IRISH NOTES 7th November 2005

Road closing orders for special stage rallies are as rare as hen's teeth in Northern Ireland, but indications are that Rally Ireland has been granted one for next March, suggesting an all asphalt stages event North and South of the Irish Border.

Magherafelt Motor Club has also secured the use of a road closing order in 2006 and plan to run their NI Championship Tour of the Sperrins event over asphalt stages, which will give their forest allocation a rest for one year.

Kerry Motor Club is running their traditional end of season stage rally this weekend, on the roads around Tralee. Based at Banna Beach, the event is backed this year by Bio-Tech and has four stages. Wexford's Noel Redmond and his co-driver Diarmuid Falvey in their Impreza head a capacity 150 strong entry.

The Kerry rally is the final round of the Top Part West Coast Championship and co-incidentally Redmond/Falvey lead the points. Alan Ring is at 2 in his GpN Impreza, Kevin Kelleher at 3 in his Lancer, local favourite Mike Quinn is at 4 in his Escort and event sponsor Tadgh Linehan is at 6 in his GpN Impreza. 

Alistair Cochrane survived a last stage fuel pump drama to bring his Escort home 11th overall on last weekend's Glens of Antrim Rally, which was enough for him and his co-driver Pam Norris to win their class in the NI Championship. Alistair and Pam, along with well known Escort driver Andy Magee, plus a few others, are joining together to organise a 'Carols n' Craic' evening at Rainey Endowed Grammar School in Magherafelt on Wednesday evening 7th December at 8.0pm, all welcome.

Neil McCance, who runs a steel supply group in Belfast and Dublin, breathed a massive sigh of relief when he clinched the NI Championship GpN title on last Saturday's Glens of Antrim Rally. "I found it so difficult, trying to drive slowly, save the car and just get to the finish" reported McCance after the rally, continuing, "But it was worth it, and the title's been a long time coming!"

Gareth MacHale and his co-driver Paul Nagle will be crowned forestry rally champions this weekend at the prizegiving in the Cahir House Hotel. It is expected that McCauley Trailers will announce their continued sponsorship of the series, which continues to grow in stature each year. Further to last week's story concerning the two day Cork Forestry having a problem with its hen harriers, it is looking increasingly likely that the popular two day event will takes its place in the series next year.

The 26th November Down Rally, a new event in the calendar, is being observed for inclusion in next year's NI Championship. The event has three stages in the Mourne Mountains, above Newcastle Co Down. The heavy rain over the last few weeks has inflicted some damage on the forests tracks, and an envisaged early 'recce' has had to be put on ice.

Apart from winning the Circuit of Ireland twice, Russell Brookes won the Killarney of the Lakes on his way to winning the Tarmac Championship, so it was appropriate that he was the special guest at the launch last weekend of this year's December Killarney Rally.  Brookes confirmed that he will be competing on the event, in a Porsche 911 with F1 commentator for BBC Radio Five, Maurice Hamilton, co driving. The Killarney club is introducing some Saturday evening stages as well as running all day Sunday on the weekend of the 3rd/4th December, and many of the classic stages such as Molls Gap and Tim Healy will be on the agenda. 

Brian Patterson.