A massive turnout of local competitors from both Kerry Motor Club and Killarney and District Motor Club will spearhead a bumper Women in Motorsport entry at this Sunday’s Circuit of Munster Rally in Limerick.
Six female drivers are set to take the start, marking the largest entry of the season so far for round four of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship. The event also doubles as round three of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship, which runs a dedicated Women in Motorsport category.
Crews this weekend will have an extra motivation as they vie for the prestigious Katie Quinn Memorial Tarmac Queen Perpetual Trophy, awarded at the end of the season. The event holds poignant significance for the local rallying community, taking place around the anniversary of the late Katie Quinn, who was a highly popular and valued member of Kerry Motor Club.
Local drivers lead the challenge
Defending trophy champion Michelle Quinn, sister of the late Katie, leads the local charge in her Honda Civic. The Kerry Motor Club driver lines up this weekend alongside fellow club member Caz Somers in the co-driver’s seat.
Also making a welcome return to the stages is Tipperary native and Killarney and District Motor Club member Louise Bourke. Based in Killarney, Bourke makes her first competitive outing of the 2026 season behind the wheel of her Peugeot 206 Cup Car.
They face opposition from current West Coast points leader Aine Lonergan, who arrives in Limerick fresh from a class win at the Carlow Stages Rally in her Honda Civic. Cork’s Catherine Walsh and Ava O’Driscoll join the trail for the first time this year as the top-seeded West Coast contenders in another Civic.
Galway’s Gemma Hallinan currently holds second in the West Coast standings and contests the event in her Ford Fiesta with Ciara Duggan calling the notes, while Tipperary’s Grainne Caplis holds third in the series in her Vauxhall Corsa B.
Strong local contingent in the navigator seats
In the modified section, Killarney and District Motor Club’s John Hickey lines up with Cork co-driver Natasha Murphy in his unique ‘Fubaru’ Escort RS.
Limerick native Meg O’Mahony, a member of Kerry Motor Club, takes on her home roads this weekend guiding Ronan Lacey also a Kerry Motor Club member in their Honda EG6.
Among the top seeds, Ruthann O’Connor navigates for John Warren in a Fiesta Rally2, while Grace Walsh teams up with her father Peadar in their Ford Escort Mk1 in the Historic class.
Scottish navigator Ashleigh Will returns to Irish tarmac alongside Gordon Morrison in a Ford Escort Mk2, and Donegal’s Jessica Halpenny joins Tiernan Doherty in a competitive Class 2 Peugeot 208 Rally4 lineup.
Local Limerick pair Mary O’Shea and Gerard O’Shea team up in a Peugeot 306 S16, while Megan Ryan returns to competition alongside Francis Kelly for their first outing of the year in a Class 3 Renault Clio R3T.
Also in Class 3, Aoife Ronan pairs with John Bagge in a Honda Civic.
Kilkenny siblings Lauren and Cillian Doherty start fresh from a second-place finish in the Dacia Sandero Cup in Carlow, while Michelle Horan returns to the Dacia class alongside Ronan Kinneavy. Susan Smyth is back co-driving with Christian Carway in a Ford Puma, just two weeks after her first Dacia category appearance in Carlow.
Meath siblings Kaelin and Molly Foley make their second-ever start together in a Peugeot 208 R2, Sarah Condon joins Sean Fergus in a Class 1 Honda Civic, while Sligo is represented by Katelyn Carroll (navigating for Rory Carroll in an Escort) and Charlene Mitchell (calling notes for Ryan Mitchell in a Peugeot 106 Rallye).
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