THE Irish rally season began with a storm, and for the second half of the year the conditions were far from calm, both from a sporting and administrative perspective.

Storm Éowyn claimed the Galway International Rally, the traditional opening round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, which this season welcomed NAPA Auto Parts as its title sponsor. Indeed, the championship produced drama aplenty, with Ballylickey’s Keith Cronin central to the opening three rounds before he decided to step back from the sport – a decision which, while understandable, denied many the chance to see more of the four-time British Rally champion and the first Irish Tarmac Rally champion of the R5 (now Rally2) era.

Prior to the start of the season, the Ballylickey ace – co-driven by Killarney’s Mike Galvin – made a double switch for what was meant to be a twin-pronged assault on the ITRC and the BRC. Back in a Citroën for the first time since his Tarmac Championship victory in 2016, he also opted for Michelin tyres instead of the Pirelli rubber he used during last year’s Tarmac success.

Second place on the East Riding Rally appeared a solid start to his bid to equal the legendary Jimmy McRae’s record-breaking five BRC titles.

Of course, Galway was meant to be his season opener until Storm Éowyn swept through the west of Ireland with a vengeance. The decision to postpone the event was obvious – the primary concern of Galway Motor Club was the welfare of the communities where the rally was due to be held.

Ballylickey's Keith Cronin (Citroen C3 Rally2) and his Killarney co-driver Mikie Galvin in action.

Cronin then led the way in Clonakilty during a three-day encounter featuring four stages – two run in darkness – on the Friday. Welsh ace Matt Edwards (Hyundai i20 Rally2), an old BRC rival, provided championship competition, while the presence of European Rally Championship contender Jon Armstrong in an M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta Rally2 added further spice.

Cronin showed his mettle and by Saturday evening had built a commanding 47.3-second lead over Armstrong. However, steering issues on Sunday’s opening leg of three stages allowed Armstrong to move ahead. With Armstrong not registered for ITRC points, Cronin was not overly concerned and avoided a heated battle. Armstrong eventually finished the final stage 34 seconds ahead of Cronin.

Drama followed later, however, when Armstrong was excluded for receiving outside assistance on his return journey to Clonakilty. Edwards, meanwhile, failed to finish, retiring on the second run over the iconic Ring stage. As a result, Cronin was classified the winner, securing back-to-back victories on his home rally.

Edwards arrived at the Circuit of Ireland as defending champion, while Cronin – having made a late switch to a Citroën campaigned by his younger brother Daniel – looked on course for victory until punctures on the penultimate stage, followed by a 90-second penalty, dropped him to eighth place.

From that disappointment, Cronin made a strong start on the Rally of the Lakes in Killarney, winning the opening loop of three stages. However, a high-speed crash on SS4 not only ended his rally but also his championship challenge. It appears the Ballylickey driver may have overcompensated for a left-hander, having endured a moment on the previous run, with his Citroën clipping a bank and rolling. Fortunately, both crew members escaped injury.

Within weeks, Cronin announced that he was stepping back from the sport – a decision he views with perspective.

‘That’s life, I don’t dwell on it. Look, we were leading on the Circuit and in Killarney,’ he said.

Explaining his decision to step away ahead of Donegal, Cronin added: ‘To be honest, if Donegal hadn’t been the next round and it was the Ulster or a one-day rally, I probably would have gone. But Donegal is such a trek, and that was that.’

On the possibility of a return, he said: ‘I’ve made no phone calls unless someone lands and says, “Here’s a budget and here’s a car.” I haven’t been working on putting anything together, so nothing can happen.’

Losing a competitor of Cronin’s calibre is a serious blow, not just to title sponsors NAPA Auto Parts. His decision to call time represents a significant loss to the championship, and while it is entirely his choice, he may not fully realise the Coleman-like scale of his popularity – something the ITRC organisers and sponsors certainly understand. For now, family and business are his priorities.

Meanwhile, Daniel Cronin’s season was also beset by issues, with another promising Triton National Rally Championship campaign faltering early. However, end-of-season podium finishes on the Wexford and Fastnet rallies offer hope of stronger returns in the 2026 national campaign.