While the headline names in the Historic category are drawing national attention, the Modified section of the Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally is shaping up to be just as competitive, with a large number of local crews taking part.
Killarney’s Colin and Kieran O’Donoghue won the Acesigns Heartlands Rally in their Ford Escort Mk2 and are the top seeds for the event.
Conor Murphy and Sean Collins are back in action for the first time in twelve months in their Ford Escort
Kemare’S Vincent O’Shea and Eoin O’Donoghue, believed to be the first Darrian ever to appear in the Modified section of the Killarney Historic Rally.
Denis Hickey and Eoin O’Leary recorded a top-15 finish on the Fastnet Rally in West Cork, while Dave Slattery and Denis Coffey have been scoring consistently in both the National and West Coast championships.
Kevin O’Donoghue and John McElhinney, who only confirmed their BMW E30 entry late and will be hoping the alternator issue that struck in Fastnet is behind them. Raymond O’Neill and Jason O’Connor have also rebuilt their Escort after an incident on the same event.
Kenmare’s Shane McCarthy and Eamonn Creedon compete in their Honda EG6. The pair are among several local crews targeting the new Carrick Cup in 2025, introduced in memory of Mike Gaine. Adrian Randles and Denny Greaney, along with Brian Hickey and Mark Horgan, further strengthen the Kenmare presence.
There are also long-serving Killarney Motor Club members on the entry, such as Cyril Wharton and Donal Falvey, and club chair Tommy Randles, who also represents Kenmare and who teams up with Darragh Lynch. Randles could be making a final competitive appearance, though that remains unconfirmed.
Seán Enright and Kevin Doherty claimed Class 12 victory on the Limerick Thomond Rally, and Hugh McQuaid and Declan Casey lifted the two-wheel-drive award in this year’s Irish Forest Rally Championship.
Noel O’Sullivan and Nicholas Burke may be the only crew to have taken part in every Killarney Historic Rally since the event began in 1996.
Gerard and Sinéad Stack will start Gerard’s first rally in 21 years, the last being the 2004 Killarney Historic Rally.
Gary Healy and Niall Myers switch from a Honda Civic to a Toyota Twin Cam 20V, while Seán Hickey and Noel Fleming, who were third in class at the Rally of the Lakes, start only their second outing of the season.
Tom and Mark O’Sullivan bring their father-and-son Peugeot 205 partnership, and Limerick driver Ken McKenna pairs with Tralee’s PJ O’Dowd in another 205.
Kerry Motorsport News 