The Mayo Stages Rally, Mayo Rally is an annual motorsport rallying event run by the Mayo & District Motor Club and held in County Mayo in Ireland.

Mayo Rally
CategoryRally
Inaugural season1983
Drivers' championRepublic of Ireland Donagh Kelly
Co-Drivers' championRepublic of Ireland Conor Foley
Volkswagen Polo GTI R5
Irish Tarmac Rally Championship
Current season
Border Rally Championship
Mayo Rally
DatesMarch 8, 2020 (2020-03-08)
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)County Mayo
CountryIreland
Most recent2020
Organised byMayo & District Motor Club
SponsorTF RoyalHotel & Theatre
Casey's Mulroy's Londis

History edit

The Mayo Stages Rally was first held in 1983. Niall Maguire holds the honor of the most rally wins - 4. The latest event in 2020 was won by Donagh Kelly. Most stage wins was achieved by Declan Boyle - 25.

2020 edit

Mayo & District Motorsport Club returned to Castlebar for the first time since 2009. The two previous events in 2017 and 2018 took place in Achill. There was no event in 2019. The 2020 event consisted of three stages run three times located in the Castlebar and Westport areas, covering 114.45 km (71.12 mi) of special stage distance and 168.81 km (104.89 mi) liaison. [1] [2] [3] [4] The event was round 1 of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship and Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship. [5] Under direction of Clerk of the course David Breen, it was agreed that all cars be fitted with the STS equipment as mandatory. Motorsport Ireland have brought a new rule in relation to the use of the STS at the beginning of the season. Other events found STS equipment controversial and their use was not enforced. The event featured Junior Rally and Historic Rally classes, and also operated Rally 2 (Restart after retirement). The entry fee was announced to have been reduced to €770[6] to boost entries. There were 80 starters, 55 cars have completed the rally.[7]

The event took place in heavy rain in the aftermath of Storm Jorge which made it difficult. The second stage was cancelled due to a local issue. The drama developed in the penultimate stage. At the final service Moffett's lead was 21.6 seconds ahead of Kelly with Hurson another nine seconds adrift. Josh Moffett stopped after the finish with fuel pressure problems with his Hyundai i20 R5 and Peadar Hurson rolled his Ford Fiesta WRC in the final loop of stage 8. Donagh Kelly went on to claim the victory.[8] [9]

2021 edit

The 2020 Mayo Rally was the last rally event that took place before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown came into effect on the 12 March 2020. The 2021 event did not take place due to ongoing pandemic.

2022 edit

Mayo Stages Rally 2022 was the opening round of Motorsport Ireland National Irish Rally Championship, as well as counting round of Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship, Top Part West Coast Rally Championship and Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series. Rally consisted of 8 stages spanning 93.81 km of competitive racing in the vicinity of Claremorris, Ballyhaunis and Cloonfad.

Roll of Honor edit

Rally winners[10]
Year Driver Co-driver Car
2022   Josh Moffett   Keith Moriarty Hyundai i20 R5
2021 no event - COVID-19 pandemic
2020   Donagh Kelly   Conor Foley Volkswagen Polo GTI R5
2019 no event organised
2018   Declan Boyle   James O'Reilly Ford Fiesta RS WRC
2017   Joseph McGonigle   Ciaran Geaney Škoda Fabia R5
2016   Garry Jennings   Rory Kennedy Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07
2015   Niall Maguire   Enda Sherry Subaru Impreza S11 WRC '05
2014   Declan Boyle   Brian Boyle Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07
2013   Declan Boyle   Brian Boyle Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07
2012   Niall Maguire   Enda Sherry Subaru Impreza S11 WRC '05
2011   Kevin Barrett   Sean Mullally Subaru Impreza S11 WRC '05
2010   Melvyn Evans   Patrick Walsh Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07
2009   Patrick Elliott   Paul Goodman Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07
2008   Aaron MacHale   Killian Duffy Ford Focus RS WRC '04
2007   Ray Breen   Damien Morrissey Ford Focus RS WRC '04
2006   Charlie Donnelly   Paddy Toner Toyota Corolla WRC
2005   James Harrison   Harvey Bell Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03
2004   Niall Maguire   Paul McLoughlin Subaru Impreza S8 WRC '02
2003   Eugene Donnelly   Paul Kiely Subaru Impreza S4 WRC '98
2002   Niall Maguire   Paul McLoughlin Subaru Impreza S5 WRC '99
2001 no event, Foot-and-mouth outbreak
2000   Andrew Nesbitt   James O'Brien Subaru Impreza S4 WRC '98
1999   Ian Greer   Dean Beckett Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST205)
1998   Ian Greer   Dean Beckett Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD (ST185)
1997   John Gilleece   Michael Gibson Ford Escort RS Cosworth
1996   Stephen Murphy   Michael Joseph Morrissey Ford Escort RS Cosworth
1995   Eamonn Boland   Andrew Boland Ford Escort RS Cosworth
1994   Mickey Farrell   Anthony Nestor Subaru Legacy RS
1993   John Gilleece   Stephen Boswell Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4
1992   Stephen Murphy   Joe Deacon Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4
1991   Stephen Murphy   Joe Deacon Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
1990   Michael Barrable   Dermot O'Rourke Opel Manta 400
1989   James Cullen   Ellen Morgan Opel Manta 400
1987   Vincent Bonner   Paul Kiely Opel Ascona 400
1983   Kenny McKinstry   John McCafferty Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII
Driver most wins
  Niall Maguire 4
  Declan Boyle 3
  Stephen Murphy 3
  Ian Greer 2
  John Gileese 2
Driver most starts
  Niall Maguire 17
  Roger Kennedy 16
  John Duffy 14
  Daniel Conaghan 12
  Michael Conlon 12
  Colin Loughney 12
Most stage wins
  Declan Boyle 25
  Niall Maguire 20
  Kevin Barrett 11
  Josh Moffett 11
  Ray Breen 10

* as of 2022

References edit

  1. ^ Lorraine Munnelly (2020-02-24). "Mayo Stages Rally – TF Royal Hotel & Theatre/Casey's & Mulroy's Londis Castlebar 2020" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  2. ^ Lorraine Munnelly (2020-02-24). "Mayo Stages Rally – TF Royal Hotel & Theatre/Casey's & Mulroy's Londis Castlebar 2020" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  3. ^ "Midwest Radio - Mayo Stages Rally returns to Castlebar for the first time since 2009 this weekend". midwestradio.ie. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  4. ^ "Donagh Kelly wins Mayo Stages Rally - Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport". highlandradio.com. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  5. ^ "Irish Motor Sports News – Mayo Stages Rally 2020". irishmotorsportsnews.com. 15 February 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  6. ^ Tom Walsh (2020-02-22). "Press Release 2 | TF Hotel / Casey's & Mulroy's Londis Mayo Stages Rally 2020 | Entry Fee Reduction" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  7. ^ "rally.ie -". rally.ie. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  8. ^ "Kelly Wins Drama Ending Mayo Rally... - Triton Showers National Rally Championship". Facebook. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  9. ^ "Donegal success in thrilling Mayo Stages Rally after incident filled event". DonegalLive.ie. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  10. ^ eWRC-results.com. "Mayo Stages Rally". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 2020-03-20.

External links edit