In 1996 the late and much missed KDMC member Maurice Nagle identified that there was scope to improve the Historic category in Irish Rallying. At that time the Historic category was in its infancy and largely comprised of a number of cars which would compete at the rear of a rally’s “main field”. Maurice was of the view that these Historic competitors deserved a rally of their own to showcase their talents and vehicles.
With the traditional Rally of the Lakes December date now vacated for the May Bank Holiday Weekend Maurice identified it as the perfect time of year for such an event. And so the concept of the Killarney Historic Rally was born. In the intervening years the rally has gone from strength to strength and is now one of the most popular events on the annual rally calendar.
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Categories within the Killarney Historic Rally
The Killarney Historic Rally is subdivided into two overall categories for potential entrants. These are the Historic Category and the Modified Category.
In the Historic Category the cars entered are required to run in accordance with their specification when they were new. These specifications are set out in “homologation papers” which outline in exact detail the criteria vehicles are to be built to.
In the Modified Category the cars entered are equipped with modern equipment (e.g. sequential gearboxes, bigger brakes and power steering). The primary stipulations for entering a vehicle in the Modified Category of the rally is that the vehicle must be registered prior to 31st December 1988 and must be two-wheel drive.
Both Categories are well supported, extremely competitive and overall victories highly coveted by competitors.
RPM Motorsport – 1996 Killarney Historic Rally
Previous Winners of the Historic Rally
Historic Category Winners
1996: John Keatley / Maurice Beckett – Porsche 911S
1997: Dessie Nutt / Elkin Robinson – Porsche 911S
1998: Dessie Nutt / Elkin Robinson – Porsche 911S
1999: Dessie Nutt / Geraldine McBride – Porsche 911S
2000: Dessie Nutt / Geraldine McBride – Porsche 911S
2001: No Rally – Foot and Mouth crisis
2002: Dessie Nutt / Geraldine McBride – Porsche 911S
2003: Steve Perez / Peter Scott – Porsche 911S
2004: Dessie Nutt / Geraldine McBride – Porsche 911S
2005: Ray Cunningham / Elaine Cunningham – Mini Cooper S
2006: Dessie Nutt / Geraldine McBride – Porsche 911S
2007: Ray Cunningham / Richard Hyland – Mini Cooper S
2008: No Rally
2009: Ray Cunningham / Elaine Cunningham – Mini Cooper S
2010: Rally cancelled – Snow and Ice
2011: Ray Cunningham / Ross Forde – Mini Cooper S
2012: Wesley Patterson / Alan Whyte – Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800
2013: Mark Falvey / Diarmuid Lynch – Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600
2014: Denis Moynihan / Ger Conway – Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600
2015: Rally cancelled – Storm Desmond
2016: Ryan Barrett / Paul McCann – Ford Escort Mk2
2017: Denis Moynihan / Ger Conway – Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600
2018: Owen Murphy / Anthony Nestor – Talbot Sunbeam Lotus
2019: Rob Duggan / Ger Conway – Ford Escort Mk2
2020: No Rally – Covid pandemic
2021: Craig Breen / Paul Nagle – BMW M3
2022: Jonathan Greer / Niall Burns – Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 4X4
2023: Jonathan Greer / Kirsty Riddick – Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 4X4
2024: ???
Modified Category Winners
1996: Greg McCormack / Ruth McCracken – Ford Escort Mk2
1997: Cathal Rogers / Eugene Donnelly – Ford Escort Mk2
1998: Kieran O’Neill / Paul Nagle – Opel Kadett GT/E
1999: John Moynihan / Thomas Moynihan – Ford Escort Mk2
2000: John Moynihan / Thomas Moynihan – Ford Escort Mk2
2001: No Rally – Foot and Mouth crisis
2002: Phil Collins / Howard Davies – Ford Escort Mk2
2003: John Moynihan / Paul Nagle – Ford Escort Mk2
2004: Dessie Keenan / Enda Sherry – Ford Escort Mk2
2005: Dessie Keenan / Enda Sherry – Ford Escort Mk2
2006: Dessie Keenan / Enda Sherry – Ford Escort Mk2
2007: Phil Collins / Adrian Deasy – Ford Escort Mk2
2008: No Rally
2009: Mike Quinn / Grainne McEnery – Ford Escort Mk2
2010: Rally cancelled – Snow and Ice
2011: Wesley Patterson / Martin McGarrity – Ford Escort Mk2
2012: Martin McGee / Denis O’Mahony – Ford Escort Mk2
2013: Declan Gallagher / Ryan Moore – Toyota Starlet
2014: Chris Armstrong / James Fulton – Ford Escort Mk2
2015: Rally cancelled – Storm Desmond
2016: Rob Duggan / Ger Conway – Ford Escort Mk2
2017: Rob Duggan / Tara Duggan – Ford Escort Mk2
2018: Declan Gallagher / John McCarthy – Toyota Starlet
2019: Colin O’Donoghue / Sean Collins – Ford Escort Mk2
2020: No Rally – Covid pandemic
2021: Rob Duggan / Ger Conway – Ford Escort Mk2
2022: Kevin Eves / Chris Melly – Toyota Corolla Twincam
2023: Rob Duggan / Ger Conway – Ford Escort Mk2
2024: ???
