Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally’s most successful driver to be remembered by son at 30th anniversary event

Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally’s most successful driver to be remembered by son at 30th anniversary event

Michael Nutt to drive father’s iconic yellow Porsche 911 in commemorative run marking 30 years of the rally and five years since Dessie’s passing

The memory of the most successful driver in the storied 30-year history of the Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally will be honoured at this year’s anniversary event.
Derry driver Dessie Nutt, who claimed a record seven victories on Ireland’s premier historic motorsport event, passed away in October 2021, just weeks before the rally’s 25th running.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the rally and the fifth anniversary of his father’s passing, Michael Nutt is set to tackle the event in his memory. He will drive his late father’s iconic Porsche 911, liveried in the exact yellow colours from the inaugural 1996 event.
Experienced navigator James McKeefry will sit alongside him in the co-driver’s seat.
McKeefry has plenty of Killarney history of his own, having co-driven over the years for John Keatley, the winner of the inaugural 1996 event, although it was Maurice Beckett who co-drove on that occasion.
Dessie’s original co-driver Elkin Robinson will also be in attendance to lend his support, with the car once again run by Dan Sunderland’s Dansport team.
While Michael is an accomplished competitor in front-wheel-drive machinery, having campaigned Austin Minis, Ford Fiestas, and Honda Civics across Northern Ireland events since 2008, this will mark his first visit to Killarney as a driver and his competitive debut in the rear-wheel-drive Porsche.
His decision to take on the rally stems directly from the support and kindness local organisers and fans showed the Nutt family following Dessie’s passing. Michael explained that as it is the 30th anniversary of the first Killarney Historic in 1996 and the fifth anniversary of his dad’s passing, he thought it would be a fitting way to honour the legacy of the event and his father, who still holds the record with seven wins.
He felt it would be a special tribute to come to Killarney and support the organisers and fans who were so kind during a difficult time.
“I felt it would be a really special tribute to come to Killarney, support the event, the organisers and the fans who were all so kind to our family around the time of Dad’s passing,” he said. “They wrote some incredibly nice comments and messages, and they certainly did not go unnoticed by us.”
He was 12 years old when the event was founded and, like any young boy, looked up to his father as his hero.
Now preparing to tackle the stages himself, Michael is looking forward to the atmosphere and driving the famous roads.

“I’m really looking forward to experiencing the buzz of Killarney, the start ramp and, most of all, driving up the iconic Moll’s Gap, which I have seen so many times on tv and online over the decades with all the great drivers who have competed there,” he said.

“For me, this is a life experience and something I have always wanted to do, to drive the same roads that Dad and so many rally legends have driven and to be able to say, one day, that I did it too.”

He added that the entry is purely about tribute rather than pace.

“The car is the same car, and it will be stickered in exactly the same way it was 30 years ago. It is an iconic car, and I won’t pretend that I will be able to jump into it and drive it like my Dad did. For me, this is much more of a commemorative run than a competitive one. I’m simply looking forward to enjoying the experience, meeting the organisers and meeting some of the true legends of Irish rallying who will be taking part in the event.”

Michael expressed his gratitude to Elkin Robinson for coming along to support the team, and to Dan Sunderland of Dansport for preparing the car in the same manner as 30 years ago.

“For me, this is about much more than driving a rally car, it is about remembering Dad, celebrating his achievements, honouring the history of the Killarney Historic and sharing something that has meant so much to Motorsport fans for so many years,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to coming to Killarney for the first time and hopefully making some new memories, while also bringing a little bit of the past back.”

Classic Stages Return for 2026 Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally

Organisers Killarney and District Motor Club have unveiled route details for the 2026 event, marking 30 years since it was founded by the late Maurice Nagle.
His son Paul Nagle, five-time World Rally Championship winner, serves as Clerk of the Course. The 110-kilometre route includes Beallaghbeama, Caragh Lake, and an extended 19.7-kilometre run over Moll’s Gap starting from Torc Waterfall for the first time in 30 years.
The Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally takes place on Sunday, November 29, with daylight stages following Saturday night’s ceremonial start in Killarney town centre.

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