Rally Ireland 2005 details announced

Details have been announced of this year's Rally Ireland, to take place in the north west on Saturday and Sunday, October 15 and 16.

The ceremonial start of the rally will take place in Sligo on Friday, October 14 at 9pm. The rally will begin at 8am on Saturday, October 15, just south of Colgagh Lough outside Sligo city.

The first leg of the rally will comprise six stages on tarmac in counties Sligo and Leitrim.

The 20km first stage (Isle of Innishfree Easterly) will take competitors around Lough Gill and finish in Cartron Forest. Isle of Innishfree will be run in a westerly direction as the last stage (sixth stage) on Saturday, as the cars return to Sligo for the night.

The 25km second (and fourth) stage (Lough Melvin 1 & 2) starts just west of Manorhamilton and will take drivers around Dough Mountain, along the Owenbeg and Ballagh rivers, past Rossinver and up to the shores of Lough Melvin.

The 22km third (and fifth) stage (Glenboy 1 & 2) will start at Glenfarne and bring drivers through East Barrs, Glenboy and on to just north of Killarga.

On Sunday, October 16, starting in Enniskillen Airport at 8am, the second leg will also comprise six stages and will take place on gravel in county Fermanagh forests.

The 15km seventh (and tenth) stage (Lough Navar 1 & 2) will take place in Navar Forest beside Lower Lough Erne.

The 25km ninth (and twelfth) stage (Ballintempo 1 & 2) will start in Carrigan Forest and take drivers through Ballintempo Forest to Tullynacor on Upper Macrean Lough. The twelfth stage (Ballintempo 2) will also take place over 25km in the Carrigan and Ballintempo forests.

The short eighth and eleventh stages will be run in the Conagher forest, but there is no access for spectators or media.