CLONAKILTY town centre will be a hive of activity with the buzz of state-of-the-art Rally2 cars that will head the entry for Friday night's opening stage of the 2026 Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally.
The sounds of marques like the Skoda Fabia RS, Toyota GR Yaris, Ford Fiesta and Citroen C3, along with the modified category cars like the Escort Mk2s and Honda Civics, will reverberate off the walls of the commercial and residential buildings as they whizz up Barrack Street, past the Clonakilty Garda Station and out into the countryside for the remainder of the 4.95km opening stage.
The rally is the traditional kick-start to the tourist season in Clonakilty and the first of two three-day events within the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship calendar. Sixteen stages over the three days should be enthralling and exciting.
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Friday – SS1: Clonakilty 19.48; SS2: Rossmore 20.12.
Saturday – SS3 & 5: Ring 09.10 & 11.48; SS4 & 6: Kilbrittain 09.47 & 12.25; SS7 & 9: Dunworley 13.57 & 16.32; SS8 & 10: Clogagh 14.28 & 17.03.
Sunday – SS11 & 14: Ballinascarthy 11.00 & 13.58; SS12 & 16: Sam's Cross 11.34 & 14.32; SS13 & 16: Ardfield 12.08 & 15.06.
Finish ramp – Emmet Square, Clonakilty 15.44.
Awards ceremony – Clonakilty Park Hotel, 9pm.
Rally programmes are on sale at all the usual outlets throughout West Cork.
