The Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry : Kerry Entries

The second round of the Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland Rally Championship arrives in Tralee, with Kerry Motor Club organising the Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally.

Nine West Kerry stages, renowned for their challenging nature, await the 150-strong entry, in what is the 50th anniversary of the first running of the club’s flagship event.

Mike Quinn and Kieran Doherty are the leading all-Kerry crew in a Ford Escort.

Glenflesk is well represented by Denis Hickey/ Eoin O’Leary, and Dave Slattery/ Denis Coffey and  Bob Moran and his Galway-based co-driver Ivan Hernon in a trio for Ford Escort Mk2s.

John McCarthy (Currow) co-drives for Peter Wilson (Meath) in another Ford Escort Mk2.

Kerry Motor Club crew Tim Enright and Stephen Buckley,  also drive a Ford Escort.

Tralee’s Patrick Slattery and Anthony McCarthy, compete in a Subaru Impreza.

Defending County Champions Tommy Mason and Paul McGlinchey are in yet another Escort.

The historic section of the rally includes Killarney-based drivers Alan Ring (Subaru Legacy RS and Paul Ahern (BMW M3) Ahern’s co-driver  Kieran Murphy is now based in Kilkenny but is originally from Beaufort.

Other locally based Escort crews include Raymond O’Neill/Jason O’Connor and  Sean Enright/Kevin Doherty,

Tadgh O’Sullivan and Keith McCarthy have supported the rally as O’Sullivan’s Kingdom Crash Repairs business is the location for mechanical scrutiny on Saturday afternoon.

Waterville’s John Corrigan – sponsor of the RallyTown extravaganza on Saturday afternoon in Tralee competes in his Subaru Impreza.

DJ Ray Stack, the entertainment provider at the RallyTown event will compete in his Escort.

Another fleet  of Escorts are in the hands of Brian Hickey/ Noel Murphy and Cyril Wharton/Donal Falvey.

Toyota is represented on the local entry list by Mike Neligan/John Hurley (Corolla), Stephen O’Connor/ David Murphy (Starlet) and  Sean Hickey/Noel Fleming (Starlet).

David Randles (Killarney drives a Peugeot 208 Rally 4 with Andrew Cronin as co-driver.

Three locally owned Honda Civics in the hands of Gary Healy/Niall Myers, Shane McCarthy (who has yet to nominate a co-driver), Daniel O’Connor/ Micheal O’Shea are also on the entry list.

Family affairs

The Costello family from Ballybunnion will Kerry Motor Club history in the event.

Grandfather Joe competed on the original Circuit of Kerry in 1975.

He is back again, half a century on and his son Jason and grandson Mossie are also competing in the event.

John Hickey and his daughter  Michelle Hickey compete in their home-built Fubaru Escort RS.

The Browne dynasty from Brosna is also out in force Maurice Browne and Chris Browne competing in a Ford Escort Mk2 while Michael Browne co-drives for Colm Browne who mis home from his Tyrone base for the weekend in a Ford Escort G3.

Brothers Ken and Ray McKenna, both from Limerick, are Kerry Motor Club members and are driving a Peugeot 205 GTi.

Michelle Quinn, Mick’s daughter and her cousin Caz Somers compete in a Honda Civic.

Father and David and Shay Griffin, Keel residents, compete in a Toyota Corolla GT.

Oran England (Cavan) and Daragh Mullen (Sligo) are in a Ford Fiesta, with Oran having a special connection to the opening Camp Mountain test  as his Grandmother hails from the start of that stage.

North Kerry is represented by Sean Hartnett/ Timmy Murphy, Ger O’Brien/ John Liston in Escorts while the all-Ballyheuige crew of Gearóid O’Regan and Gene Stack compete in a Honda Civic.

Kilgarvan’s Damien Price is on pace note duty for Jack Fennessy (Tipperary) and in a Ford Fiesta.

Relative newcomers Eugene Buckley and Hugo Wells compete in a Toyota EP91.

Annascaul’s Declan O’Sullivan will be on his home turf in a Volkswagen Golf.

Kenmare’s Cathal Granville and Patie Murphy drive another  Ford Escort Mk2.

Three locally owned Honda Civics in the hands of Gary Healy/Niall Myers, Shane McCarthy and Daniel O’Connor/ Micheal O’Shea   are also on the entry list.

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