The World Rally Championship switches back to Europe this weekend with the Rally of Portugal, and thankfully Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle in their Citroen are in the entry, which may liven things up a bit. There was nothing wrong with the last rally of course, in Argentina, where Hayden Paddon in his Hyundai put a cat amongst the pigeons by taking a very exciting victory. For Meeke, even though the Citroen team is not registered for the WRC, there is no reason why he can’t shine in Portugal. Certainly the VW trio of Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen, along with Paddon and Ostberg in their Hyundai’s, will be hard to beat. But, to an extent, Meeke has nothing to lose and no doubt he will be even hungrier and more flat out than ever – if that is possible. Mads Ostberg is close to the top on rally after rally, but needs to get a little closer, while Camilli in the other M-Sport Fiesta WRC hasn’t really found his WRC feet yet.

There are a few wild cards, such as Abbring, Tanak, Al Qassimi, Neuville and so on, but for most Irish fans the only wild card that matters is Meeke/Nagle. Elfyn Evans in his Fiesta R5 will again be trying to uphold Ford and M-Sport honours in the RC2 category, while in RC4 hopefully Fermanagh’s Jon Armstrong, with Noel O’Sullivan co-driving, has a strong run in his Fiesta R2. Jon along with many of the RC4 runners will be bidding for points in the DMack Fiesta Trophy. Welshman Osian Price, as well as Gus Greensmith are also contesting RC2, and hopefully they will also have a decent result in a strong line-up which includes Max Vatanen, Ari’s son, and Oscar Solberg, son of Henning.

Also this weekend coming (Saturday 21st) the North Armagh Motor Club is running the Loughgall Country Park Rally, and there is also an interesting rally on in Belgium, the Rally Sezoens. In Loughgall, last year’s winner Damian Toner, with Denver Rafferty in the hot seat of his Escort, heads the 60 plus entries who will tackle six special stages in Loughgall Country Park. Other top entries include Keith White, David Armstrong, Mervyn Wedlock and Trevor Wilson, all in various types of Escort. Newcomers to the rally include the vastly experienced Fintan McGrady, while Drew Wylie has entered his historic Escort. A few entries are still available (contact is David Bingham on 07543 890871). Also the club would welcome even more marshals (contact is Eddie Martin on 07727 960594).

Meanwhile Monaghan’s Stephen Wright is making the trip to Belgium to compete on Rally Sezoens. Stephen will drive his own Fiesta R5 and will be co-driven by Eddy Smeets. Stephen finished 3rd behind Freddy Loix and Vincent Vershuren on this rally last year. He will be hoping to do even better this time. The rally is the 5th round of the Belgian Rally Championship and is mostly asphalt stages but with 30% gravel, which sounds like fun. It will be a great warm up for Stephen before his next Irish event, the 17th-19th June Donegal International.

Looking further ahead, James Cullen will be swapping his racing bike for an Escort and the Lycra for his fireproof racing overalls for this year’s Donegal International. Two times Donegal winner James, is coming out of rally retirement to compete on the forthcoming 17th-19th June Joule backed Donegal International. Letterkenny man James may have only won three Tarmac Championship Rallies (he took his GpN Escort Cosworth to victory on the Cork ‘20’), but for many years he was considered to be amongst the fastest and most natural drivers in Ireland. With the late Ellen Morgan co-driving he put up some fantastic performances in Nissan 240 RS’s, particularly on the Isle of Man, which earned him an FIA ‘B’ seed. He narrowly missed out on a works drive. Underfinanced compared to many of his peers, James was so naturally gifted on the special stages that he was often able to make up for equipment deficiencies by using his driving genius. He was always a rally force to be reckoned with. Illness was in part responsible for his decision to retire from the sport. As part of his recovery he became a very keen cyclist and he is now ‘as fit as a fiddle’. This news that, with the backing of some enthusiasts from the Donegal club, he is to make one comeback drive in a Mk2 Escort will add an extra sparkle to what in any case promises to be another great event, in the Donegal tradition.

Over the years the rally has become very special, more of an institution than a motor rally. Although the entry list will soon be on the ‘early closing’ date and we will know more, all the signs of a brilliant rally are there – Donagh Kelly, Garry Jennings and Declan Boyle in World Rally Cars is a fair starter. Suddenly Manus Kelly, winner of the National event last year in an Escort, comes into that frame following his win in Carlow driving a Subaru Impreza WRC. In the R5 category, vying for Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac points the battle should be no less intense, with Alastair Fisher now the front runner from the likes of the two Moffett brothers and Keith Cronin. That is just a taster of what is likely to be unveiled when the Donegal MC reveals the entry list for this three day extravaganza of rallying.

Not quite so far ahead is the Cavan Stages Rally (28th/29th May), a round of the Triton Showers National Championship as well as the Sligo Pallets Border Championship. Two drivers, Paedar Hurson and Frank Kelly, retired early from the last Triton round, the Carlow event. Hurson, who won Cavan last year, crashed his Impreza WRC in Carlow, and the good news is that, although Peadar will be at an exhibition in Germany all next week, his Subaru should be ready to start first on the road in Cavan. Frank Kelly’s problem in Carlow was a blown engine, but he reckons he will have a new Millington nestling under his Escort’s bonnet before the Cavan rally weekend.

Clerk of the Course Stephen Kellett has produced a compact but highly technical series of stages, not too far from the Hotel Kilmore Rally HQ. This should make for an enjoyable but thoroughly testing day for the expected capacity entry. Just some of the top entries committed include current Championship leader Roy White and former Champion Declan Boyle in their respective World Rally Cars. Top Escort men set to challenge Frank Kelly include Chris Armstrong and Gary Kiernan. We should have more news next week.

Further stories include: young Queens University student Jordan Hone was out of luck on last weekend’s BTRDA Plains Rally. He was leading the highly competitive 1600 section in his Proton but the car’s electrics failed in stage 4. The rally was won by Tom Cave/James Morgan in their Ford Fiesta R5 Evo. There was much better luck here at home for two ladies, Nicole Adair and Julie Edghill who both marshalled on the recent Circuit of Ireland, as they have won a trip to Sol Rally Barbados (June 3rd-5th) for their efforts on the Circuit. Nicole, who is from Portavogie marshalled on the Cairnacstle stage, and Carryduff resident Julie was on duty at Hamiltons Folly. Kris Meeke, twice a winner in Barbados, helped chief marshal Raymond Linton pick the two names out of a hat. There were 800 volunteer marshals on the Circuit.