The Irish Tarmac Rally Championship accelerates into focus this weekend as the Galway International Rally provides the setting for the much-anticipated return of the competition.
The two-day, fifteen stage event will see competitors tested to their maximum in what is both a ruthless and an unforgiving course based around the East Galway town of Loughrea.
There is set to be strong local interest with the county of Donegal in particular, well-represented.
David Kelly, who has displayed strong showings in previous years will look to make his mark in 2022 and show returning spectators why he is so highly rated despite his young age.
A runner-up Junior in the 2019 Irish Championship, Kelly will embark into the RC5 category full-time starting this weekend in Galway.
Declan Boyle, an Irish Tarmac Rally Champion in 2014 started that triumphant year with a win in Galway as he altered between RC6 and RC8. Victory this weekend would be the perfect season opener for the Lettermacaward native.
Similar to Boyle, Donagh Kelly drove to a first place finish in Galway in 2015 this time in RC7. He is part of an exciting line up in RC2 which contains the likes of Alastair Fisher and Jonathan Greer.
Declan Boyle’s son Michael will be joined by navigator and fellow Tír Chonaill man Dermot McCafferty in RC2 while Sligo’s Paul Kiely negotiate the course for Dubliner Tim McNulty in Class 24.
The Yeats County is well represented at seed 119 as Ballymote’s David Quinn and James McDermott of Ballinacarrow will take their seats in a BMW M3 in Class 14 for the first time at this particular course.
Niall Burns, a native of Garavogue Villas in Sligo and based out of Kilmacrennan in Donegal won an unprecedented four Rally Championship wins in 2021 as a navigator to Garry Pearson. He will double up his navigation duties this coming weekend. Alongside Keith Lyons (17th) and Aidan Wray (20th), both in Ford Fiesta R5 in the RC2 classification.
