Circuit of Kerry Stages Rally - 7 Apr 19

International reception for overseas drivers on Friday night ahead of Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry ALL WELCOME

Posted: April 2, 2019 6:50 AM

Kerry Motor Club will host an in international drivers’ reception on Friday ahead of Sunday’s Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry.

The club’s flagship event has been attracting overseas drivers since 1979 when Welsh driver John Price brought his Porsche to Ballybunnion where the rally was based that year and finished a creditable third overall.

He went on to win the rally in 1988, but the first overseas winner was Macclesfield-based crew Mike Pattison driving an Escort G3, who took victory in 1987 and again in 1989.

The rally has been won by Welsh drivers on several occasions, including victories for Melvyn Evans (2010) and Gwyndaf Evans (1994).

To mark the 40th anniversary of overseas participation in the club’s flagship event, Kerry Motor Club members will host a reception at the Rose Hotel on Friday, April 6th at 9 pm to welcome international contestants to Tralee.

Camp native Kenneth Quirke surprised his family by coming home from New York unannounced over the weekend and has decided to place a late entry for the rally in his father, Martin’s Talbot Sunbeam.

Kenneth has a few New Yorkers with him for his visit home, many of whom are experiencing Kerry and rallying for the first time.

“It is wonderful to have him home,” said Martin “He has not been home in three years, and it was a great surprise for me and his mom Breda. However, it is even a bigger surprise that he is now competing on the rally.”

One of the leading Welsh entries is Dai Roberts.

The Carmarthenshire-based competitor is no stranger to Ireland having contested many of the country’s rallies as a co-driver including the recent West Cork International Rally.

He also competes as a driver, in a Peugeot 205 GTi, mainly in club events in Wales, England and the Isle of Man but has chosen the Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry to make his Irish driving debut.

“I am buzzing; I can’t wait,” he said. “I am coming purely for the craic and all going well I will be back in Kerry for the Killarney historic rally in November.”

Scottish driver Billy Cowe makes the long trip from Cockburnspath, Berwickshire, Scotland, to Tralee, a journey of over 800kms not including ferry crossings. He has competed in Mayo and Clare in the past, but this is his first trip to Kerry.

London Irish Motor Club will be well represented on the entry list which is due to be published before the end of the week.

Galway man John Reddington is the current Flanders International Rally Challenge champion. He is chasing his third Belgian title in a row this year and is using the Circuit of Kerry as a shakedown event ahead of round one of the FIRC in late April.

Tomas Davis is another Welsh driver on the 100-strong entry-list, and he will debut a newly built Ford Escort Mk2 on the event.

Shane Buckley originally from Listry but currently based in London will co-drive for the Welsh man.

Hertfordshire-based Listowel man Ray Hilliard is the owner of Mick Quinn’s Subaru and will be at the event to oversee his new car’s maiden outing in Kerry. Ray and his brother John are long-time supporters of the Circuit of Kerry.

London Irish Motor Club will put up a trophy for the best overseas competitor on the event. Local man Sean Moriarty is a founding member of LIMC and a long-time member of Kerry Motor Club.

“One of the reasons London Irish exists is to encourage UK-based competitors to come to Ireland,” he said. “This new annual trophy will give them something to race for. “

The London Irish Motor Club trophy will be presented to the first competitor with an overseas address (either driver or co-driver and not necessarily a London Irish MC member) to cross the finish line at the Rose Hotel on April 7.

Killarney man and London Irish Motor Club chairman Mick Smith will be one of the guests of honour at the reception.

Kerry Motor Club members will provide garages and workshops in the Tralee locality so visitors can work on their cars before the event in secure and comfortable surroundings.

Entries remain open for the rally which is a counting round of both the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship and the Moriarty’s Centra Kingdom of Kerry Rally Championship.

Milk for the winner – Indy 500 tradition come to Ireland for the first time

Posted: April 2, 2019 6:48 AM

The winner of this year’s Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally will drink Ballymac Dairy milk and not spray champagne in a massive break from tradition for Irish rallying.

Drinking milk has long been part of the finish celebrations at the world-famous Indy 500 in the USA and this inspired the Tralee-based Kerry Motor Club to bring the tradition to Ireland for the first time.

The tradition started when three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Louis Meyer regularly drank buttermilk to refresh himself on a hot day and happened to drink some in Victory Lane as a matter of habit after winning the 1936 race.

An executive with what was then the Milk Foundation in America was so elated when he saw the moment captured in a photograph in the sports section of a newspaper the following morning that he vowed to make sure it would be repeated in coming years.

There was a period between 1947-55 when milk was apparently no longer offered, but the practice was revived in 1956 and has been a tradition ever since.

Kerry Motor Club and its new event partner Ballymac Dairy will bring this tradition to Tralee for this first time and the Circuit of Kerry will become first the rally in Ireland to do this.

Chris Maloney, owner of the Ballymac Dairy in Kerry, delivers his pasteurised, non-homogenised milk to 180 doorsteps in Tralee and to many local shops in Kerry every day.

“As a native New Yorker I am well aware of the Indy 500 tradition,” he said.

“I am delighted play my part in bringing this tradition to a local rally. The Indy 500 winner gets a glass bottle of milk as part of the celebration and Ballymac Dairy is the only local dairy to supply glass bottled milk, another plus point as consumers move away from single use packaging.”

Kerry Motor Club is a supporter of Motorsport Ireland’s Keep the Race In Its Place road safety campaign. The club is also bound by Sport Ireland’s National Anti-Doping Programme.

“I am proud that Kerry Motor Club is the first club in Ireland to do this. We hope other clubs in the country follow us.” said club chairman PJ O’Dowd. “We like to bring new ideas to our events while at the same time show casing local businesses. We are very grateful to all our sponsors and rally magazine advertisers, without their support this event could not happen.”

This year’s rally features nine stages in the general Cordal, Brosna and Castleisland area including runs over Mount Eagle, considered one of Ireland’s greatest rally roads.

Over 100 cars from all over Ireland and Britain are expected to start the rally which gets underway just after 9am on Sunday April 7 from the Rose Hotel.

Members of the public can view the rally winners drinking Ballymac Dairy milk at the finish ramp of the Circuit of Kerry. The ramp will be positioned just outside the Rose Hotel and the first car is expected just after 4.00 pm.

On the Saturday afternoon before the rally, Kerry Motor Club will host a static display of rally cars on Tralee’s Mall where members of the public can meet some of the rally drivers taking part in this year’s rally and get up close to some of the cars. This event is supported by Tralee Chamber Alliance.

Seeded Entry List

Posted: April 1, 2019 6:19 AM

No Driver/Navigator (Car) [Class]
1 Daragh O'Riordan/Mikey Walsh (Ford Fiesta WRC) [7]
2 Daniel Cronin/JJ Cremin (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
3 ED Synan/Tom Collins (Subaru Impreza WRC S12) [7]
4 Mike Quinn/Tony Healy (Subaru Impreza WRC S11) [7]
5 Padraig Egan/Brian Hassett (Subaru Impreza WRC S14) [7]
6 Ian Roche/Anthony Nestor (Subaru Impreza WRC S10) [15]
7 Stuart Darcy/TBA (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
8 Tommy Mason/Conor Walsh (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
9 Raymond Conlon/Damien Fleming (Toyota Corolla Twincam) [13]
10 Keith Lyons/Niall Burns (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
11 Tim Enright/Stephen Buckley (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
12 Colin Byrne/Eric Calnan (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
14 ED Murphy/Keith McCarthy (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
15 Charlie Hickey/Johnny Hickey (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
16 Vincent O'Shea/Eoin O'Donoghue (BMW M1) [14]
17 Tom Relihan/Maurice McElligott (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
18 Sean Moran/Jonathan Keane (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
19 Eugene Meegan/Sarah Whelan (Citroen DS3 R5) [5]
20 Paul Barrett/Declan Tumilty (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
21 Cal McCarthy/Eammon Dullea (Citroen DS3 R5) [5]
22 Tomas Davies/Eurig Davies (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
23 John Reddington/Dylan Doonan (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
24 Sean Liston/Katrina Walsh Liston (BMW E30) [13]
25 Des Moore/Elaine Ní-Shé (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
26 Ken Lyons/Paddy McDonnell (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
27 Pat Kelly/Jonathan Kelly (Ford Fiesta) [20]
28 Stephen Greaney/John Conneely (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
29 Denis Hickey/Sean Nolan (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
30 Michael Hamilton/Shane Byrne (Honda Civic) [11F]
31 Darren Young/Sean Walsh (Honda Civic) [11F]
32 Billy Cowe/Craig Wallace (Subaru Impreza STI) [20]
33 Conor Moore/Leo Tector (Honda Civic) [11F]
34 Derek Butler/Aaron O'Regan (Honda Civic) [11F]
35 Allen Treacy/Bob Fitzgerald (Toyota Corolla GT) [11R]
36 Frank Sweeney/Jane Cogan (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
37 Kenneth Ryan/Garry Carroll (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
38 Dave Slattery/Denis Coffey (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
39 John Hickey/TBA (Fubaru Escort RS 4x4) [20]
40 Todd Falvey/Iarla McCarthy (Ford Escort RS1800) [19]
41 Mike Dolan/Ann Hutchinson (Honda Civic) [11F]
42 Justin Comer/Adrain Comer (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5) [15]
43 Pat Price/Andrew Curran (Subaru Impreza N12B) [4]
44 Niall O'Connell/Tommy O'Connor (Citroen C2 R2 MAX) [2]
45 Pat Barry/Kevin Tydings (Ford Escort) [13]
46 Ger O'Brien/John Liston (Ford Escort) [13]
47 Eddie Kennelly/Timmy Murphy (Ford Escort) [11R]
48 James Kissane/Tim Kissane (Ford Escort Mk2) [11R]
49 Sean Enright/Kevin Doherty (Ford Escort Mk2) [12]
50 Pat Ryan/Jack Dalton (Ford Escort Mk2) [9]
51 Kevin Dolphin/Martin O'Brien (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
52 Des Lyons/Des Sherlock (Honda Civic EK4) [11F]
53 Mikey Walsh/Alan Hourigan (Ford Escort) [12]
54 Ronan Denning/Karl Egan (Peugeot 208 R2) [RC4]
55 DJ Browne/Denny Greaney (Citroen C2 R2) [2]
56 Dai Roberts/Killian Cronin (Peugeot 205 GTi) [10]
57 Aidan Bourke/John Kinahan (Ford Escort) [13]
58 William Kenneally/Finbarr Fogarty (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
59 Denis Dowling/James Treanor (Ford Escort RS1800) [19]
60 Dylan Donoghue/Stephen Joyce (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
61 Paddy O'Rourke/Jamie O'Rourke (Toyota Corolla RWD) [11R]
62 Liam Mulcaire/Mairead Duane (Ford Escort) [12]
63 Mike Kenny/Gene Stack (Ford Escort Mk2) [12]
64 John Daly/Johnjoe Daly (Ford Escort Mk2) [12]
65 Maurice Browne/James Browne (Ford Escort Mk2) [12]
66 PJ O'Dowd/John Young (Talbot Sunbeam) [17]
67 Colin Fitzgerald/Ian McCarthy (Ford Escort Mk2) [10]
68 Shane Griffin/Ian Madigan (Peugeot 205 GTi) [10]
69 Dan Kelleher/Eoghan McCarthy (Ford Escort RS1800) [18]
70 Danny McEvoy/Aaron McEvoy (Ford Escort G3) [12]
71 Maurice Meskell/Stephen Meskell (Ford Escort) [C3]
72 Denis Nagle/Timmy Kelly (Nissan Micra) [9]
73 Kenneth Quirke/TBA (Talbot Sunbeam) [11R]
74 Michael Cunniffe/Barry Talt (Peugeot 106 GTi) [16]
75 Donal Flynn/Niall Myers (Toyota Corolla Twin Cam) [11R]
76 Colin Browne/Joe Browne (Honda Civic) [11F]
77 Barry O'Brien/Declan Buttimer (Honda Civic) [11F]
78 Hazel O'Callaghan/Tomas Ryan (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
79 Katie Quinn/Ciara O'Connell (Honda Civic) [2]
80 Michael Dowling/Laura Mulrooney (Ford Escort Mk1) [13]
81 Pa Naughton/John Cahill (Honda Civic EK4) [11F]
82 Michael Ormond/Patrick King (Honda Civic FN2) [3]
83 Erik Honan/John Greene (Honda Civic) [11F]
84 Ollie Lynch/Linda O'Neill (Honda Civic) [11F]
85 Shane Doyle/William Kelliher (BMW E30) [11R]
86 John Coughlan/Sean Walsh (Ford Escort Mk2) [12]
87 William Nolan/Shane O'Mahony (Toyota Corolla Twin Cam) [11R]
88 Denis O'Connell/TBA (Honda Civic) [11F]
89 Richard Hickey/TBA (Honda Civic) [11F]
90 Donal O'Connor/Pat Cashman (Ford Escort Mk1) [18]
91 Gavin Thornton/Jason Murphy (Toyota Corolla Twin Cam) [11R]
92 Pat Sheehan/Denny O'Riordan (Renault Clio) [3]
93 Micheal Rodgers/Aiden Connolly (Honda Civic Type R) [3]
94 Gerard O'Shea/Mary O'Shea (Peugeot 306) [3]
95 Cathal Nolan/Conor Mullen (Honda Civic EG6) [16]
96 Tom Murphy/Tommy Downes (Honda Civic) [16]
97 David Griffin/Sean Moriarty (Toyota Corolla GT) [17]
98 David Dee/Rita Dee (Austin Mini Cooper) [9]
99 James Hall/Tony McCarthy (Audi Coupe Quattro) [K]
100 Colin Nelligan/Martin O'Connor (Suzuki Swift) [9]
101 Andy Hayes/Cleary Richie (Honda Civic R3) [3]
102 Colin Philpott/Declan Casey (Suzuki Swift GTI) [9]
103 Chris Browne/Daniel Browne (Suzuki Swift) [9]
104 Pat O'Connell/Noreen Stanley (Toyota Starlet) [9]
105 Ross Hilliard/Joey Hilliard (VW Polo) [11F]
106 Shane Casey/Cyril Casey (Honda Civic) [11F]
107 Gearóid O'Regan/Roache Tony (Honda Civic) [2]
108 Grainne Caplis/Tommy Cuddihy (Opel Corsa) [9]
109 Gordon Nimmo/Chrystal Culkeen (Ford Fiesta) [11F]
110 Stephen Horgan/Kevin Horgan (Ford KA) [16]

Late Entries will be taken.

Rally Launch - (Sat) 9 Mar

Posted: March 7, 2019 3:42 AM

Launch of the Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally on Saturday March 9th at 2.30 in the Rally HQ the Rose Hotel Tralee.
Round 2 of the Top Part West Coast Championship & Round 1 of the Moriarty’s Centra Kingdom of Kerry Championship.

On Line Entry

Posted: March 4, 2019 4:37 PM

Shannon Sports IT (EVO On line Entry)

Regulations / Entry Form

Posted: February 26, 2019 3:58 AM

Circuit of Kerry Stages Rally - 7 Apr 19 - REGULATIONS
Circuit of Kerry Stages Rally - 7 Apr 19 - ENTRY FORM

Poster / Preliminary Details

Posted: December 4, 2018 4:02 PM

This event will be the Opening round of the Kingdom of Kerry Championship sponsored by Centra Farranfore ( Owned by Mike Moriarty a brilliant supporter of motorsport in the county).
The Circuit of Kerry is also Round 2 of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship. One of Ireland’s leading Regional Championship sponsored by the Top Part Group for over 20 years with its HQ in Rock St Tralee.
The event will also include a new Historic Challenge for 2019 with lots of incentives for Historic Competitors.
Make a date for 2019.
Details and info contact pro@kerrymotorclub.com

Club Website

Posted: December 4, 2018 4:02 PM

Kerry Motor Club