Donegal International Rally

homer simpson

Surprised there isn't a thread here about this yet!

the weekend of 18th - 20th of June is shaping up to be a good one i think, with the tarmac regulars expected to attend , McHale Bros, McNulty, Cronin, and with the inclusion of Keith Cronin in an evo X should throw a spenner in the works (if the car lasts the weekend that is). there is also lots of speculation as to who might enter, with O'Raiordon, McGarrity likley to enter too, there have been also other stange names being thrown into the hat names like Jimmy McRea and even Peter Solberg being linked with comming to donegal to compete, although unlikley i wouldn't rule anything out as far as donegal entries go! Also you can almost be garanteed of a good entry for the National section of the rally, with it been seen as the rally that sets the men from the boys it seems as though every wants to take part!

As for the stages themselves the big change is the inclusion of the Buncranna town stage that is being run twice on the Friday evening of the rally expected to bring out the big crowds, and hopefully the drivers will put on a big show too!!!! there seems to be a number of other small changes to a few of the stages too, otherwise they look the same as last years, but i guess to be certin we will have to wait till next weekend to see the program.

So whos all going comming up for the event, im looking forward to it myself hope this decent spell of weather holds out for it but id be surprised if it does! I'll also put the entry list up here when i comes available (hopefully early next week).

homer simpson

Top 40 entires....

2010 Topaz Donegal International Rally Ireland
1 Gareth MacHale Brian Murphy Focus 6
2 Tim Mc Nulty Paul Kiely Wrc 6
3 Derek Mc Garrity James McKee S12C 6
4 Keith Cronin Barry Mc Nulty Lancer Evo X R4
5 Sean Devine Robert Mc Daid Impreza Wrc 6
6 Aaron Machale Eugene O'Donnell Focus Wrc 6
7 Alastair Fisher Rory Kennedy Evo9 5
8 Craig Breen Gareth Roberts Fieata S2000 5
9 Daragh O'Riordan Tony Mc Daid Wrc S11 6
10 PJ Mc Dermott Francis Regan Impreza S11 4
11 Seamus Leonard John Mc Cafferty Impreza 6
12 Jonathan Greer Dai Roberts Evo9 4
14 Paul Harris Gavin Harris N12B 4
15 Damien Tourish Domhnall Mc Aleney Evo9 4
16 Danny Macbride Karl Macbride Evo8 5
17 Wesley Patterson Martin Mc Garrity Escort 14
18 David Bogie Enda Sherry 6R4 15
19 Manus Kelly Donall Barrett Escort 14
20 Phil Collins Stephen Mcauley Escort 14
21 Gary Mc Philips Paul Sheridan Escort 14
22 Rodney Wilton Connor McMahon Escort 14
23 Daniel Mc Kenna Andrew Grennan Escort 14
24 Declan Boyle Brian Boyle Escort 14
25 Camillus Bradley Danny O'Neill Escort 14
26 Damien Gallagher Paul Garry Escort 14
27 Eugene Ferry Derek Heena Escort 14
28 Martin Mc Gee Denis O'Mahoney Escort 14
29 Barry Meade Johnny Hickey Escort 14
30 Conor Harvey Gerard Callaghan Civic 4
31 Trevor Bustard Kenny Bustard Lancer Evo 8 4
32 Sam Moffett James O'Reilly Evo9 4
33 Alan Carmicheol Neill Doherty Evo9
34 Brian Brogan Damien McGettigan Escort 14
35 Conor Curley Nigal Frazer Escort 14
36 Paul Barrett John Mc Elhinney Escort 14
37 John O'Donnell Raymond Scott Escort 13
38 Adrian Hetherington Gary Nolan Escort 14
39 Eamon Daly Brian Doherty Evo9 5
40 Samuel Kelso Gareth Doherty Escort 13


Looking like its going to be an unreal battle best entry of WRC cars this year in ireland by far, also the entry of Escort men is unreal, really starting to look forward to this after seeing the entry for this!

hunslet

this years rally is shaping up to be an epic battle of the escorts,,competition will b stive among the class 14 crews,,woud b brillant to see them all stay on the road n have clean runs to see who is the greatest handler of a mk2 this year,,,id expect stage times to be extremely close between patterson,mcphilips,collins,mckenna,wilton,kelly,n boyle,,ferry will please the crowds as always 2,,,ill be keepin a close eye on barry meade too who recently moved up to the class 14 ranks is a very talented driver,,,,,,,,hopefully its a dry weekend n let the escorts loose on the donegal hillsides,,,,soud b a brilliant rally

ncc98071

any have the stage times or routes

docmartin

just in the door from todays stages, got stages 1 and 3, didnt go in near buncrana for 5&6 because it would likely be a bottleneck afterwards,
stage 1 was a really fast start with Keith Cronin having a huge huge moment just in front of us, went up on the bank with the lhs of the car and kept it out of the wall with great car control, stage 1 was brought to an unfortunate end when Damien Gallagher had an off, i read a comment from Eugene ferry that it couuld have been something mechanical that gave up in the car, hopefully Damien is ok and the wee red escort will be back soon.
returned to the same spot again for stage 3 and it proved to be very very fast, bone dry roads now doubt a major factor in this, most impressive thru stage 3 was probbably Daniel Mc Kenna who was full out on this run holding nothing back.

Looking forward to another fast day tomorrow, hopefully a safe day too

homer simpson

Just in myself, was a great days rallying, i got 2 runs in malin then the 2 buncranna town stages, we got away out of buncranna no bother at all.

Serious pace this weekend so far but with garath mchale having such a commanding lead it's taken a bit of the excitment out of it! lot of cars out after todays stages. all in all its great so far! and im yet to meet a lunatic on the road *crossed fingers* it continues!

homer simpson

Sadly after a serious accident on the knockalla stage the rally has been suspended for the day, one of the competing cars left the road resulting in the death of a compitetor, a sad day for irish rallying. Donegal motor club are to issue a statement later RE the remainder of the event.

R.I.P. thoughts are with his friends and family....

h3000

homer_simpson wrote: »

Sadly after a serious accident on the knockalla stage the rally has been suspended for the day, one of the competing cars left the road resulting in the death of a compitetor, a sad day for irish rallying. Donegal motor club are to issue a statement later RE the remainder of the event.

R.I.P. thoughts are with his friends and family....

That's awful news, my condolences to all involved, their family and friends.

R.I.P

The Donegal international has been plagued by misfortune over the last number of years.

twincamman

RIP

Grim.

sad news RIP

Cormac2791

RIP, YNWA

BFassassin

RIP sad news to hear.
I heard Knockalla was his favourite rally stage as well.

vincenzolorenzo

Terrible news RIP. A sad day for everyone connected with Thomas Maguire and rallying in general.

Do you know whereabouts the crash happened? Was it along the coast road section or inland?

afatbollix

Coast section.. It is reported that they ended up down the cliff.. The coast gaurd helicoptor was used to get the driver to hospital.

I know tommo very well he took part in every rally in Ireland!! He is known by every one in the sport. hes a huge loss to our sport. But at least he went out doing his favirote stage Knockalla.

may he RIP.

muffler

A very sad day indeed. I never really thought that I'd be posting in the motor forum and Id preferred if it was for happier reasons.

The young man was from Co. Meath. SOURCE

My sympathies are extended to his family and friends.

homer simpson

It didn't happen on the top of the hillclimb part as most people are saying though it happened on a fast bit, not far away from the football pitch (for anyone who knows the stage), as afat said he loved his sport, and was at pretty much every rally in the country, he co-drove for a lot of various drivers, and by all accounts was a very sound fella, very sad loss.

Thoughts and prayers, with the family, also with shane and his family and hope he pulls through...

hge19

I was on Knockalla yasterday spectating and they were absoloutely lit at the top of the hill after the hairpins. Seems the crash happened soon after near the fish farms on one of the very fast sections. Services were at the scene very quickly followed by Garda heli. Coastgaurd heli had to be called as the car was reportedly in the water or over the cliff and a winch was needed.
Brings back memories of 2 years ago when the spectator was killed. I've a feeling that might have been the last trip to Knockalla as DMC have been very inlucky the last few years.
Very sad day.

homer simpson

hge19 wrote: »

I was on Knockalla yasterday spectating and they were absoloutely lit at the top of the hill after the hairpins. Seems the crash happened soon after near the fish farms on one of the very fast sections. Services were at the scene very quickly followed by Garda heli. Coastgaurd heli had to be called as the car was reportedly in the water or over the cliff and a winch was needed.
Brings back memories of 2 years ago when the spectator was killed. I've a feeling that might have been the last trip to Knockalla as DMC have been very inlucky the last few years.
Very sad day.

Yeah your right it happened about 2 miles past the fish farms (just as they start to slow down again after the flat out bit, the stage could run again as , like they have down with the ballyar stage, they bypassed the place where the unfortunent Mr. McGrath was killed 2 years ago, it is possable to turn in by glenvar just before the fish farms, although that stage is very dangerous there was talk of it not running a few years ago due to safety fears. I was at the hill climb section myself and the atmosphere was unreal, with the biggest crowd i think ive ever seen there.... its a real tradgic accident, but i hear this morning that shane (the driver) is stable again which i suppose is something, the rallying community as a whole is in shock this morning tommo as he was know is very very well liked may he Rest in Peace.

Gregsor

RIP,very sad news.

dcr22B

LIGHTNING wrote: »

A very sad day for motorsport, the driver is a friend of one of my work mates and he said he really is in a bad way.

According to Shane's dad (took this from our rallyforum), he was told that they are only getting positive feedback from the doctors at Letterkenny hospital and that Shane had a good night after his operation . It's still a long way to go but it's heading in the right direction. He wants to thank all the people for their well wishes specially the people of Donegal who have been so helpful in everyway to get them through this hard time .

midlandsmissus

Thomas, this is unreal to be writing, still can't believe it.

One of my best friends in college, I'll never forget all the good times we had. I's so weird. I can't believe it's YOU -GONE. I feel really out of it. How could it be true??
Will make it up to your funeral on Wednesday bud, I will miss you .

You were so happy in life and so in love, my thoughts are with her and all your family.

I think you would laugh that you made the news . I hope you're happy where you are, until I see you again.....:(:(

De Hipster

Tragic turn of events, RIP Thomas & my sincerest sympathies to your family, friends, colleagues and fellow competitors over the years - a very popular guy by all accounts...

homer simpson

Fair play to FlyinFinn DVD's they put this clip together RIP Tommo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxcUfaEwA18