Fastnet Rally entry numbers could be affected

THE Fastnet Rally returns to the Irish rallying calendar after a lapse of three years with the organising Skibbereen and District Car Club cranking up their plans for the Bantry-based event on October 29th.

The final round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, the host club is hoping for a strong entry as it is one of the last events of the season, however, The Southern Star can reveal that, despite assurances to the contrary, the Donegal Motor Club (DMC) are going ahead with plans to host the Donegal Harvest Rally a few weeks after the Fastnet.

It appears that the Skibbereen and District Car Club are, unofficially, unaware of the current situation.

Last year’s Donegal Harvest Rally didn’t proceed due to the tragedy in Creeslough. While it was initially postponed, it was subsequently cancelled. The Rallies Commission subsequently turned down an application by the Donegal Motor Club to run a Harvest Rally on October 14th (2023). The RC’s decision was thought to be the end of the matter.

Not so, last December the Donegal club sought the support of the Skibbereen club to run the ‘postponed’ Harvest within 15 days of this year’s Fastnet. In a detailed response, that also sympathised with the club on the Creeslough tragedy, the Skibbereen club advised that the Donegal request was unsporting (given the agreed two-year calendar) and could not be supported.

Several weeks ago, the Skibbereen club was informed by its delegate on the Motorsport Council (MSC), who are responsible for the governance of motorsport in Ireland, that there would not be a Donegal Harvest Rally in 2023.

However, during the course of the recent Donegal International Rally, The Southern Star were informed that the event would be going ahead and that they (DMC) were promised that they would be able to run the Harvest Rally in 2023 – as a ‘closed’ event for members of the Donegal Motor Club. However, that is an open scenario; any person that joins or is a member of the DMC is eligible to enter, it’s understood that entries will be capped at 140.

At a time when governance, transparency and accountability are very much in the public eye, the Skibbereen and District Car Club need and deserve to be kept informed.

Why are DMC going ahead with their Harvest Rally? Why, after the Rallies Commission refused the application, did it get back on the table? Questions that need answers.

All clubs should be treated fairly, but it seems this is not the case. Since the Skibbereen and District Car Club’s last rally (2019) the Donegal Motor Club has hosted four rallies.