Mayo Rally
# Mayo Rally

The Mayo Stages Rally, Mayo Rally is an annual motorsport rallying event run by the Mayo & District Motor Club and held in County Mayo in Ireland.

## History

The Mayo Stages Rally was first held in 1983. Niall Maguire holds the honor of the most rally wins - 4. The latest event in 2020 was won by Donagh Kelly. Most stage wins was achieved by Declan Boyle - 25.

## 2020

Mayo & District Motorsport Club returned to Castlebar for the first time since 2009. The two previous events in 2017 and 2018 took place in Achill. There was no event in 2019. The 2020 event consisted of three stages run three times located in the Castlebar and Westport areas, covering 114.45 km (71.12 mi) of special stage distance and 168.81 km (104.89 mi) liaison.

The event was round 1 of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship and Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship.

Under direction of Clerk of the course David Breen, it was agreed that all cars be fitted with the STS equipment as mandatory. Motorsport Ireland have brought a new rule in relation to the use of the STS at the beginning of the season. Other events found STS equipment controversial and their use was not enforced. The event featured Junior Rally and Historic Rally classes, and also operated Rally 2 (Restart after retirement). The entry fee was announced to have been reduced to €770 to boost entries. There were 80 starters, 55 cars have completed the rally.

The event took place in heavy rain in the aftermath of Storm Jorge which made it difficult. The second stage was cancelled due to a local issue. The drama developed in the penultimate stage. At the final service Moffett's lead was 21.6 seconds ahead of Kelly with Hurson another nine seconds adrift. Josh Moffett stopped after the finish with fuel pressure problems with his Hyundai i20 R5 and Peadar Hurson rolled his Ford Fiesta WRC in the final loop of stage 8. Donagh Kelly went on to claim the victory.

## 2021

The 2020 Mayo Rally was the last rally event that took place before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown came into effect on the 12 March 2020. The 2021 event did not take place due to ongoing pandemic.

## 2022

Mayo Stages Rally 2022 was the opening round of Motorsport Ireland National Irish Rally Championship, as well as counting round of Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship, Top Part West Coast Rally Championship and Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series. Rally consisted of 8 stages spanning 93.81 km of competitive racing in the vicinity of Claremorris, Ballyhaunis and Cloonfad.

## Roll of Honor

Rally winners :

| Year | Driver | Co-driver | Car |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2022 | Josh Moffett | Keith Moriarty | Hyundai i20 R5 |
| 2021 | no event - COVID-19 pandemic | no event - COVID-19 pandemic | no event - COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020 | Donagh Kelly | Conor Foley | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 |
| 2019 | no event organised | no event organised | no event organised |
| 2018 | Declan Boyle | James O'Reilly | Ford Fiesta RS WRC |
| 2017 | Joseph McGonigle | Ciaran Geaney | Škoda Fabia R5 |
| 2016 | Garry Jennings | Rory Kennedy | Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07 |
| 2015 | Niall Maguire | Enda Sherry | Subaru Impreza S11 WRC '05 |
| 2014 | Declan Boyle | Brian Boyle | Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07 |
| 2013 | Declan Boyle | Brian Boyle | Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07 |
| 2012 | Niall Maguire | Enda Sherry | Subaru Impreza S11 WRC '05 |
| 2011 | Kevin Barrett | Sean Mullally | Subaru Impreza S11 WRC '05 |
| 2010 | Melvyn Evans | Patrick Walsh | Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07 |
| 2009 | Patrick Elliott | Paul Goodman | Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07 |
| 2008 | Aaron MacHale | Killian Duffy | Ford Focus RS WRC '04 |
| 2007 | Ray Breen | Damien Morrissey | Ford Focus RS WRC '04 |
| 2006 | Charlie Donnelly | Paddy Toner | Toyota Corolla WRC |
| 2005 | James Harrison | Harvey Bell | Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 |
| 2004 | Niall Maguire | Paul McLoughlin | Subaru Impreza S8 WRC '02 |
| 2003 | Eugene Donnelly | Paul Kiely | Subaru Impreza S4 WRC '98 |
| 2002 | Niall Maguire | Paul McLoughlin | Subaru Impreza S5 WRC '99 |
| 2001 | no event, Foot-and-mouth outbreak | no event, Foot-and-mouth outbreak | no event, Foot-and-mouth outbreak |
| 2000 | Andrew Nesbitt | James O'Brien | Subaru Impreza S4 WRC '98 |
| 1999 | Ian Greer | Dean Beckett | Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST205) |
| 1998 | Ian Greer | Dean Beckett | Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD (ST185) |
| 1997 | John Gilleece | Michael Gibson | Ford Escort RS Cosworth |
| 1996 | Stephen Murphy | Michael Joseph Morrissey | Ford Escort RS Cosworth |
| 1995 | Eamonn Boland | Andrew Boland | Ford Escort RS Cosworth |
| 1994 | Mickey Farrell | Anthony Nestor | Subaru Legacy RS |
| 1993 | John Gilleece | Stephen Boswell | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 |
| 1992 | Stephen Murphy | Joe Deacon | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 |
| 1991 | Stephen Murphy | Joe Deacon | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth |
| 1990 | Michael Barrable | Dermot O'Rourke | Opel Manta 400 |
| 1989 | James Cullen | Ellen Morgan | Opel Manta 400 |
| 1987 | Vincent Bonner | Paul Kiely | Opel Ascona 400 |
| 1983 | Kenny McKinstry | John McCafferty | Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII |

Driver most wins :

| Niall Maguire | 4 |
| - | - |
| Declan Boyle | 3 |
| Stephen Murphy | 3 |
| Ian Greer | 2 |
| John Gileese | 2 |

Driver most starts :

| Niall Maguire | 17 |
| - | - |
| Roger Kennedy | 16 |
| John Duffy | 14 |
| Daniel Conaghan | 12 |
| Michael Conlon | 12 |
| Colin Loughney | 12 |

Most stage wins :

| Declan Boyle | 25 |
| - | - |
| Niall Maguire | 20 |
| Kevin Barrett | 11 |
| Josh Moffett | 11 |
| Ray Breen | 10 |

* as of 2022
