Irish Notes 11th July 2005.


London based Limerick man Ollie O'Donovan is the latest top driver to enter for the 13th August Triton Showers Lurgan Park Rally. Ollie won the Clare Stages Rally last year and plans to compete on it as well, driving the Andrew Nesbitt Impreza WRC S9 from the McKinstry stable. Just which car Ollie will drive in Lurgan Park is not yet finalised.

The Circuit of Ireland moves in to its 75th year in 2006 and John Conway of Meteor Electrical, who sponsored the rally for the first time this year, has some radical ideas on how to move the rally forward in the most positive way. Just one of those ideas is to introduce a substantial prize fund, something that was a strong feature of the Easter Classic event in years past. Negotiations are still at a very early stage and Conway hopes to make a full announcement in August.

Sean Devine won the Lark in the Park Rally last year and is sponsoring the event this year with his construction company. Based in Derry's St.Columb's Park the event takes place this Saturday and has 5 special stages. Just some of the top drivers include Niall McShea, Cathal Arthurs, Michael Doherty, Denis Biggerstaff and Maurice Gass. An innovation is a £750 cash prize for the fastest time on a "shoot out" stage.

Joint Tarmac Champion Derek McGarrity plans to go back to his roots somewhat when he switches from his Impreza WRC S10 to Kieran O'Neill's rear wheel drive Kadett for this week's Ballynahinch MC's Bishopscourt Stages Rally. The rally takes place this Wednesday, a Bank Holiday in NI.

For McGarrity the 8 stage event will be a bit of fun. He will still face stiff competition, not least from Barry McKenna at 2 and Wesley Patterson at 3 in their Escorts. Kieran O'Neill, dubbed 'the entertainer' over the years by rally TV show RPM, for his all sideways action, is officiating at the event, before getting married to Gemma next week.

Following the trials and tribulations of co-driving for Philip Morrow on the Jim Clark Rally, including getting his ribs damaged in a reconnaissance accident, Glenn Patterson was flying out with Kris Meeke on the Sunday morning after the Jim Clark to recce the Rally Argentina stages. Meeke is not doing the event this year, but is building up his knowledge of WRC events.

Magherafelt MCs Davagh Rally makes a return on the 31st July having been cancelled last year due to treacherous weather conditions. There will be 30 tarmac stage miles with reconnaissance allowed on the 24th.

Brian Patterson.