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The McKelvey Construction Bushwhacker Rally took place last weekend. The Omagh Motor Club organised event was the latest round in the 2025 Sligo Pallets Irish Forest Rally Championship.

The event consisted of ten stages based in three separate forests in Co. Tyrone. The threes forests were, Killeter, Carrickaholten, and Lough Bradan.

Monaghan Motor Club member Patrick O’Brien alongside his brother Stephen took the overall win once again and made it five wins in a row on the ‘Whacker’.

The event got underway on Friday night with four special stages taking place under the cover of darkness. The 11.75km ‘Lough Braden’ special stage began the event, before a regroup in Castlederg followed by the 9.82km of ‘Killeter 1’, and the 8.29km of ‘Carrickaholten 1’. A second pass of the 11.75km ‘Lough Braden 2’ brough the opening Friday night to a finish. At the end of the opening four stages,

Patrick and Stephen held a 12.7s advantage over fellow Monaghan Motor Club member Cathan McCourt with Barry McNulty. Patrick and Cathan were competing in a pair of Škoda Fabia’s. Patrick in an R5 and Cathan in a RS Rally2 version.  The same stages were used on day two. Both ‘Lough Braden’ and ‘Carrickaholten’ were ran in reverse, while ‘Killeter’ was ran in the same direction but with a change to the middle and with a different finish.

At the end of Saturdays six special stages, Patrick and Stephen took a 1:57.6s victory over Conor McCourt and Caolan McKenna. Cathan and Barry were hampered late on with mechanical problems. Arthur Kierans guided Brendan Cumiskey to 9^th overall in a VW Polo R5. Derek Mackarel/Eamonn Creedan finished right behind them in 10^th overall. Gary McCrudden guided Alan Smyth 25^th overall in their Ford Escort MKII, and Paul McPhillips guided Cian Caldwell to 33^rd overall in their Peugeot 208 Rally4. Conor Boylan, navigating for Adam Semple retired on the final stage because of damage to the rear axle.

Co. Cavan Motor Club hosted a Loose Surface Autocross on Sunday in their venue at Hut-Cross at Latton.

Johno Doogan put in a late entry and took his Semog buggy home in 4^th place and 1^st in Class 7C.

Paul McPhillips, put his Bushwhacker adventure behind him and took his Speedcar buggy home in 10^th place.

Conor Boylan blew off the disappointment of retiring on the final stage on the Bushwhacker by taking his Semog buggy home in 13^th overall and 3^rd in Class 7A.

Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG, have launched a new club App. The App will be the go-to location for all your motor club information. To download the App, just search ‘Monaghan Motor Club’ on your ‘Android’ or Apple’ device’s, App store. This App is for everyone; it is not just for club members and competitors.

 Oisín Sherlock.

Johno Doogan and his navigator Paul Lennon were the top placed Co. Monaghan Motor Club members on the GRP4 Fabrications Thomond Mini Stages Rally 2025, which took place last weekend. The Limerick Motor Club event consisted of three separate special stages; each ran twice for a total of six stages. Johno and Paul finished the event in 3^rd place overall (OA), in their Class 14 Ford Escort MKII.

John McQuaid and Thomas Treanor finished in 9^th place OA and 6^th in Class 14. Paul Kelly navigated Paul Purtill to 11^th OA and 1^st in Class 13.

Killian McArdle navigating for Michael Cahill finished the event in 6^th place, and 3^rd in class, but unfortunately, they were excluded from the results following a Stewards decision.

Domhnall Lennon navigating for Martin Toner failed to finish the event following an ‘Off’ on SS3. Despite the ‘off’ they lads hope to be back competing in Clare.

In the Munster Endurance Trial, Evin Hughes guided Karl O’Donoghue to 3^rd OA, 24s in arrears of the overall winners Danial Buckley/Conor Lennon. Karl and Evin were seeded Car 1, for this event.

Conor Boylan was competing in the 5^th round of the Buggy Ireland Championship last weekend. The 5^th round took place on the site of the former RAF Long Kesh (Maze, Lisburn). Conor took his Semog buggy home in 41^st position OA. Conor had an eventful day, as he was forced into a five-mile excursion in order to find a ‘man with welder’, following an argument with a fence which broke a part of the gear linkage.  Conor informed me that Thomas Wedlock has an excellent photo of him sitting on a rear wheel looking sad, as he waited for a tow back to the pits. 

Former members of Co. Monaghan Motor Club, Daniel McKenna and Andrew Grennan were competing in the recent ALMC Hellfire Stages Rally 2025. Daniel and Andrew took their iconic Ford Escort MKII (The same car in which they won the Monaghan Stages Rally 2012 in) home in 12^th OA and 1^st in Class 14.

You may remember the video of Daniels father Eamonn running and skipping up the road in Ballinode village on hearing the news that Daniel had won the Monaghan 2012 event. Daniel and Andrew plan to do the Cork 20 and Killarney Historic Rally before the years end.

 Navigation Classes

Monaghan Motor Club CLG will be holding Navigation Trial classes very soon for any person interested in beginning to compete in Motorsport, or would like a refresher course. The classes will last for five weeks and will conclude on the week of the first navigation event of the season. The first event will be hosted by Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG. More details will be available soon. Any interested persons can contact Ciaran Tynan on +353877827918 or email oisinsherlock97@gmail.com to register. Co. Monaghan Motor Club are hosting an Autotest event on Sunday September 7th. Regulations and Entry will be available very soon.

Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG, have just launched a new club App. The App will be the go-to location for all your motor club information. To download the App, just search ‘Monaghan Motor Club’ on your ‘Android’ or Apple’ device’s, App store. This App is for everyone; it is not just for club members and competitors.

Oisín Sherlock.

The McKelvey Construction Bushwhacker Rally took place last weekend.

The Omagh Motor Club organised event was the latest round in the 2025 Sligo Pallets Irish Forest Rally Championship.

The event consisted of ten stages based in three separate forests in Co. Tyrone. The threes forests were, Killeter, Carrickaholten, and Lough Bradan.

Monaghan Motor Club member Patrick O’Brien alongside his brother Stephen took the overall win once again and made it five wins in a row on the ‘Whacker’.

event got underway on Friday night with four special stages taking place under the cover of darkness. The 11.75km ‘Lough Braden’ special stage began the event, before a regroup in Castlederg followed by the 9.82km of ‘Killeter 1’, and the 8.29km of ‘Carrickaholten 1’.

A second pass of the 11.75km ‘Lough Braden 2’ brough the opening Friday night to a finish. At the end of the opening four stages, Patrick and Stephen held a 12.7s advantage over fellow Monaghan Motor Club member Cathan McCourt with Barry McNulty. Patrick and Cathan were competing in a pair of Škoda Fabia’s. Patrick in an R5 and Cathan in a RS Rally2 version. 

The same stages were used on day two. Both ‘Lough Braden’ and ‘Carrickaholten’ were ran in reverse, while ‘Killeter’ was ran in the same direction but with a change to the middle and with a different finish. At the end of Saturdays six special stages, Patrick and Stephen took a 1:57.6s victory over Conor McCourt and Caolan McKenna. Cathan and Barry were hampered late on with mechanical problems. Arthur Kierans guided Brendan Cumiskey to 9^th overall in a VW Polo R5. Derek Mackarel/Eamonn Creedan finished right behind them in 10^th overall. Gary McCrudden guided Alan Smyth 25^th overall in their Ford Escort MKII, and Paul McPhillips guided Cian Caldwell to 33^rd overall in their Peugeot 208 Rally4. Conor Boylan, navigating for Adam Semple retired on the final stage because of damage to the rear axle.

Co. Cavan Motor Club hosted a Loose Surface Autocross on Sunday in their venue at Hut-Cross at Latton.

Johno Doogan put in a late entry and took his Semog buggy home in 4^th place and 1^st in Class 7C. Paul McPhillips, put his Bushwhacker adventure behind him and took his Speedcar buggy home in 10^th place. Conor Boylan blew off the disappointment of retiring on the final stage on the Bushwhacker by taking his Semog buggy home in 13^th overall and 3^rd in Class 7A.

Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG, have launched a new club App. The App will be the go-to location for all your motor club information. To download the App, just search ‘Monaghan Motor Club’ on your ‘Android’ or Apple’ device’s, App store. This App is for everyone; it is not just for club members and competitors.

 Oisín Sherlock.

There was a school of Mackarel on the winners list of the Co. Monaghan Motor Club Autotest last weekend.

This year’s event once again took place in the yard of McAree Engineering in Ballinode Village.

Following on from his victory last year, Derek Mackarel again took his Toyota Starlet to 1st place overall. Dereks father Andrew finished closely behind, driving the same Toyota Starlet and completing the course in 2nd place and he also took 1st in Class 2. Michael Carbin driving a similar Toyota Starlet finished his event with 2nd in Class 2. Damien Treanor who was driving the same car as Michael, finished 3rd in Class 2. Aaron McElroy making his driving debut took his ‘under the weather’ Toyota Starlet to 1st in Class 3. Brothers, Ryan and Eoghán Farrell failed to finish after a drive shaft in their Honda Civic broke on the first test of the day.

Both the Clerk of the Course, Ciaran Tynan and the winner Derek Mackarel thanked McAree Engineering for allowing their venue to be used and all the officials who manned the two tests and braved the terrible weather to make the event a success. The ‘School’ pun doesn’t really work when there was only two Mackerels, How and ever, there it is.

Wexford Stages Rally 2025
Paul McPhillips guided Cian Caldwell to 17th overall and 1st in Class 2 onboard their Peugeot 208 Rally4. Daniel McConnon navigated Gavin McGivney to 38th overall in their Ford Escort MKII. Justin Smyth and Ciaran McGorman took their MKII Escort home in 44th overall and 3rd in Class 12.
Unfortunately, Killian McArdle who was navigating for Joesph Kelly failed to finish the event after they got stuck in a ditch on SS12. Though there was little damage, they were unable to continue in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Nigel and Ryan Brennan had to retire their Honda Civic after SS10.

Armstrong Galloway Hills Rally 2025
Arthur Kierans navigated Barry McKenna to 4th overall in their Ford Fiesta Rally2. They were as high as 2nd overall, but ran into issues on SS3 ‘Craignell 2’.

Narooma Forest Rally 2025.
In the land down under, Macartan (Mac) Kierans was navigating for Harry Bates in the The Auz/Irish duo were competing in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Of the events nine special stages, totalling 175km of gravel roads, Harry and Mac won eight of them and secured the outright victory.

Stephen Wright, Sam Moffett, Aaron and Darragh Evans were all competing in Mondello Park last weekend. Stephen and Sam were competing in Round 4 of the SEAT Supercup Ireland Championship. In Race 1, Stephen finished in 3rd place while newbie Sam finished in 5th place.

On that opening race, Stephen set the 2nd fastest lap time just 0.17s shy of fastest. In Race 2, Stephen finished in 4th place but set the fastest lap time. Sam finished in 13th place.

Bill Griffin Motors Irish Strykers Championship
Meanwhile Aaron and Darragh were competing in Round 4 of the. In Race 1, Aaron finished 6th and Darragh finished 8th. In Race 2, Aaron finished 7th and Darragh finished 9th. Aaron was driving a 1800cc Stryker while Darragh was driving a 1600cc version of the Stryker.

Tullyallen Kart Club
Bobby Connolly was competing in round 7 of the championship over the weekend. This event took place at Pallas Karting Galway. In the Cadet Iame Qualifying race Bobby finished in 2nd place, just 0.059s in arrears of fastest after the six laps. In Race 2, the Cadet Iame Heat 1, Bobby again finished in 2nd place, this time 6.761s down on fastest after the ten laps. In Race 10, the Cadet Iame Heat 2, Bobby finished in 3rd place after the ten laps. In Race 18, the Cadet Iame Final, Bobby finished in 2nd place, 1.779s in arrears of the winning driver.

The 2025 Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship points were declared final on Monday.

Michael Conlon and Adam Langan are this year’s champions finishing on the maximum of 40 points each. There was a tiebreaker for the driver’s championship, as both Michael and Jack Brunton finished on 40 points. Michael won this tiebreaker as he scored 10 points on the Hotel Kilmore Cavan Stages Rally, compared to Jack’s 4. No tiebreak was required for the Navigators Championship as the next best to Adam was on 38 points. Josh Moffett finished 2nd in Class 5. Peter and Eoghán Farrell finished 3rd in Class 10. Jack Maguire/Keith McConnon finished 3rd in Class 11F and James McCarville finished 4th driver in Class 13, while Arthur Kierans finished 2nd navigator.
Monaghan Motor Club CLGs Navigation Trial classes continue this Friday. The classes are for any person interested in beginning to compete in Motorsport, or would like a refresher course. The classes will last for three more weeks (every Friday) and will conclude on the week of the first navigation event of the season. The classes are taking place in the Aughnamullen GAA Centre, A75 CY82 at 7pm. Places are still available. The first competitive navigation event of the season will be hosted by Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG. More details will be available soon. Any person interested in the classes can contact Ciaran Tynan on +353877827918 or email oisinsherlock97@gmail.com to register.
Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG, have launched a new club App. The App will be the go-to location for all your motor club information. To download the App, just search ‘Monaghan Motor Club’ on your ‘Android’ or Apple’ device’s, App store. This App is for everyone; it is not just for club members and competitors.
Oisín Sherlock.

Michael Conlon and Adam Langan are provisionally the 2025 Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship winners following the final round in Co. Clare last weekend.

Amazingly, Michael and Adam finished 1^st in Class 12 on all five rounds of the championship.

On this particular event, Michael and Adam finished 11^th overall after the nine special stages onboard their Ford Escort MKII.  

Also in the event, Paul McPhillips guided Cian Caldwell to 9^th overall and 1^st in Class 2. Father and son team Peter and Eoghán Farrell finished 54^th overall and 3^rd in Class 10.

Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty retired after SS3 while in 3^rd position overall. Jack Maguire and Keith McConnon also retired after SS3.

JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion

Held in Wales last weekend, Killian McArdle guided Joseph Kelly to 16^th overall, 3^rd in Class RC4 and 2^nd in the Great Britain Junior category.

Trailer Parts & Spares Lakeland Stages Rally

Also held last weekend, Patrick and Stephen O’Brien took the victory in their Škoda Fabia R5. Cathan McCourt and Barry McNulty finished in 2^nd place onboard a RS Rally2 version of the Škoda Fabia.

Derek Mackarel and Eamonn Creedon took their Ford Fiesta R5 to 9^th place.

Gary McCrudden navigating for Alan Smyth retired after SS6. Former club member Andrew Grennan navigating for Vivian Hamill retired on SS4.

Autotest

The County Monaghan Motor Club CLG are hosting an Autotest event on Sunday September 14^th.

The event will count as Round 5 of the 2024/25 CMMC Championship. Ciaran Tynan has organised the tests in the yard of McAree Engineering in Ballinode village. Regulations and Entry are available now.

Navigation Classes & App

Monaghan Motor Club CLGs Navigation Trial classes continue this Friday. The classes are for any person interested in beginning to compete in Motorsport, or would like a refresher course. The classes will last for four more weeks (every Friday) and will conclude on the week of the first navigation event of the season. The classes will take place in the Aughnamullen GAA Centre, A75 CY82 at 7pm. Places are still available. The first competitive navigation event of the season will be hosted by Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG. More details will be available soon. Any person interested in the classes can contact Ciaran Tynan on +353877827918 or email oisinsherlock97@gmail.com to register.

Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG, have just launched a new club App. The App will be the go-to location for all your motor club information. To download the App, just search ‘Monaghan Motor Club’ on your ‘Android’ or Apple’ device’s, App store. This App is for everyone; it is not just for club members and competitors.

Oisín Sherlock.