IT’S all systems go for the 2026 Corrib Oil Galway International Rally which takes place on this Saturday and Sunday.

Once again, a strong quality entry has been received for the first major rally of the year. It is the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship and the second round of the Wales Motorsport Irish Tarmac Historic Rally Championship.

Entries have come from all over Ireland and the UK, as well as overseas entries travelling from Germany, Sweden and Jersey. The competing teams, their sponsors and crews, and the thousands of spectators that will line the route will bring a welcome early season boost of visitor numbers to Galway city and county.

The event has retained its full Bank Holiday weekend format and is expected to generate over 2,000 bed-nights for hotels and guest houses. The rally is estimated to generate around €3 million of revenue for the local economy.

Clerk of the Course, Mark Parsons, said: “Galway Motor Club is indebted to the staff of Galway City and County Councils, An Garda Siochana, Fáilte Ireland, the Road Safety Authority and the HSE, the Directors and staff of title sponsor, Corrib Oil, the Galway Race Committee, the 300 volunteer marshals from all over Ireland, and most of all, the residents along the route for their assistance with temporary road closures to ensure the safe running of the event.”

The rally will get under way with scrutineering of cars at Galway Racecourse from 1pm on Friday, January 30, followed by a Ceremonial Start in Eyre Square later that day at 8pm. Both events are ideal opportunities to see the rally cars and drivers prior to the start of the competition. Admission is free to both.

The rally route will cover nine closed road stages on Saturday and a further six closed road stages on Sunday, The stages are all based in the Headford general area on Saturday, and Athenry and Woodlawn on Sunday. The rally Service Park will be in the Galway Airport on both days.  Sunday evening will see the ceremonial finish back at the Connacht Hotel from approximately 4.30pm. Admission to the above venues is free over the weekend.

The Corrib Oil Galway International Rally is an event that is sanctioned by the FIA under an official permit issued by Motorsport Ireland and supported by the RSA – the Road Safety Authority of Ireland. All competing cars will carry the RSA logo and message, and signage to promote this road safety message will be visible.

Organisers encourage fans travelling to the rally to heed the message ‘Keep the Race in its Place,’ to slow down, never drink and drive and to always wear a seatbelt. All spectators on the closed road stages must obey the Marshals, as they will be implementing a comprehensive Safety Plan. A traffic management plan is in place with the support of the Gardai.

To facilitate the safe running of the event there will be temporary road closures. All will be clearly signposted and marshalled. All residents have been informed of the times and temporary road closure arrangements, and the details have been advertised by Galway County Council.   There will be additional traffic in the Eyre Square area from 6pm to 9pm on Friday to facilitate the Ceremonial Start, also in the vicinity of the Connacht Hotel and at Galway Airport and surrounding areas during both days.

The Official Rally Programme contains full listings of stage times, service area times, detailed Ordnance Survey Route Maps and all the information required to locate the many spectator access points.  The Souvenir Programme costs €20 and is available from the Connacht Hotel and from various Corrib Oil filling stations, newsagents and outlets in the city and county, listed on the Galway International Rally Facebook page.

Among those participating are Tarmac champion Callum Devine in his Skoda Fabia Rally 2. Noel O’Sullivan will again co-drive Devine, as the pair will be looking for their first win in Galway.

Declan Boyle, along with sons Michael and Matthew, will be expected to feature strongly in Galway, and Declan is of course a former winner of the event.  Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes return in the Rally 2 version of the Hyundai i20, while Eddie Doherty, David Kelly, Eamonn Kelly, Darren Gass, Tommy Doyle and Kevin Eves are just some of the other names in the mix for overall honours. Neil Roskell and Sam Touzel make the trip from the UK in their respective Rally 2 Fiestas.

The Modified entry also looks competitive with Patrick McHugh (Darrian), Mark Alcorn, Brian Lavelle, Kevin Kelleher, Martin McGee, Rodney Wilton, Hugh McQuaid, and Daniel Breslin, all in Escorts, just a few of the drivers looking to achieve success.

Local entries in the main rally include Stephen Greaney, Paul McHugh, Pat Kelly, Dean Raftery, Des Lyons, Paul McHugh, Adrian Quinn, Stephen Hernon and Cathal Keane.

Pictured: David Quigley and Dean Raftery who were the top placed Galway Motor Club crew in the 2024 Galway International Rally.