Kris Meeke to headline the Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally
World Rally Championship star Kris Meeke has placed an entry for The Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally.
The Tyrone man will make a one-off appearance at the November 29 event, driving a BMW M3 E30 from the respected MATS stable in the Netherlands.
A five-time World Rally winner, Meeke recently completed a full season in the Portuguese rally championship in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 with which he won five rallies.
The Killarney Historic Rally will be a real homecoming for Meeke. His entry is a tribute to the late Maurice Nagle, founder of the rally in 1996 and father of his former WRC co-driver Paul Nagle.
During their time together, which brought them five World Rally Championship victories, Meeke became close friends with Maurice.
Nagle’s dream was to see the best drivers in the world competing in the best historic cars on Kerry’s famous stages. Meeke’s return brings that dream to life once again.
It is 16 years since Meeke last competed in Ireland, on the 2009 Midland Stages Rally, where he and Paul Nagle drove a Renault Clio S1600. The last time he drove in Killarney was the 2007 Historic Rally the same year he won the Rally of the Lakes.
This year’s rally, while still based in Killarney, will feature some new and long-absent roads in the Kenmare region, with a special highlight being a full-length night run down Moll’s Gap to close out the event.
It is also the 35th anniversary of Bertie Fisher and Rory Kennedy’s famous victory in the 1990 Rally of the Lakes.
“For me just to drive an M3 in a rally is a dream come true, but especially this rally,” said Meeke. “I have fond memories of Bertie Fisher winning this rally 35 years ago. It is just brilliant that all this has come together. Paul Nagle was beside me for most of my World Rally Championship career and his dad Maurice, who founded this rally, was very much to the forefront during my time in the WRC.
“My dad Sydney turns 80 this year, and he ran Bertie’s BMW back in the day. I really hope we can get him to come to Killarney to witness this. I’ve been living abroad for a long time, the last time I entered the Historic Rally was in 2007 in Conor Curley’s car, so I’m really looking forward to returning to Kerry where I know so much of the rally community. It’ll be great to be back in Kerry but even better for a rally. Huge thanks to Paul Ahern for pulling this together, my friendship with Paul goes back to my early days with Paul Nagle and it’s great that we are all still good friends.”
This will be Meeke’s first-ever outing in a BMW M3 E30, made possible by local sponsor Paul Ahern from Ahern’s BMW in Castleisland. Meeke is one of several drivers expected to pilot the legendary German rally machine in Killarney next month.
Drivers already confirmed for the event include defending champions Donagh Kelly and Rory Kennedy who will be the top seeds in another Mats BMW.
“It will be fantastic to have so many BMW M3s in the rally again this year after Donagh and Rory’s great win in the M3 last year,” said Paul Ahern.
“To have Kris home and back in Kerry in a Mats BMW after such a hugely successful WRC career, and to see him go up Moll’s Gap in the M3 35 years after Bertie Fisher’s famous win in the BMW following that big battle with Austin MacHale and the Russians in the ice, will make this a special weekend for everyone.”
PHOTO: Geoff Ridder Photography http://www.ridder.co.nz 4x Motorsport NZ Photographer of the Year
“It’s also a great boost for what is now one of the best historic rallies in Europe and a real credit to the hard work Maurice, Angela, and the Nagle family put into it so many years ago that along with the work Anthony O Connor and the KDMC team have done in the years since taking up the baton.”
Killarney’s Noel O’Sullivan will co-drive, renewing a partnership that saw him guide Meeke to top-ten results at the Otago Classic Rally in New Zealand in 2024 and 2025 in a Ford Escort BDA.
“It’s great too that Noel is joining me. He’s my historic co-driver and we’ve enjoyed great adventures in Escorts, especially in New Zealand. We work well together in the car, and I know his wit and humour will add to the fun. I can’t wait, it’s going to be a great rally,” added Meeke.
It is a dream come true for O’Sullivan who has won the Rally of the Lakes four times but has yet to add the historic rally to his impressive list of Irish and international rally wins.
“It’s hard to think it’s 11 years since I last competed in the Historic Rally and even longer for Kris, 2007,” said O’Sullivan. “We’re really looking forward to seeing what the M3 is all about. A big thanks to Paul and everyone at Ahern’s BMW for making it all happen, it’s shaping up to be an epic weekend in Killarney. Killarney is where I fell in love with rallying and to go racing with Kris in my hometown is special.”
Event clerk of the course Anthony O’Connor said Meeke’s appearance proves the international appeal of Ireland’s only rally dedicated to historic machinery.
“To have a World Rally Championship star at the Killarney Towers Hotel Historic Rally shows the prestigious of this event,” he said. “It is an honour to have a driver of Kris’ calibre compete in Kerry.”
The rally takes place on Saturday November 29 with a ceremonial start on Friday evening in Killarney town centre.
Just as newspapers and magazines are paid for, digital editorial content will also have to be paid for.
Please subscribe and help us keep this machine running!
It’s only €50 per year – subscribe now
Subscribe to get access
Read more of this content when you subscribe today.
Kerry Motorsport News 