Martin Whitaker, Ford Motor Company’s Director of Motorsport Europe, along with Malcolm Wilson were just two of the many thousands of mourners in Cloneen last Wednesday for Frank Meagher’s funeral. It was a fair indication of the esteem in which the Tipperary driver was held. Austin McHale was just one of the top Irish drivers present, the Dubliner commenting "This tragedy has really thrown me. Bertie Fisher and Frank were the two drivers that I always compared times with at the end of stages. I’m really 50/50 now about doing the Circuit".

Circuit of Ireland seedings show Austin McHale first on the road but running No.2 on the car, No.1 having been left blank. There is no entry from current Tarmac Champion Andrew Nesbitt, but apparently it could still happen. Derek McGarrity is at 3, Daniel Doherty 4, Eamonn Boland 5, David Greer 6, Peadar Hurson 8, Niall Maguire 9. Brendan Kelly in the first of the GpN cars is at 10.

Seamus Leonard has taken delivery of a group N Impreza from Prodrive for the Circuit of Ireland. The car is not the latest model, which is still being built, the new car promised for the Rally of the Lakes. 34 year old Omagh man Leonard won GpN on the Circuit in 1999, the last year it ran, and finished 6^th overall. He also winning the gpN category in Galway and Killarney that year. Kevin O’Brien will co drive this season.Extensive backing is being given by Ballyshannon company, Seamless Aluminium for the team’s Tarmac Championship campaign. Seamus starts the Circuit at no19.

Roy White had an extended test session last week with his Tim Ashton prepared Lancer EvoV1. Tipperary man White spent all last season on Belgian stages and had to make many changes to the set up of the Mitsubishi to suit the bumpy Irish tarmac roads. Roy joins a growing band of group N drivers for the opening Tarmac Championship round at Easter and is seeded at No.11 on the Circuit.

The Circuit of Kerry Rally is moving to a new headquarters at the Smerwick Hotel down the Dingle peninsula. Clerk of Course Richard Talbot reports that the entry list was over-subscribed within hours of the regulations appearing. The 8 stage event is round 2 of the Dunlop National series and top contenders Niall Maguire, Paul Harris, Tim McNulty and Jim Harrison are amongst the leading entries.

Derek McGarrity reinforced his lead in the NI stage championship with his Bishopscourt win while Tommy Graham scored maximum points on the 023 Tiles Southern 4 Championship with his 5^th place West Cork result.