.The 2026 Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship gets underway on March 1st with the WEST TYRE Westport Woods Hotel and Spa Mayo Stages Rally.
Based at the Westport Woods Hotel and Spa, the event has attracted a heavy-hitting entry list, as the best in the business prepare to begin their hunt for the national title.
Leading the field is defending champion Eddie Doherty. The Kilkenny man arrives in Westport with a brand-new Skoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Having secured his first major win on the 2025 Circuit of Kerry, Doherty is the man to beat as he looks to start his title defence with a first Mayo victory.
He faces stiff competition from a deep field of Rally2 machinery.
Michael Boyle, another first-time winner in 2025, will be campaigning a similar Skoda Fabia RS and is widely considered one of the fastest drivers in the country when the pace heats up.
Joining them is former champion Josh Moffett, who has made the switch to a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 for the 2026 season. Moffett was in clinical form last year with wins in Cavan and the Ravens Rock, and his adaptation to the new Yaris will be a major talking point.
Adding further intrigue to the top-flight is championship newcomer David Kelly in a Skoda Fabia RS. Kelly showed blistering pace at the recent Galway International and even led last season’s Sligo Rally for a spell.
The Donegal man has committed to a full national campaign. He is joined by the experienced Declan Boyle, a former champion also in a Skoda, and Cathan McCourt, who drives new Ford Fiesta after a debut run in Galway.
The Ford contingent is led by Gary Kiernan, now entering his third season with the Fiesta Rally2, and Jason Dickson, who showed consistent improvement throughout every round last year. Kevin Eves continues his transition into four-wheel-drive machinery; if he finds the “sweet spot” that saw him net a podium in Cavan last year, he will be a threat.
Shane Quinn and Keelan Grogan also feature in Fiestas with Grogan showing serious potential after a recent second-place finish at the recent Yeats Ridge Forest Rally
The Citroen C3 Rally 2 camp is equally strong. Cork’s Daniel Cronin, a winner in Carlow May 2024, returns to the national trail.
He is joined by championship sponsor Paul Barrett and Cal McCarthy, with the latter using Mayo as vital seat time ahead of his home event in West Cork just a fortnight later. Joseph McGonigle, another former winner in the West also makes a welcome return to the series in a C3.
Matthew Boyle continues the Boyle dynasty’s strong presence in Irish rallying.
International interest comes from the Isle of Man’s Mark Kelly, a regular winner in the UK and a specialist on circuit-based events, who brings his VW Polo GTI R5 to the Mayo lanes.
Modified Battle
The modified category promises its usual brand of high-speed drama. All eyes will be on Kevin Gallagher in the spectacular Darrian T90 GTR. He faces a direct challenge from Patrick McHugh, also in a Darrian, while the Escort specialists will be led by Johno Doogan and Mark Alcorn. Meanwhile, Chris Armstrong returns to defend his Mk2 Challenge title, rounding out what is set to be an explosive opening round in Westport.
The leading Mayo drivers are David Carney (Ford Fiesta Rally2) Brian Lavelle in a Ford Escort Mk2.
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Kerry Motorsport News 