Clonakilty town centre will come alive with competitive action during this year’s Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally (March 13-15) as the first stage begins with the steep incline of Barrack Hill before heading out into the countryside for the remainder of the first of two stages on the Friday evening. It’s the first time in well over a decade that a town stage will be part of the format. The launch of the event took place at the award winning town on Sunday afternoon as details of the three-day rally, the second round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship were announced.
There are 16 stages in total, two on the Friday night, eight on Saturday and six on Sunday – including the classics Rossmore, Ring and Ardfield. Clerk of the course Steve Davis said, “Entries are open as of last Friday and we are allowed to have 160 crews, if we received anything near 150 we would be happy with that.
“The West Cork Rally has its own clientele, it’s competitor friendly even in terms of recce (reconnaissance) and everything is very compact. With the first stage starting in the town on the Friday night it will add a different element this year, it will bring excitement into the town.
“That is important as organisers, we need to give something back to the town, the businesses are hugely supportive of the rally. While the road actually closes at 6pm, the first car doesn’t start until twelve minutes to eight but we want to get the buzz in the town and get people into the town early. As usual, we have great support from the Gardaí, Cork County Council and all the residents along the route.”
Logistically, it’s a major event as Greg McCarthy, chairman of the organising Cork Motor Club, outlined. “With marshals and officials and other various personnel we are probably talking about close on 500 people across the board over the three days. Aside from the sporting context, it kickstarts the tourist season in West Cork. This year is the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Cork Motor Club, we’ve been coming to Clonakilty and the wider West Cork region a long time now (since 1977) and we have a great partnership with the local committee and everybody in Clonakilty and that is hugely important.”
Reigning ITRC champion Derry’s Callum Devine has set his sights on the event. Following his victory in last week’s Galway International Rally, he Clonakilty event is now the only rally on the ITRC calendar that he has yet to win. “Yes, I’ve led it before (2022) it’s unfinished business, we will go there and hopefully have a good run.”
Since he acquired a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 in June 2024, Devine has won seven out of the eight Tarmac Championship events he has contested.
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Meanwhile, former national champions, Monaghan driver Andy Mackarel and West Cork navigator Denis O’Donovan, teamed up to win the Skibbereen “100 Isles” Navigation Trial that dovetailed as rounds of the National and Munster Navigation series. In a close encounter aboard their Subaru Impreza they emerged victorious – four penalties less than current national championship leaders Longford’s Pakie Duffy and Monaghan’s Evin Hughes, also in a Subaru Impreza.
The Cork crew of Mogeely’s James Fitzgerald and his Ballincollig navigator Ken Carmody (Subaru Impreza) were third. The top three along with Cork duo Owen Murphy/Patrick O’Sullivan (Subaru Impreza) had a clean sheet on the first-time card. A tricky off-road farm section near Corran, that included a water crossing, posed difficulties for all while another intricate series of farm lanes at French’s Cross saw Mackarel/O’Donovan drop time. Duffy/Hughes were very much in contention but the location at Corran and another section of terrain approaching the waterworks facility near Leap proved the difference as navigator O’Donovan won his local event for a sixth time.
Fitzgerald/Carmody also had navigation trouble near Leap while a double visit put Murphy/O’Sullivan out of the battle for a top three spot. One of the performances of the event was that of the Donegal crew of Gary Gallagher and Jake Mahony (Subaru Impreza), who were sixth overall and winners of the Beginners’ category. Duffy/Hughes strengthened their position at the top of the national series, the former clinched the Drivers’ title in the Munster series with Carmody securing the navigators’ title.
