BALLINACARRIGA’S Gerard O'Connell will compete in his 29th West Cork Rally this weekend.

Only Rosscarbery's Jerry O'Mahony has more – he will embark on his 41st West Cork.

O'Connell's maiden outing in the Clonakilty-based event was in 1986 with Dunmanway's Donal O'Neill in the co-driver's seat. They were seeded at 118 in a Ford Escort but were not among the 62 finishers.

Interestingly, O'Connell had 24 West Corks under his belt by 2013, but can't fathom why he's only added four more in the intervening years as he jokes ‘Maybe that's why I should be giving it up.’

Like many other drivers, Ring is his favourite stage of the West Cork Rally – that's borne from the fact that he's always had a good run over the iconic stage that skirts the coastline on its opening kilometres.

The local banter is not what it used to be but on the weekend the rivalry, from a local perspective, remains friendly and fun.

Not one to dwell on disappointments, the 2004 event, when he lost the class, brings a smile and is classified a ‘one that got away’. Further explanations are best shelved.

Gerard O'Connell receives the Denis Buckley Memorial Cup (winner of Class 12) on the 2007 West Cork Rally from Cork Motor Club's Martin Daly.

O'Connell, onboard his Class 12 two-litre Pinto-engined Ford Escort, hails Rochestown's Liam Davis as one of his toughest opponents from the early 2000s.

Locally, Barryroe's Steve Roberts remains a friendly rival despite denying O'Connell the class spoils in 2006.

Throughout the years O'Connell's best finishes were 14th overall in 1995 and 16th overall in 1998, his brother Anthony was his co-driver in the former and Youghal's Michael Coakley on the latter.

This weekend Dunmanway's John Murray – a work colleague at nearby McSweeney Bros – is on pacenote duty.

‘The younger generation seem to stick together, but there was never a problem getting a co-driver. I still speak with them all (around 21 or 22) and agree with them all when I meet them,’ he quipped.

Andy O'Donoghue was one of his youngest co-drivers.

‘We did all the championships in 2004 – the Dunlop National series, the West Coast and the Southern 4. I think I did 14 rallies that year.’

The local element is what makes the West Cork Rally so special.

‘Especially now this year, there's one stage finishing near the village (Ballinacarriga),’ he points out.

However, that comes with a salutary note.

‘It's very easy to get caught out on a stage that you think you know from living nearby, so it's a case of listening to the pacenotes.’

O’Connell’s three class wins in the West Cork Rally naturally spring to mind quickly, but the actual years brought a temporary pause.

‘I can find the trophy though,’ he interjects, before 2007, 2008 and 2010 are established as those winning years. In total, he reckons that he has around ten class awards (including second and thirds) from Clonakilty.

As for now, there is no pressure.

‘Just competing and going to enjoy it, the pace will be quick,’ he said.

‘I'm more relaxed now about everything. Donal Healy has prepared the car, the service van is loaded and we are all set. All I want is just to enjoy it.'

As for records, Jerry O'Mahony isn't in the cross-hairs.

‘I won't be passing Jerry at all! I'll be long retired before that – there's no catching him. I remember watching Jerry in a Mk1 Escort before I started.’

Next year's Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally will mark the 50th anniversary of the event, and it could also be O'Connell's 30th – surely that’s another target, but for now it’s all about his 29th this weekend.