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Round five of the Motorsport Ireland National Navigation Championship took place on Saturday night last.

Greg Shinnors along with his driver, Andrew Mackarel were the organisers of this latest championship round. The headquarters for this event was Glenroe GAA Club in County Limerick. Shinnors/Mackarel organised a 120-mile route, a majority of which were in the Ballyhoura and surrounding mountains.

The event began just to the north west of the HQ, with the departure from checkpoint 1 (Tp1) in through the Fear Bréagach forest for to travel to Tp2 on the R517. The departure of Tp2 was turning right toward Kilfinnane, before turning left into the Ballyroe forest. Navigators had to be careful to avoid passing by Tp4 on the way to Tp3 which was located back on the R517. After departing Tp3, competitors had to re-enter the forest for to reach Tp4. Following Tp4, it was down for to enter the quarry in Keale mountain for to arrive at all of Via 1 (V1), Tp5 and V2. Despite three checkpoints taking place in the same quarry, Greg and the entire organising team had the quarry laid out so that it was relatively straight forward for to locate each checkpoint.

After leaving V2, it was over to Ballyorgan to reach Tp6. Travelling to Tp7 located on the R512 just south of Ardpatrick would be the last public roads, competitors would use for a long while. Following Tp7, the checkpoints became numbered in the two hundreds, so after Tp7 was Tp201 etc. Tp201 to Tp213 including V4 were all located deep in the main Ballyhoura mountain. (V3 was removed before the event began). Tp213 was located on the public road after exiting the forest in Ballintlea North. Tp301 was up next, located at the end of the road, and it was here that the events first Speed Regularity Section (SRS) began. The SRS was 8.4 miles long and finished at Tp302 beside the Coolfree forest northern most entrance.

Tp302 was where the nights first Supplementary Route Instruction was received for to locate Tp303. The route instruction received here was in the form of a snake shaped herringbone tulip diagram. Navigators first had to plot the location of where the tulip began, arrive there before they could begin locating the first of four missing checkpoints in a row. (Tp303, 304, 305, 306). Tp307 brought competitors back into the maze that was the main Ballyhoura mountain, as Tp308 and 309 were located beside Tp201 and Tp202 respectively. Tp310 was located beside the western exit of the forest so luckily for navigators, the location of it wasn’t muddled in around previous or future checkpoint locations. The halfway point in the event was marked by Control B (CB) at Ballyhay Cross Roads.

Following the midpoint Control competitors travelled up to the filling station on the N20 for refuelling and a chance for navigators to sus out their route back through the Ballyhoura mountain to reach the HQ in Glenroe GAA. The events second SRS began immediately after the fuel halt. Tp401 began the second half of the event, so it was Tp402 that signalled the end of the SRS and the imminent return to the gravel tracks of the Ballyhoura’s for everything between Tp402 and Tp419, a section that included three Via’s and four plot and bash checkpoints. Being out of the main Ballyhoura mountain did not signal the end of the forest gravel tracks however, as the departure of Tp419 brought the event into Coolfree mountain for to arrive at V8, and now the named Tp501, 502 and V9. After V9, the event travelled to the Garryarthur forest for Tp503, then onwards to two farms in Tulla for Tp504 and 505. Tp506 was located back where Tp6 had been and from here it was into the Ardnageeha Keale Mountain for Tp507 followed by a newly created track into the same quarry used earlier in the night for Tp508 and 509. A short road trip down the road brought crews to a farm at Smith’s Cross Roads for V10 and the penultimate C510.

The final Control now just lay 300m over the road in the Glenroe GAA Club carpark.

When results were totted up it was O’Regan/Butler who held a 14 penalty (mark) win over second placed Ken Carmody/James Fitzgerald. Carmody/Fitzgerald will rue a wrong approach penalty they received at Tp303, a penalty that gave them 15 marks.

Third place went to the current national championship leaders and clerks of the course for the Midland Navigation Trial, Ryan Treanor/Shane Dalton. In the classes, Adam Coffey/James Dunphy finished 3rd in the Beginner class, Gary Kelleher/Séamus McHugh finished 2nd and Susan Smyth/Brian Duggan finished 1st. Derek O’Donoghue/Tony O’Keeffe finished 1st in the Novice class. Stephen and Ray O’Neill finished 3rd in the Semi-Expert Class, with Ruaidhri Nash/Brian Oakes finishing 2nd and Eoin Longworth/Declan Burke finishing the class in 1st place. Evin Hughes/Pakie Duffy finished 3rd in the Expert class, 2nd went to Treanor/Dalton and winning the Expert was Carmody/Fitzgerald.After the awards were presented, both Aaron and Greg spoke a length about how grateful they are for the plethora of marshal’s who appeared on the night for to man all the checkpoints during the event, most of which were in the wilderness of the Ballyhoura mountains and well off the beaten track.

Greg stressed how grateful he is for the assistance he received from his team and from Coillte in getting trees that had fallen in the recent storm removed from the forest tracks to allow cars to be able to pass by.

Regulations and Entry Forms are currently available for the next round of the National Navigation Championship, the Skibbereen and District Car Club, 100 Isles Navigation Trial.

The event is being organised by Colm Feen and Barry O’Sullivan and will be based out of the Tadgh MacCarthaigh GAA Hall in Aughaville on Saturday night February 8th.

Conor Mohan was competing in Finland over the weekend.

Conor and his driver, Eamonn Kelly were using the Hotelli IsoValkeinen SM-ralli Kuopio 250 v as a pre event test for the opening round of the 2025 Junior World Rally Championship, Rally Sweden, which takes place from the 13 to the 16th of February. The pair were using a Ford Fiesta Rally 3, similar to the one they’ll be using in the Swedish event. The event comprised of 8 stages, totalling 96.5kms of snow and ice. At the end of the event the pair finished 10th overall and 4th in class SM2. Oisín Sherlock

Evin Hughes and Pakie Duffy claimed the outright victory on last weekend’s January Navigation Trial hosted by Monaghan Motor Club. The event, organised by Sean and Caolain McCaffrey was based out of Latton O’Rahilly Gaa Club. Winners of the previous round, Conor Mohan/Michael Carbin were seeded one on the road, and began the event at 21:01. Checkpoint one (Tp1) was located at the end of the road that ran alongside Lough Avaghon. Tp2 was located in Tandragee and it was here that the first Supplementary route instructions were received for the route to Tp3 and Tp4. The first route instruction received was a trace diagram, where competitors have to draw the image received onto tracing paper and as quickly as possible match it to the map. The route to Tp3 involved, departing north and going past Hut Cross Autocross track and taking the next farm lane on the right. After traversing the lane, it was turn left and arriving the Tp3 at the end of the road. The other route instruction received was in the form of a double-sided route card. One side was from an event in 2022 and the other side was the current event. Both sides had the correct location of Tp4, but only the 2025 side had the correct approach and departure. A lot of competitors obviously travelled back in time as no less than eleven crews received a wrong approach or never arrived to it at all, and that doesn’t include the large amount of lateness penalties (marks) received for late arrival to the Checkpoint. It was a left departure at Tp3 and over to a manned stop sign at the crossroads. It was a left turn here and traveling over the road and turning back into the same farm lane as before, only turning right at the end on this occasion. Tp4 was located at the end of this, with a left (east) departure. A long road section began here as it was a six-mile journey to arrive at Tp5 at Dunmakenna. After leaving Tp5, it was over to the R190 and over to Tp6 at the end of a grey lane in Moylemuck. The dense fog made traveling very tough. Tp7 was located at the R190 at Killyliss. From here the event moved to the northern side of the main road. Tp8 located in Lisnalong and within walking distance of Tp7 had to be approached from the north, which meant traveling a very twisty road in Killyvaghan. The west departure from Tp8 lead to competitors having to travel the road in Killyvaghan once again for to reach Tp9 at the R193 in Clossagh Beg. It was a four-mile journey to Tp10 at the R183 in Edenaneane. The first Time Recovery Section of the night took place between Tp12 and 13 which was located beside the disused quarry in Drumgavny. The Speed Regularity Section began here. Competitors had to follow a strict 30mph average speed over the eight-mile route to Tp14 at Drumsaul. The secret speed check took place at 5.5 miles, meaning each crew should arrive at it in exactly eleven minutes. One mark is acquired for every 9s too fast or too slow. The events second supplementary route instruction was received at Tp15 in Drumgole. When I write ‘received’ I of course mean, competitors received a gentle reminder that they had already received the map coordinates for the missing Via 1 (V1) at Tp2. Any navigator who launched the previous supplementary route instruction onto the rear seat or had tramped it into the floor over the 43.5 miles travelled since it had been received, had to frantically search for it or make it legible after repeatedly using it for origami practice with their feet. From Tp15 it was over to Control B (CB) at the Holy Trinity Church in Dartry which had to be approached from the R188. The trick here was that V1 was located on the shortest route between Tp15 and CB. Any navigator that was fond of procrastinating would inadvertently pass by the Via en route to the Control. If they did this, they would have to skip (not stop for a signature) V1 to avoid receiving a double visit mark (30m). Eleven competitors received a double visit penalty here. Tp16 was located at the old school house in Edergole to avoid a double visit on the way to CB and to get the correct approach (south) competitors had to use a short-overgrown track opposite Edergole Cemetery to drop from the high road to the low road. From this Tp it was over to Tp17 on the R183 at Aghadrumkeen before a six-mile trip to Tp18 at Balladain Bridge. Tp19 at the road island in Agheralane was where the final Supplementary Route Instruction was received. This final instruction was in the form of a clock face tulip diagram and brought crews from Tp19 to V2 and Tp20. All three checkpoints were within a half mile meaning there was only one minute allowed to arrive a V2 and Tp20.  V2 was located in Keenan’s farm in Creeve and was approached via a loop of the farm and departed from via another loop to arrive at Tp20, back on the public road. From here it was over to V3 on the R162 at Carnaveagh before heading to Tp21 approached via a farm lane in Corwillin. The second and last Time Recovery Section took place between Tp22 and Tp23 at Drumfaldra. Aghnamullen five points had to be used three times in quick succession. The first time, it was straight through to Tp 24, then return and turn left for to arrive at Tp25 at the R190. After leaving here, it was back to the five points once more for to travel to Tp26 at the R162 back at Carnaveagh. On leaving Tp26, competitors had to travel to the Latton junction and turn left to approach Tp27 from the correct direction (east) as it was also located on the R262. The final Tp of the night (Tp28) was located back where Tp1 had been located, once here it was the short trip back to the GAA grounds.

 In the end Evin Hughes/Pakie Duffy took a slender 1-mark victory over Conor Boylan/Derek Mackarel. Dereks father Andy and his navigator Greg Shinnors finished 3^rd. In the classes, Elijah and Abraham Dixon finished 3^rd in the Beginner class. Brian Harkin/Jack Brunton finished 2^nd and Jack McKenna/Francie McElvaney finished 1^st in the class.

Gavin O’Donnell/Garry Gallagher finished 3^rd in the Novice class, with Adam Jordan/Aaron Dixon taking 2^nd and Ben Mohan/Damien Hagan winning the class and finishing 10^th overall.

In the Semi-Expert class, Adam Langan/Paddy O’Donnell finished 3^rd, Ciaran Maguire/Mickie McNelis finished 2^nd and Gretchen Swinburne/Martin Swinburne finished 1^st.

 In the Expert Class, 3^rd went to Conor Mohan/Michael Carbin, 2^nd was Greg Shinnors/Andrew Mackarel and winning the class and finishing 2^nd overall was Conor Boylan/Derek Mackarel.

After the awards were presented, Sean and Caolain thanked all the landowners who allowed the event to use their property, all the residents along the route who allowed the event to pass by without issue. They also thanked the many people who appeared on the night to marshal, despite the very bad fog so that the event could take place, as without them the event would have been unable to begin. A special word of thanks went to the caterers who provided all the delicious food after the event so that nobody was going home hungry.

The County Monaghan Motor Club CLG, overall, Traders Championship continues this Saturday with ALMC’s Winter Endurance Tial. The event is based out of Luttrellstown Castle Golf Resort, Castleknock, Co. Dublin. Regulations and Entry are currently available.

Oisín Sherlock

Top 10 Overall

1^st Evin Hughes/Pakie Duffy (Subaru Impreza) 7m,

2^nd Conor Boylan/Derek Mackarel (Subaru Impreza) 8m,

3^rd Greg Shinnors/Andrew Mackarel (Subaru Impreza) 11m,

4^th Conor Mohan/Michael Carbin (Subaru Legacy) 12m,

5^th Gretchen Swinburne/Martin Swinburne (Subaru Impreza) 24m,

6^th Ryan Treanor/Shane Dalton (Subaru Impreza) 27m,

7^th Patrick Corcoran/Patsy McDonagh (Subaru Impreza) 28m,

8^th Aaron McElroy/Declan Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 29m,

9^th Ciaran Maguire/Mickey McNelis (Subaru Impreza) 33m,

10^th Ben Mohan/Damien Hagan (Subaru Impreza 35m.

Jack McKenna, Oisín Sherlock and Ryan Farrell all took part in the JWA Turkey Run Rally on Saturday last. The event was promoted and organised by the Maiden City Motor Club Limited, and all five stages of the event took place in Shackleton, Ballykelly Co. Derry.

The rally consisted of one stage and a repeated run of two further stages. Jack McKenna/Oisín Sherlock took their ex M-Sport Ford WRT, works Ford Fiesta R5 car, home in 13th position overall. Fun fact, Oisín was so excited that he was doing his first Stage Rally of 2024, that he wouldn’t stop talking about ‘Turkey this and Turkey that’, eventually, Jack having heard enough, told him to stop with all the fowl language. Ryan Farrell navigated Chris McGurk to 43rd overall in their Ford Escort MkII.

On Sunday, Cork Motor Club hosted their Boggeragh Rallysprint. Greg Shinnors navigated Mike O’Connor to 9th overall and 1st in class 5A in their Mitsubishi Evo VII.

Co. Cavan Motor Club also organised a loose Surface Autocross on Sunday.

Pierce O’Callaghan finished 1st in class 7C. Paul Lennon finished 8th in class 7A while Johno Doogan finished right behind him in 9th.

Co. Monaghan Motor Club C.L.G would like to wish all its members and their families a wonderful Christmas period and a successful new year. Club membership is currently available for the 2025 season. Membership is available on the club website and Facebook page.

Our first event of the new year will be the January Navigation Trial on Saturday the 11th. Regulations and entry will be available soon.Oisín Sherlock

Monaghan’s Ryan Treanor guided Co. Longford man Shane Dalton to the Carbery Navigation Trial victory on Saturday night last.

Skibbereen and District Car Club hosted the latest round of the National Navigation Championship. The event which was originally due to take place on the 23^rd of November had to be postponed because of a storm. The Trial was organised by Iarla and Eoghan McCarthy. Kilmurry GAA Club was headquarters for this event. The 85-mile event took place between, Kilmurray GAA, Ballineen, Shanlaragh, Kilmichael, Teerelton and Tooms, with a majority of the event taking place in the vicinity of Kilmichael and Teerelton. The event began, just north of Cobblers Crossroads at Timepoint one (Tp1). Next up was Via one (V1), at a road island in Clearagh which had to be approached from the south, meaning traveling a very bumpy private lane in Knockaboy. The Via was strategically positioned as its location on the road island, left it parked unseen on the approach leaving it very easy to miss the turn left into the check point and continuing onward and possibly receiving a double visit if the competitor returned. Public roads between here and to the east of Tooms brought competitors through each of Tp2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The first farm lane of the night was used on the approach to Tp8 in Teerelton. The first Supplementary route instruction was received here to lead competitors to the location of Tp9. The route instruction received here was in the form of a box tulip diagram, with intermediate distance between each junction. It was turn left out of Tp8 drive past the entrance to the farm lane that just after being used for Tp8. Navigators had to warn their drivers to not automatically follow the car in front here. Tp9 was located in a farm yard in Ballina, that was approached and departed from using a series of long farm lanes. On returning to the public road, it was over Ahaclaur bridge and taking yet another farm lane for to reach V2 in the farm yard. On reaching the public road, Tp10 lay a few hundred meters away. The event began to get really tricky here as there was a plethora of the next checkpoints within a few squared kilometres of each other, meaning there was cars traveling in all directions and a slight wrong turn could easily lead crews to arrive at the wrong checkpoint or receiving double visit penalties.  After leaving Tp10, the next road on the left had to be taken as Tp13 lay just around the corner. V3 was up next which was located in a farm at Coolaclevane. A farm lane had to be used over the road from the Via to avoid passing by Tp11 which lay just around the following corner. Tp11 and Control 12 (C12) were both located in Kilmichael. After leaving C12, the next farm lane on the left had to be taken to arrive at Tp13. Tp14 was located out of the area. After leaving here however, the event returned in the direction of Kilmichael for everything between Tp14 and Tp19. This area included four Tp’s and three Via’s. This area also included three supplementary route instructions for the location of V5, Tp18 and V6. The instruction for V5 and Tp18 were received at Tp17. Both instructions here were full grid references typed out in both upper and lower case, mixed and without spaces. Example, Tp18 was as follows TiMePoInTeIgHtEen,tWoSeVeNfOuRpOiNtFiVeSiXfOuRnInEpOiNtFiVe App. SSE (South South East) Dep WSW (West South West). The route instruction for V6 was received at Tp18. Competitors had to use tracing paper for to reveal the route to and the location of the Via. All three previously unknown checkpoints were all on neighbouring roads just to the west of Kilmurray. The checkpoints were laid out in a way that competitors had make sure and not pass by a previous checkpoint on the way to the next one. Tp19 was located to the north west of Shanlaragh. Tp20 and Tp21 just down the road from Tp19, was the location of the second relaxed section of the night and marked the beginning of the Speed Regularity Section. Usually, these sections are set at an average speed of 30mph, but the section this time was set at an average of 28.8mph. The secret check was located at Ahapadeen Cross Roads, before the section ended at C22 at the Ahanasoe Bridge, over the river Blackwater. Tp23 lay a mile away, and was approached by using a farm lane in Ahakeera. Tp25 which was located in Gortaleen, was where the final supplementary route instruction of the night was received for the location of Tp26 and Tp27. The route instruction here was a standard route card, only with the checkpoints out of order and the approach/departure of both Tp’s simply reading ‘Same as Tp??’, meaning competitors had to look and see what the approach/departure was for the particular Tp mentioned. The event then moved north of the R588 for V7 at Aghnaloobaun Bridge. Tp29 was approached using a farm lane in Lackanashinnagh. Something slightly disorientating here was that the farm lane on the map was on the south side of the road. However, the lane had to be entered using an underpass, which meant turning off the road north, turning immediately acute hairpin left and travelling under the public road and travelling south on the cattle track. The event then crossed over the R585 at Moneynacroha Cross Roads where C31was located. The final six Tp’s and penultimate Control were all located on public roads between here, Lisacuddy and Curraghclogh Cross Roads. Tp33 was where the only non-finishing crew on the night stopped. Despite having not picked up a puncture, Oisín Sherlock/Colin Duffy were forced to retire, when mechanical trouble struck their Subaru Impreza.  From the penultimate Control, it was two-mile relaxed road Trip back to the final Control in Kilmurry GAA Hall. When results were totted up, it was a very tight affair. Two crews finished the event acquiring two minutes of lateness over the 85 miles. Ultimately it came down to who got the furthest into the event without being late. Luckily for the Monaghan/Longford duo of Ryan Treanor/Shane Dalton, they got the ‘furthest cleanest’ tiebreak over Denis O’Donovan/Michael ‘Bones’ O’Connor. 3^rd OA went to Patrick Corcoran/Patsy McDonagh, who acquired 5 minutes of lateness. In the classes, it was Denis O’Donovan/Michael ‘Bones’ O’Connor 1^st in the Expert class, Patrick Corcoran/Patsy McDonagh finished 2^nd and Greg Shinnors/Andrew Mackarel 3^rd. Shinnors/Mackarel took a ‘Further cleanest’ tiebreak over Evin Hughes/Pakie Duffy as both crews had finished on 7 marks (penalties). 1^st in the Semi-Expert class went to Stephen and Ray O’Neill. 2^nd went to Ruaidhri Nash/Brian Oakes and 3^rd went to Eoin Longworth/Declan Burke. In the Novice class, it was Derek O’Donoghue/Tony O’Keeffe who finished 1^st. Ciaran and James French secured 2^nd and Kieran Hayes/John Cooney finished 3^rd. In the Beginner class, it was Susan Smyth/Brian Duggan 1^st, Gary Kelleher/Seamus McHugh finished 2^nd, and Becky Hollinshead/David Forde finished 3^rd.

After the awards, Both the OA winners, and the organisers expressed their appreciation to all the landowners and marshals who, without their understanding and help, the events could not take place.

The National Championship resumes on January 18^th with Cork Motor Club’s 1000 Shakes Navigation Trial.

Oisín Sherlock

The 2024 Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards day took place in the Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport Hotel last week.

There were a number of County Monaghan Motor Club members in attendance.

Josh Moffett was the 2024 Triton Showers National Rally Championship winning driver for the fourth year in a row, while Greg Shinnors and Andrew Mackarel were the 2023/24 National Navigation Championship winners.

Andrew’s son Derek and his Co. Cork Navigator, Eamonn Creedon were the 2024 Sligo Pallets Irish Forest Rally Championship, winners for the first time.

Shane and Ciaran Maguire were the 2024 National Endurance Championship, winning crew.

Co. Monaghan Motor Club was awarded a Presidents Award for ‘Youth Encouragement’ in recognition for their work in getting youth involved in the sport.

Club member, and stalwart within the entire motorsport scene, Caroline McGuinness was awarded a prestigious ‘FIA Volunteer pin’ in recognition of her outstanding dedication and commitment to our sport.

Co. Monaghan Motor Club’s 2025 club membership in now available on the club website and Facebook page. The National Navigation Championship continues this weekend with the Skibbereen and District Car Club, Carbery Navigation Trial.