Galway International Set to Welcome a Lineup of Past Champions

The 2024 Corrib Oil Galway International Rally takes place over the bank holiday weekend, 3rd and 4th February 2024, and it is eagerly awaited by motorsport enthusiasts. A capacity entry is anticipated for the first major rallyof the year and the event is the opening round of the 2024 Samdec Irish Tarmac Rally Championship and the second round of the Sherwood Engines Irish Historic Rally Championship.

The 2024 rally suggests it could be a competitive one, with current tarmac champion Callum Devine being joined by many other former champions. Among these are Josh & Sam Moffett, Declan Boyle, Garry Jennings, Keith Cronin, Gareth MacHale and one of the most legendary of all, Austin MacHale. Austin hasn’t been out competitively in over fifteen years but is relishing the thought of getting back on the Galway stages with Brian Murphy back alongside him on the notes. “I have always liked the Galway event, the club, the people and the stages, and it will be great to get back out. I still believe we have the pace to finish in the top ten”.

Other drivers to have entered include former British Rally Champion Matt Edwards, DesiHenry, Jonny Greer and Gary Kiernan. The National section includes drivers such as KevinEves, Frank Kelly, Mark Alcorn and Conor Murphy. The Historics are also well supported withcurrent Tarmac Historic Champion Duncan Williams being joined by last years GalwayHistoric Rally winner Meirion Evans, Tom Clark, Ray Breen, and local driver Ross Forde

Galway driver Aoife Raftery is among the Rally 4 drivers in her Peugeot 208, and said “I’m delighted to start the year on my home International and honoured to be Women in Motorsport Ambassador for the Corrib Oil Galway International Rally”. Class challengers for Aoife include Casey Jay Coleman, Joseph Kelly, Ryan McHugh, Cian Caldwell and BillyColeman Award winner for 2023 Jack Brennan.

Clerk of the Course, Gary Leonard, said “Event planning is at an advanced stage. In a change from previous years,there will be eight closed road stages on day one, with a further six stages on day two, giving the maximumpermitted 240 kilometers of competition to competitors.”

RallyFish will be expanding its coverage of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship for 2024, With more details to follow.