West Cork community shocked by rally tragedy

BY MARTIN WALSH

THE West Cork and wide rally community is trying to come to terms with the tragedy that claimed the life of Dunmanway’s Eoin McCarthy, who succumbed to injuries he received whilst competing in Sunday’s Killarney Forest Rally that was based in Castleisland.

Eoin (22) was the youngest son of Liam and Nora McCarthy from Kildee, a family extremely popular and well-known in rallying. Liam is a former winner of the West Cork Rally and a triple winner of the Fastnet Rally. Another of the McCarthy siblings, Conor, also competes in rallying.

The freak accident occurred during the fourth stage of the rally that formed the opening round of the Motorsport Ireland Forest Rally Championship.Eoin and his co-driver Daniel O’Brien (30) from Dripsey were competing in a Honda Civic that crashed on the fourth stage.  The emergency services were deployed to the scene and Eoin was taken by ambulance to Mountcollins from where he was airlifted to Cork University Hospital.  Co-driver Daniel O’Brien was taken by ambulance to Tralee General Hospital, he was discharged later that evening.

Sadly, Eoin passed away on Sunday night.

A statement issued by the organising Killarney and District Motor Club said, ‘The Killarney and District Motor Club regrets to inform that following an accident on stage four of the Killarney Forest Rally, a competitor succumbed to his injuries and passed away in Cork University Hospital tonight (Sunday). We extend our sympathies to his family and friends.’

Eoin is mourned by his parents Liam and Nora (nee O’Driscoll), his brother Conor and sister Rachel and is sadly missed by his loving family, Conor’s girlfriend Maeve, aunts, uncles, gran-aunts, gran-uncles, cousins, work colleagues at Wesco and a large circle of friends. May he Rest in Peace.