Our Beginnings.

On the night of November 10th 1977 a group of Motorsport enthusiasts met in O’Shea’s Bar in Milltown to discuss the formation of a new Motor Club.  At Closing Time the group adjourned to Des O’Neill’s Garage and when it got too cold to remain there they moved once again: this time to Des O’Neill’s kitchen.  It was there that Killarney & District Motor Club was founded. 

Killarney and District Motor Club has grown and prospered to become one of the strongest and most admired clubs in the country. The minutes of that first meeting have survived the passage of time and they show that the proposal to form a motor club was put forward by Kenneth O’Neil who afterwards served as the Clubs Joint Treasurer for many years, 

John Kealey and Maurice Beckett – Porsche 911S
Winners – 1996 Killarney Historic Rally

Demi Fitzgerald and Leo Whyte - Chevette HSR
Winners - 1981 Rally of the Lakes

The Proposal to form a new club was seconded by Pat Allman who was elected as the second Joint treasurer and who gave sterling service to the club in its formative years.

That the newly formed Club should be called Killarney and District Motor Club was proposed by Michael Buckley who was at that time one of the best rally navigators in the country.  Mike remains an active club member to this day giving a hand at each event ran.

The choice of name for the new club was seconded by one of the county’s best known and most colourful rallying characters, who went on the serve as Chairman of Killarney and District Motor Club for a number of terms over the following years, Des O’Neill.

The Chairman elected at the formation of the Club was Mr. Donie McCarthy who steered a safe passage through the waters of the club’s early days.  Donie McCarthy was proposed as Chairman by John Brosnan.

The man who seconded Donie McCarthy as Chairman was Richard Fitzgerald.  Richard has played a variety of roles in Club activities over the years including Chief Timekeeper on the Rally of the Lakes.  Richard was also the person who proposed the appointment of Ken O’Neill and Pat Allman as Treasurers of the Club, These treasurer proposals were seconded by Fintan Foley.

The choice of Secretary was Mike Marshall which was probably an omen that Killarney and District Motor Club would never settle for being just another motor club.  From the outset the newly appointed Secretary sought to push out the limits of what could be achieved and to this day, remains one of the most experienced, figures in Irish Motorsport.  Mike was proposed as Secretary by John Brosnan, and seconded by Timmy Flynn.

Having formed the Club, it obviously had to set about organising events. To do this it needed to be affiliated to the Royal Irish Automobile Club a.k.a now Motorsport Ireland.  Kenneth O’Neill proposed that we seek affiliation without delay and this proposal was seconded by Ms. Reideen Buckley, one of two ladies who were present on that historic night. She went on to serve as Club secretary some years afterwards. 

Dessie Nutt and  Elkin Robinson – Porsche 911S
Winners – 1997 Killarney Historic Rally

Noreen Marshall was the other lady present at the foundation of the club, but is not recorded in the minutes as having made or seconded any of the proposals adopted on the night.  However, she has since gone on to claim a number of unique records in her own wright. She is one of a very small number of people who has been a member of the club since it’s foundation and was membership secretary for the greater part of that time.  She is also a former Clerk of the Course of our club flagship event, the Rally of the Lakes.  

Since November 1977 Killarney and District Motor Club has gone from strength to strength from humble beginnings to now boasting a membership in excess of 200 individuals.  We take huge pride in our past while at the same time building towards our future.