‘THRILLED,’ was how Dunmanway's Jason McSweeney described the moment he received the inaugural trophy for his overall victory in the Irish Tarmac Historic Rally Championship.

The ITRC awards ceremony took place in the Loughrea Hotel in County Galway last weekend, where a number of other West Cork competitors also received awards.

McSweeney, who is the first West Cork driver to win the Historic series, took a debut victory with a Ford Escort WRC on the Galway International Rally last February, where he was co-driven by Blackpool’s Liam Brennan. McSweeney also won the Historic category in the Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally (where, due to a bereavement, Barryroe's Dylan Doonan deputised for Liam Brennan), retired from the Circuit of Ireland (with a broken propshaft), and was second in the Rally of the Lakes.

Exclusion from the results of the Donegal is still a huge disappointment.

‘We enjoyed Galway but to win in your own locality (West Cork), especially when there's big competition, is fantastic. While Donegal, due to its curtailment, didn't qualify as a round, our exclusion was hard to fathom. To this day we still don't know why. We have asked but we are still awaiting the reason.’

Retirement from the Ulster Rally with a misfire meant a three-way title decider on the Cork '20' Rally, where McSweeney clinched the series with his third category victory of the season.

‘It was great really. I had a great team around me - Tom Gahan Motorsport (TGM) and his lads, our gravel crew, Liam McCarthy and Kieran Murphy and Donal O'Donovan and Frank O'Mahony, who were terrific as well. To have all of them around you with all that experience and knowledge was hugely beneficial.

‘It was nice to be the first winner of the new trophy and I know they have yet to assign a name to it. It’s really special.’

On his plans, McSweeney said: ‘We are going to compete in the Killarney Historic Rally, we will go to Galway and the West Cork and take it from there.’

McSweeney/Brennan also won Category 5C and Class H12.

Other award recipients on the night were Ardfield's Gary Lombard, who partnered Ladysbridge driver Darragh Walsh to second overall in the ITRC Junior category.

Macroom's Barry O'Brien (Honda Civic) and Rossmore's Declan Buttimer, who were second in the M1 category of the ITRC Modified series, were honoured too, as were the following: Clonakilty's Kevin Kelleher (Ford Escort), who took second spot in the M3 class; Glandore's Pat Calnan (Ford Fiesta), who won Class M5; and Clondrohid brothers Iarla and Eoghan McCarthy, who were second and third respectively in the co-driver's category in Class H6.

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During the recent Motorsport Ireland Congress in Athlone, delegates were informed of latest situation with regard to the Strategic Structure Review.

Twelve months previous they were told that a pause was being placed on Motor Sport Council and MI Commissions appointments for 2026.

At the time it was explained that the purpose of the pause was ‘to allow time and stability for an independent facilitator to assess all areas of our sport/organisation.’

The reasoning continued: ‘This will allow Motorsport Ireland to make important decisions, in a stable environment, to future-proof the sport and inform future strategic goals.’

In the interim, Davis Business Consultants (led by Paul Davis) began the process.

During last month’s congress, the MI Head of Motorsport, Pat Finn, who was appointed last November and took up his role in January this year, stated: ‘It's (the review) still a work in progress. The process so far has been very thorough. I would say it's evolving as time goes on.’

Mr. Davis engaged with club representatives and other stakeholders, and subsequently issued a “findings report” document that was later followed by a “recommendations report” - that was issued to the clubs and different stakeholders and has led to some tweaking.

While the review has yet to be formally adopted by the Irish Motorsport Federation, The Southern Star understands that it suggests changes to Motor Sport Commission (MSC) and the IMF.

The previous appointment process of three regional delegates to the MSC is set to change, with the IMF model switching to a new Motorsport Ireland board. That board will include eight people from within the motorsport community, three of whom will be aforementioned regional delegates.

It is estimated that the current costs with the SSR are in the region of €50,000 to €60,000.

A similar figure is anticipated for its implementation - subject to its adoption by the current IMF.

Although the clubs want change, it is no guarantee they will get their wish as the IMF appear to be divided on the plan.

Could it be like an election slogan of a political party in 2002? (“A lot done, more to do.”)

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In the Midland Navigation Trial – the second round of the Motorsport Ireland National Navigation Trial Championship – Cork crews took second and third overall in the event, which was based in Fourmilehouse, near Roscommon town.

The event was won by the Longford/Monaghan crew of Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes (Subaru), who only incurred a total of 14 penalties.

The battle for second went right down to the wire, with Mayfield's Trevor O'Callaghan and Donoughmore's Patrick O'Leary (Subaru) securing the spot and one of their best results to date, finishing on 41 penalties.

They edged out Killeagh's James Fitzgerald and Ballincollig's Ken Carmody, also in a Subaru, by just one penalty.

For opening round winners, Ovens driver Owen Murphy and Drinagh's Denis O'Donovan, it proved to be a tough encounter.

They were very much at the cutting edge and while they missed TP 18, issues with their Subaru, which cut out on a number of occasions, hampered their cause.

A succession of three missed time points dropped them well down the order.

They finished 16th overall.

The series continues with the Drumlin (Monaghan) Navigation Trial (November 21/22), which will be followed by the Carbery Navigation Trial (December 5/6).

Ovens driver Owen Murphy (left) and Drinagh navigator Denis O'Donovan out of luck on the Midland Navigation Trial in county Roscommon. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

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A number of West Cork competitors participated in last Sunday's Germaine's Hotel GSMC Baltinglass Mini Stages Rally, which was won by Donegal's Declan Gallagher (Toyota Starlet) and his Killarney co-driver Ger Conway.

Kilcrohane's Micheál O'Donovan and his co-driver George Swanton (Ford Fiesta) finished second in Class 2A, where Bandon co-driver Daniel Seaman partnered Meath's Ryan Caldwell (Peugeot 208 R2) to victory.

Ballyvourney co-driver Meabh Griffin and Carlow's David Condell (Ford Escort) were fourth in Class 14 and 12th overall.

Meabh's sister Ciara and Wexford's Sean Cahill (Honda Civic) took second in Class 11F, while Ardfield's Anthony O'Sullivan and his Killarney driver Fergus O'Meara (BMW M3 E30) were fifth in Class 19.