05/06/2026
May was another incredibly busy and successful month for the club. We saw a fantastic turnout from our members, with many stepping up on the stages, in the ditches, and behind the scenes. Everyone worked hard, contributed their talents, and helped keep the club running smoothly throughout the month.
The month kicked off strongly with a great turnout for the Rally of the Lakes. Garry Lombard delivered a standout performance, taking the win in the Junior class. Eoin McCarthy had an eventful weekend, saying, “We had a good start but had persistent electrical problems with the alternator, eventually retiring to repair it. So, super rally. Things went well once we got going again.” Meanwhile, Lisa O’Dowd spent the weekend getting to grips with the ins and outs of the tracking and control room, gaining valuable experience behind the scenes.
We also had a fantastic turnout for the Circuit of Munster. Daniel Seaman described it as “a baptism of fire,” competing for the first time in a Class 14 Mk2 alongside Kevin Dolphin. Despite the challenge, they had a solid day and adapted well to the constantly changing weather conditions.
Finbar Hurley brought home a win in Class 1, Rory Hennessy secured 2nd in Class 12, and Eoghan McCarthy also claimed a strong 2nd in class. A huge well done to everyone, especially given how slippery and unpredictable the conditions were throughout the event.
Conor and Mathew O’Neil took on both the SDCC Autotest and the CMC Endurance Trial. A big well done to Mathew, who was thrilled to win the Norman Giles Trophy at the Autotest, along with a class prize.
The crew were equally delighted to finish the CMC Endurance Trial, especially as their first attempt last year ended in engine failure. They noted that ground clearance and weight remain the Swift’s main weaknesses compared to the Starlets. Conor is also adjusting to driving at pace during daylight hours—“You can see more, so there’s more visual information to process,” he explained.
Catherine and Matt Shinnors took a brilliant class win at Rally Caminos de Imbabura in Ecuador, driving a Peugeot 206. The event brought them through volcanic landscapes, tight hairpin bends, and altitudes reaching up to 3,800 metres—an incredible challenge by any standard. It’s fantastic to see the club represented at international events like this, and even better to see them bringing home silverware.
