Report: Johnny Hickey
KILLARNEY and District Motor Club played host to the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship awards dinner at the Gleneagle Hotel to mark what was a special year for both organisations as they celebrated their joint 40th anniversaries.
As well as honouring the 2018 championship winners, past winners were also recognised on a night of great celebration for the sport with a great gathering of motorsport greats for whom countless rally fans lined the ditches of Ireland for so many years.
Legends in attendance included Austin MacHale, Billy Coleman, Kenny McKinstry, Andrew Nesbitt, John Coyne, Tim McNulty and the young guns Gareth MacHale, Keith Cronin, Robert Barrable and brothers Sam and Josh Moffett.
Ireland’s most successful WRC competitor and five-time WRC rally winner Killarney’s Paul Nagle was in attendance and comparing notes will fellow competitors.
Phil Collins from Great Britain received a special award for his continuous support of Irish rallying and he spoke of his first time competing in the Killarney International Rally of the Lakes and collecting his prize in the same venue 38 years previous, a venue synonymous with Irish rallying. Phil also thanked Mike and Noreen Marshall for persuading him to compete in Killarney all those years ago.
John Naylor, President of Motorsport Ireland and Frank O’Mahony, Chairman of the TROA, also spoke highly of the Killarney contribution to the sport and they praised Dermot Healy and his team for hosting an excellent event. Gerard Quinn of Ford Performance was on hand to perform prizegiving duties.
Killarney and District Motor Club presented a special recognition award and honorary membership to its four founding members of the who are still involved today – Fintan
Foley from Blennerville, Michael Buckley, Faha, and Mike and Noreen Marshall, Killarney – for their dedicated service to the club over the past 40 years.
The club also presented a special appreciation award to chairman Diarmuid Cronin for his ongoing commitment and his dedicated service.
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