall in Rally Corsica and 4th Overall in the Wexford stages along with many more. This time he will guide Northern Ireland man Alastair Cochrane in his ever sideways Ford Escort.

Donegal’s only Billy Coleman Award nomination in 2013, Kevin Eves will make the trip to Killarney in there Toyota Twin cam to tackle some of Irelands classic stages, Chris Melly will navigate, the pair hoping for a good result after taking a very commanding win in junior section of the Fastnet rally based in Skibbereen.

The last Donegal man to feature on the entry list at 112 is Barry McGill navigating the class 16 Ford Escort driven by Pat Bellew from Co. Meath. Barry having a good run earlier this year on his home Donegal International Rally Ireland, to have finished 12th Overall in the national rally navigating for fellow Donegal man Connor Watters.

So we wish all our Donegal Motor Club member competing a safe and enjoyable event, we hope to see you back at rally headquarters after 6pm on Saturday evening, but also anyone travelling to the southwest have a safe journey and stay safe on the stages.

Seeded Entry List

Posted: November 26, 2013 10:33 PM

No Driver/Navigator (Car) [Class]
Historic
1 Mark Falvey/Diarmuid Lynch (Ford Escort Mk1) [K]
2 Denis Moynihan/Shane Buckley (Ford Escort) [K]
3 Melvyn Evans/Sean Hayde (Ford Escort) [D5]
4 Ernie Graham/Will Graham (Ford Escort RS) [K]
5 Drew Wylie/Dean Beckett (Ford Escort) [K]
6 Rob Duggan/Andrew Duggan (Ford Escort) [C5]
7 Andy Johnson/TBA (Vauxhall Chevette HSR) [K]
8 Gareth Lloyd/Jim Crowe (Ford Escort) [D5]
9 Ray Hilliard/Conor Walsh (Ford Escort) [C5]
10 Todd Falvey/Peter Falvey (Ford Escort) [K]
11 Ray Cunningham/Adrian Cusack (Morris Cooper S) [B2]
12 Mervyn Johnston/Wendy Blackledge (Austin Cooper S) [B2]
14 Alan Watkins/William Lynch (Ford Escort RS2000) [D3]
15 Berian Richards/Frank Curtin (Ford Escort Mk2) [D3]
16 James O'Mahony/Kerrie Barry (Volvo 144 s) [B5]
17 John Spiers/Susanne Niedrum (Porsche 911) [D4]
18 PJ O'Dowd/John Young (Talbot Talbot sunbeam) [C2]
19 Anthony Robinson/Robbie Ward (Porsche 911) [C5]
20 Brendan McAree/JP McAree (Porsche 911) [K]
21 Philip McKibbin/Padraig Brick (Ford Escort Mk1) [C3]
22 Tim Lenihan/Kieran Crowley (Ford Escort Mk1) [C2]
23 Thomas O'Brien/Colin O'Brien (Austin Mini) [C1]
24 Niall O'Connell/Keith McCarthy (Morris Mini Cooper S) [C2]
25 Aidan Kennedy/Tara Duggan (Austin Mini Cooper S) [B2]
26 John Mulholland/Damian McCann (Ford Escort Mk2) [D1]
27 Stevie Coffey/TBA (Ford Escort Mk1) [C2]
28 Andrew Kearney/Owen O'Neill (Opel Corsa) [E2]
29 Fin Mackintosh/Mike Bartlett (Austin Mini Cooper) [B2]
30 Pat Neville/Sean Hassett (Volvo 142) [B4]
31 Leslie Branagan/Graham Randall (Morris Cooper S) [C2]
32 David Dee/Rita Dee (Morris Mini Cooper S) [D1]
33 Ivan Warwick/Evelyn Warwick (Audi Quattro) [K]

Modified
41 Martin McGee/Denis O'Mahony (Ford Escort Mk2) [19]
42 Wesley Patterson/Johnny Baird (Ford Escort RS) [19]
43 Phil Collins/Adrian Deasey (Ford Escort RS Mk2) [19]
44 Barry Meade/Colin Fitzgerald (Ford Escort Mk2) [19]
45 Mike Quinn/Tony Healy (Ford Escort Mk2) [19]
46 Fergus O'Meara/Mikie Galvin (Ford Escort Mk2) [19]
47 Pat Donegan/Alan Keena (Ford Escort Mk2) [19]
48 ED Murphy/John McCarthy (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
49 Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Toyota Starlet RWD) [18]
50 Vincent O'Shea/Brian Hickey (Ford Escort Mk2) [19]
51 Kevin O'Donoghue/Karl Atkinson (Ford Escort Mk2) [19]
52 Barry Ryan/Keith Moriarty (Ford Escort Mk2) [17]
53 Charlie Hickey/Johnny Hickey (Ford Escort RS) [19]
54 David Condell/Cathal Quill (Ford Escort Mk2) [19]
56 David Slattery/Denis Coffey (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
57 Chris Armstrong/Tom Clinton (Ford Escort RS2000) [18]
58 Tom Flaherty/Patrick Curley (Ford Escort RS) [19]
59 Trevor Culbert/Ray Fitzpatrick (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
60 George Condell/Paul Twomey (Toyota Starlet RWD) [18]
61 Liam Howlett/John McGrath (Ford Escort RS Mk2) [18]
62 Mark Dolphin/Finbarr Quirke (Ford Escort Mk2) [19]
63 Alastair Cochrane/Gary McElihnney (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
64 Fintan McGrady/Mark Hanna (Ford Escort Mk2) [19]
65 Joe Connolly/Niall Burns (Ford Escort RS1800) [19]
66 Lloyd Hutchinson/Willie Fitzpatrick (Austin Mini Cooper S) [16]
67 Gary Kiernan/Niall Tierney (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
68 Walter Dick/Mark O'Sullivan (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
69 Paul Clarke/James McCarville (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
70 Kevin Eves/Chris Melly (Toyota Corolla Twincam) [17]
71 Raymond Conlon/Nicola McKenna (Toyota Corolla) [18]
72 Allen Treacy/Bob Fitzgerald (Toyota Corolla) [18]
73 Daragh O'Riordan/Jim Duggan (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
74 Rodney White/Sam McMullan (Talbot Sunbeam) [18]
75 Andy Mahon/Andy Donoghue (Ford Escort Mk2) [17]
76 Paul Fitzgerald/Pierce Jnr Doheny (Ford Escort Mk2) [17]
77 Tom Relihan/Maurice McElligott (Ford Escort Mk1) [18]
78 Adrian Randles/TBA (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
79 Tony Murphy/Brid Murphy (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
80 Jermiah O'Flynn/Shane McCarthy (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
81 Trevor Wilson/Nigel Wilson (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
82 Tadhg O'Sullivan/Lianne O'Sullivan (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
83 Cyril Wharton/Helen Duggan (Ford Escort Mk2) [15]
84 Con Lucey/Tara Looney (Ford Escort Mk1) [15]
85 Denis Hickey/Eoin O'Leary (Ford Escort Mk2) [15]
86 John Lynch/Mark Kirwan (Ford Escort Mk2) [15]
87 Ian Davies/Dai Roberts (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
88 Jason Roche/Damien Fleming (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
89 Billy McCarthy/John Falvey (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
90 Johnny O'Connor/Ger Conway (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
91 Mike Neligan/John Hurley (Toyota Corolla RWD) [17]
92 Johnny Fitzgerald/Niall Lynch (Ford Escort Mk2) [15]
93 Donal McCarthy/Henry Riedy (Ford Escort Mk2) [15]
94 Seanie Hickey/Noel Fleming (Toyota Starlet) [15]
95 Johnny Curran/Mick Lonergan (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
96 Johno Doogan/Padraig Doogan (Ford Escort Mk2) [17]
97 Tommy McDonagh/Paul Hickey (Ford Escort Mk2) [17]
98 Paudie Callaghan/Danny Murphy (Toyota Starlet) [16]
99 Edward Gibbons/Des Flynn (Hillman Avenger) [14]
100 Denis Dineen/Donal Dineen (Ford Escort Mk2) [15]
101 Jim Cronin/Daniel Barrett (Ford Escort RS Mk2) [15]
102 Tony Canny/Joe O'Brien (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
103 Paudie Casey/Tony McCarthy (Toyota Corolla Twin Cam) [18]
104 Alan Quinn/Gary Quinn (Opel Manta 400) [18]
105 Christian Cochrane/Conor Lavery (Ford Escort) [18]
106 Conor McMeel/Sean Devlin (Ford Escort) [18]
107 Eamonn Barrett/Ken Kenneally (Ford Escort Mk2) [16]
108 David Fleming/Mark Horgan (Austin Mini) [13]
109 Noel O'Sullivan/Noel O Sullivan Jnr (Ford Escort Mk2) [16]
110 Brian Black/Ian Crozier (Toyota Starlet) [16]
111 Simon Evans/TBA (Austin Mini Cooper S) [16]
112 Pat Bellew/Barry McGill (Ford Escort) [16]
113 Richard Harney/Brian Harney (Ford Escort) [17]
114 Neil Spain/Andrew Ryan (Ford Escort) [18]
115 Rob Jones/Gary Kinghorn (Ford Escort) [18]
116 Conor Falvey/TBA (Porsche 911) [19]
117 Andrew McCormick/Elaine NÍ Shé (Vauxhall Chevette HSR) [18]
118 Keith Naughton/Robert Dwane (Ford Escort RS Mk2) [19]
119 Eddie Cogan/Shane McMahon (Peugeot 205 RWD) [15]
120 Kenneth Ryan/TBA (Ford Escort Mk2) [16]
121 Mike Sheedy/Sean O'Neill (Ford Escort G3) [15]
122 Mike Walsh/Ger Ryan (Ford Escort Mk2) [15]
123 John Walsh/Toss Sheedy (Ford Escort G3) [15]
124 Gerard Dineen/TBA (Toyota Starlet RWD) [15]
125 Jimmy Doyle/James Aldridge (Toyota Starlet RWD) [14]
126 Anthony Masterson/Andrew Browne (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
127 William Walsh/Brian O'Keffee (Toyota Corolla Twin Cam) [17]
128 Niall Whitty/Michelle Stafford (Toyota Corolla GT) [17]
129 John O'Sullivan/Denny O'Riordan (Toyota Corolla Twin Cam) [17]
130 Donagh McGrath/Finbarr Fogarty (Toyota Corolla Twin Cam) [17]
131 Anthony Whelton/Noel Crowley (Ford Escort) [17]
132 Pat Looney/Emma Looney (Ford Anglia) [14]
133 Declan Forde/Chris King (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
134 Mikey Walsh/Michelle Walsh (Talbot Sunbeam) [14]
135 Steven O'Donovan/Paul Sheahan (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
136 Finbarr Murphy/TBA (Talbot Sunbeam) [14]
137 John Daly/John Joe Daly (Ford Escort RS Mk2) [18]
138 Joe O'Sullivan/Jason Russell (Ford Escort) [15]
139 Edward Hallahan/Barry Spuds Murphy (Ford Escort Mk1) [15]
140 Michael Britton/Kevin Lahart (Ford Escort) [15]
141 Paul Quinlan/Brian Grant (Ford Escort Mk2) [15]
142 Alan Moroney/Gavin O'Grady (Ford Escort Mk2) [17]
143 Terry Carmody/Don Bosco Rogers (Ford Escort) [17]
144 Michael Forde/Jim Cunningham (Talbot Sunbeam) [17]
145 John Kenny/Charles McEnery (Ford Escort Mk2) [18]
146 Gerard Hodgins/TBA (Opel Manta) [18]
147 Sean Maher/Jason O'Brien (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
148 Pat McDonagh/Marie McDonagh (Ford Cortina) [14]
149 Nigel Molloy/James F Stafford (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
150 JJ Furlong/Pat Furlong (Talbot Sunbeam) [17]

Junior
J1 John O'Flaherty/Tommy Commane (Toyota Starlet RWD) [J1]
J2 Sean Fleming/Gavin Culloty (Ford Fiesta RWD) [J1]
J3 Brian Slattery/Eoin Doyle (Ford Escort Mk2) [J1]
J4 Kenneth Quirke/TBA (Talbot Sunbeam) [J1]
J5 Diarmaid O'Crowley/Eimear Hurley (Vauxhall ) [J1]
J6 Chris Faulconbridge/TBA (Opel Kadett) [J1]

Rentokil Initial Killarney Historic Rally - Event Preview

Posted: November 26, 2013 10:18 PM

Killarney and District Motor Club, organiser of the Rentokil-Initial Killarney Historic rally has attracted a start-studded entry list for its December 7 event.
The rally, run solely for historic rally car, is the only one of its kind in Ireland.
Over 120 crews will take to the start, at the Kerry town's Gleneagle Hotel at 0735 on Saturday morning. Ahead of them lies nearly 100km of competitive action over some of the country's most famous rally stages including Moll's Gap and Ballaghbeama. The final stage, near the villiage of Kilcummin, on the outskirts of Killarney, will be run under the cover of darkness to ensure a challenging finale to the last rally of the Irish motorsport calender.
The rally is divided into two main categories – historic and modified – and while the latter machines may be quicker the overall winner must come from the former class.
Leading the field away will be local crews Mark Falvey and Diarmuid Lynch in their ex-Billy Coleman Ford Escort Mk1 and Denis Moynihan and Shane Buckley in a similar car.

International field

The rally has been blessed with a massive overseas entry, and provides a fitting end to the 2103 tourist season.
Leading the international attack is former Irish National champion, Welshman Melvyn Evans in his Escort Mk2. Evans has not competed much this year, instead concentrating on running customer cars in Ireland, the UK and Belgium, but did tackle the national section of Wales Rally GB two weeks ago where he finished second overall in his Subaru Impreza World Rally Car. He has employed West Cork co-driver Sean Hayde for the event.
Evans will be followed off the ramp by Surrey-based Northern Irish father ands son team Ernie and Will Graham in their Mk1.
The club has received a late entry for another top Welsh driver, Julian Reynolds, one of the fastest historic rally competitors in Britain but who is making his first visit to the Kerry event. He and his Limerick-based co-driver Frank Curtin are expected to be slotted in to the top five seeds before the start.
Newly crowned Dunlop Irish Junior champion and local driver Rob Duggan marks his first outing in a Ford Escort. Duggan is usually found at the wheel of a Honda Civic and if he can master the Escort's rear-wheel-drive transmission he could spring a surprise. He will be guided by the vastly experienced Liam Moynihan from nearby Millstreet.

Modified Rally

Defending champion, Donegal's Martin McGee is the top seed in the hotly contested Modified section.
He will face oposition from the likes of Wesley Patterson who has vast experience of the Kerry stages and Phil Collins who has been coming to Killarney, either for May's Rally of the Lakes or this historic event almost every year since 1980. Mike Quinn and Tony Healy, winners of the recent Banna Beach Resort Kerry Winter Rally, and the 2009 winners of the Modified section will also start amongst the favourites. The start one place behind the ever-quick Barry Meade who has taken time out form his rallying to concentrate on his road-cycling career. All of the above crews will field Ford Escort Mk2s of varying degrees of potency.

Local drivers

Aside from those already mentioned some of the local crews to look out for in the Historic rally include recently crowned Top Part West Coast Historic champions PJ O'Dowd and John Young from Tralee and Ray Hilliard and Conor Walsh from Listowel in an Escort Mk1.
The modified entry list is awash with Kerry crews too and the likes of Kilorglin's Fergus O'Meara, north Kerry's Ed Murphy, and Kenmare's Vincent O'Shea won't be far away when the final results are tallied on Saturday night.
There are several Kerry-based father and son teams in the rally too, not least Charlie and Johnny Hickey who will driver the Rentokil-Initial backed Ford Escort (pictured) and Noel Sr and Noel Jr O'Sullivan in their Escorts.

Interesting entries

Other interesting entries include former Rally of Lakes International Rally winner Daragh O'Riordan. The East Cork-based driver is usually found behind the wheel of a state of the art World Rally Car but this marks his maiden outing in a historic-specification rally car. Current Irish Tarmac Historic rally champion, James O'Mahony from Limerick is also on the entry list in his Volvo 144s.

Killarney Historic Rally Launched

Posted: November 19, 2013 11:29 AM

The Rentokil-Initial Killarney Historic Rally was officially launched at rally headquarters, the Gleneagle Hotel, on Sunday night.

So far nearly 100 crews have committed to the December 7 event which is Ireland’s only rally run entirely for historic specification rally cars.

At the launch event Clerk of the Course Kevin Flannery and entries secretary Cathy Healy revealed some of the big names who have already signed up for the event – the opening round of the 2014 Clonakilty Black Pudding Irish Tarmac Historic Rally Championship and the final round of the Plasticbags.ie Southern Four Rally championship.

TOP CLASS ENTRY

Among the leading Irish drivers to place and entry for the rally is newly crowned ITRC Historic champion James O’Mahony in his Volvo 144s. Northern Ireland’s Wesley Patterson was one of his main rivals for the title and the Ford Escort Mk2 driver has also confirmed his entry, albeit in his modified car as opposed to his full historic spec machine.

Irish Tarmac Rally Championship front-runner, and former Rally of the Lakes winner Daragh O’Riordan makes his Historic Rally debut driving another Escort. The Middleton-based driver is usually found at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta World Rally Car on International events up and down the country. He has been promising for years to enter the Killarney Historic event and finally has managed to put a deal together to allow him compete this year.

LEADING LOCALS

Leading local crews include Fergus O’Meara, and a brace of father a son teams like Charlie and Johnny Hickey and Noel Sr and Noel Jr O’ Sullivan who will all field Ford Escorts. Cork’s Donagh McGrath is one of the first drivers to take advantage of the new class rules announced last month. Pre-1986 cars will be eligible for historic rallying in 2014, and with the Killarney event forming the opening round of the 2014 ITRC historic division the new rules will come into effect one month early allowing McGrath to enter his Toyota Corolla Twin Can. Roger Albert Clark Rally sensation Owen Murphy is close to finalising a deal to drive on the event although he has admitted that it is very unlikely the ex-Works Talbot Sunbeam he used the RAC earlier this month will be available and is currently trying to source another car for the Killarney rally.

OVERSEAS INTEREST

Kevin Flannery announced at the launch that the rally is attracting huge overseas interest and already some of the biggest names in British Historic rallying have pledged entries for the rally.

Among them is former Dunlop Irish National Rally champion Melvyn Evans. The Welsh man, who was competing on the national element of Wales Rally GB in his Subaru Impreza WRC where he finished second will make a rare appearance behind the wheel of his Ford Escort.

One of those regulars confirmed for the Gleneagle Hotel based rally is Ford Escort Mk2 legend Phil Collins. The Hereford-based engineering contractor made his first visit to Killarney in 1980 (when the Rally of the Lakes was a winter rally) and has been a regular visitor to the Kingdom ever since for both the modern May bank holiday weekend and the historic events.

He said: “It is just Killarney in December. There is no better place to be. The welcome we get from the townsfolk, the fantastic stages run in ever-so-beautiful surroundings and the buzz in the town make it a worthwhile trip at any time of the year. The first rally I ever entered outside of England was the Rally of the Lakes in 1980 [the second edition of that event] and there can’t be too many who competed 33 years ago and who are again competing this year.”

Support for this year’s rally comes from Rentokil-Initial, The Gleneagle Hotel and Great Stuff Caterers and Ace Signs.

Rally Launch - 17 Nov

Posted: November 4, 2013 10:53 AM

Rentokil Initial Killarney Historic Rally Launch , Sunday 17th November at 6pm in the Mangerton Suite Gleneagle Hotel Killarney.
All are welcome.

New classes and massive overseas interest

Posted: November 4, 2013 10:51 AM

New rules for historic car rallying in Ireland means that the Killarney Historic Rally in now open to a wider range of cars.

Since its inception in 1996, cars that qualified for participation in the Killarney Historic Rally had to be manufactured before December 1981.

Motorsport Ireland will grant historic rally car status to cars produced from January 1 , 1986 to the end of December 1985 from the beginning of next year. But as the Killarney Historic Rally is a round of the 2014 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship it has been made possible that owners of such cars can enter this year’s event on December 7. Car like Opel Corsas, Peugeot 205s and Vauxhall Novas as well as Toyota Twin Can Corollas are now eligible for Ireland’s only dedicated historic rally.

Clerk of the course Kevin Flannery said:
“This is great news as it opens the rally to many new potential entrants that were not eligible to compete before. However there are strict rules concerning the cars that qualify and they must be presented at the rally as they were in the early 1980s [with modern safety equipment] and a Toyota Corolla Twin Can fitted with a modern sequential gearbox, for example, would not be allowed. Still, it opens up the rally to a huge number of clubman cars and drivers and we look forward to welcoming new faces to join our regulars in Killarney in December.”

One of those regulars confirmed for the Gleneagle Hotel based rally is Ford Escort Mk2 legend Phil Collins. The Hereford-based engineering contractor made his first visit to Killarney in 1980 (when the Rally of the Lakes was a winter rally) and has been a regular visitor to the Kingdom ever since for both the modern May bank holiday weekend and the historic events.

He said: “It is just Killarney in December. There is no better place to be. The welcome we get from the townsfolk, the fantastic stages run in ever-so-beautiful surroundings and the buzz in the town make it a worthwhile trip at any time of the year. The first rally I ever entered outside of England was the Rally of the Lakes in 1980 [the second edition of that event] and there can’t be too many who competed 33 years ago and who are again competing this year..

Event Poster

Posted: September 4, 2013 2:41 PM

Details of Killarney Historic Rally Announced

Posted: August 16, 2013 8:15 AM

A major political party’s annual conference in the host town has forced the organisers of the Killarney Historic Rally to move the date of its event by one week.

The annual rally, the only one of its kind in Ireland solely dedicated to historic-spec cars, was originally set to run on November 30. However (Ireland’s) Labour party is hosting its annual conference in the town on the same weekend.

Organiser Killarney and District Motor Club became concerned that there would not be enough accommodation in the Kerry town and elected to move the rally forward by one week. The event will now run on Saturday December 7 ensuring Killarney can look forward to two consecutive bumper weekends in the run in to the Christmas period.

Planning for the rally is at an advanced stage and clerk of the course, Kevin Flannery, and his team have conducted an initial route survey.

The rally will follow a similar pattern to last year with classic stages like Caragh Lake and Ballaghbeama Gap set to run alongside the all-time favourite Moll’s Gap – the only stage that has been used in every Killarney Historic Rally since its inception in 1996.

Mr Flannery said:
“There wasn’t a bed to be got in town because of the Labour conference and they had also blocked-booked the Gleneagle Hotel’s conference centre which we wanted to use as our headquarters so it was best to move the rally. It is a great boost for the town to have two big events at a time when the tourist season is well and truly over but we must be the first-ever rally in Ireland to have to change dates because of politics.”

The rally welcomes a new title sponsor in the shape of Rentokil-Initial, the well known multi-national pest control and facilities management company. Its Irish operation’s managing director is Headford man Michael O’Mahoney who has been a long-time supporter of motorsport in the area. His company’s livery has adorned the Ford Escort Mk2 of Killarney father and son rally team Charlie and Johnny Hickey for years.

Mr O’Mahoney said:
“Because of my long time association with rallying and with my desire to support the local community and businesses that have supported Rentokil-Initial it was the right thing to do. It is a perfect example of a global company supporting local events. It is a great chance to put something back and support the businesses of the area that have supported us.”

The rally is a counting round of the 2013 Southern Four Historic Rally championship and the 2014 Irish Tarmac Historic Rally Championship.

Entry forms and event regulations have been submitted to Motorsport Ireland for approval and will go on general release in the coming weeks. The rally will be headquartered at the Gleneagle Hotel and Apartment Complex on the Muckross Road in the town.

Facebook Page / On Line Entry

Posted: August 16, 2013 8:14 AM

Killarney Historic Rally Facebook Page

On Line Entry:

Shannon Sports IT (EVO On line Entry)

Topics: Killarney Historic Stages Rally Southern 4 C'ship Tarmac Championship