Picture: Eamonn Keogh
Colin O’Meara looks ahead at this year’s Killarney Historic Rally and evaluates the chances of the local crews involved
If there is one local driver who would dearly love to win this year’s Killarney Historic Rally it has to be Alan Ring.
He has finished runner-up on the last two editions of the event, in 2021 to the late great Craig Breen and last year to Jonny Greer but the 2023 rally has taken on even more significance for Ring as his family’s business, the O’Donoghue Ring Collection, is the new sponsor for the rally and, he acknowledged,
Ring will use his Subaru Legacy RS for the eight-stage rally on December 2 though he also has a BMW M3 E30 at his disposal. This year he ventured into Europe for the first time where he tackled historic events in Belgium and Italy.
“For Ireland, the Subaru is a better car. It handles the jumps and bumps much better,” he said.
“The rallies in Belgium and Italy were brilliant and the stages in San Remo reminded me of a long version of Moll’s Gap and Ballaghbeama combined,” Ring said.
He will contest more historic rallies in Europe next season and a return to San Remo in Italy is certainly on the cards.
Winning the Killarney rally would be a dream come through for the Munster Joinery man. Having already won the Circuit of Kerry and being a podium finisher on the Rally of the Lakes, Ring has his eye on his first victory on Ireland’s only rally dedicated to historic rally machinery.
He would be the second local man to win the event, following in the wheel-tracks of Rob Duggan’s 2019 victory but, he cautioned: “Somebody new could turn up and be very competitive on the day.”
Ring and his West Cork co-driver Adrian Deasy are one of several local crews that entered the iconic event.
Other local drivers include former winners Mark Falvey/James O’Brien (Ford Escort RS1600) Brendan Brosnan/Denny Greaney (Ford Escort Mk2) and Robert Falvey/John Doody (Ford Escort RS2000).
Kerry navigators will be represented by Brian Duggan who is on co-driving duty for Allen Treacy in a Ford Escort RS1800 and Tommy Commane who will guide Joe Whyte’s Morris Mini Cooper S.
There are over 30 local crews on the modified entry list for the rally. Denis Nagle and his co-driver Donagh Crowley make the switch from their usual Nissan Micra to Ford Escort power for the event.
Killarney and District Motor Club member Ciara Griffin is on co-driving duty for David Condell in another Escort while Dave Slattery and Denis Coffey will be hoping to secure the Moriarty’s Centra Kingdom of Kerry Rally Championship title.
Former winners Robert Duggan are Ger Conway also on the entry list while
Amy Burke is the only lady driver in the event in her Ford Fiesta.
Noel O’Sullivan and Nicholas Burke continue their fine tradition of starting every Historic rally.
Father and daughters in action include John and Michelle Hickey, Charlie and Charlene Hickey and John and Ruby O’Riordan.
Relative newcomers Stephen O’Connor and Jonathan O’Shea filed a Toyota Starlet while Seán Hartnett and his co-driver Kieran Doherty make a return after a few years of absence.
Kerry Motor Club is represented by, amongst others, Maurice Kennelly and Eoin Mulvihill and Tom Relihan/Maurice McElligott.
Other Kerry Motor Club crews include Alan Costello/Paddy Costello, John Michael Kennelly/John Fleming, brothers Ray and Gene Stack, Jason Costello/Charlie McEnery, Sean Enright/Kevin Doherty and Tommy Mason/Timmy Murphy.
Mid-Kerry crews include Cyril Wharton/Donal Falvey, Raymond O’Neill/Jason O’Connor and Niall Myers/Jason Russell.
Conor Murphy and Sean Collins will start as one of the favourites for the category, as will Donegal’s Declan Gallagher who has local man John McCarthy on the notes. Colin O’Donoghue and Kieran O’Donoghue will also be fancied front runners.
Glenflesk-based drivers include Bob Moran and Denis Hickey/Eoin O’Leary while the Kenmare region is covered by KMMC chairman Tommy Randles and Brian Hickey.
Other local crews include Paudie O’Callaghan/Danny Murphy (Toyota Starlet); Denis and Donal Dineen (Fiord Escort) Tadhg O’Sullivan/Keith McCarthy (Ford Escort) Robert Counihan/Timmy Kelly (Toyota Corolla Twin Cam) and Kevin O’Donoghue/Evan MacBride (BMW E30).
Abbeydorney-based co-driver Mike Cleary is working alongside Ollie Kierce while Jack O’Shea and Darragh Lynch will field one of many Austin Mini in the event and Jack Kelleher and Chris Browne are two more local drivers to watch out for.
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