Clon answers West Cork rallying call

A re-invigorated West Cork Rally is in the pipeline after organisers issued a call for fresh support and new ideas for the event.

Over the years the rally, which this year takes place on March 15 and 16, has featured top drivers from Ireland and the UK.

Last year it reached its 35-year milestone, an occasion marked by the publication of a 400 page hardback book depicting the event since its 1977 inception.

However according to John O’Donovan, chairman of the West Cork Rally Clonakilty Committee, now down from an original high of 15 members to just eight, needs a significant boost.

The committee called a public meeting in Clonakilty on Monday night in a bid to attract support from local traders and vintners to help “breathe new life into the committee”.

The meeting was a success and as a result, organisers expect to almost double the size of the group, he said.

Plans to expand the rally locally, and even realise the committee’s long-term ambition to become part of the prestigious Tarmac Rally Championship were now a real possibility, he observed.

Over the years, the committee, which works with the Cork Motor Club to run the event, has been very successful in securing funding and provided manpower to help with the logistics of the event. It also organised side attractions that attracted people into the town.

“Our rallying call was very successful — there was plenty of enthusiasm and ideas. We got great tips and ideas at the meeting.

“Now we have got the support and the manpower and the enthusiasm of the town and the people who have come on board the committee,” he said. “We had a concern if there was too much complacency and it was taken for granted that it would not be as successful as it had been before.”