Tributes for 'inspirational' rally star Sarah Purcell

The Slieverue native passed away at 38 years of age this week.

Sun, 07 May, 2023 - 16:15

Martin Walsh

Described as “an inspirational figure” Mallow native Sarah Purcell (nee Moynihan) was laid to rest on Sunday afternoon following her death last Friday in Marymount Hospice after a brief illness bravely borne.

Sarah (38), who lived in Drundowney, Slieverue on the Waterford/Kilkenny border was a talented rally driver, making her rallying debut in 2004 at the Killarney Rally of the Lakes.

To illustrate her sister Sandra’s description and despite failing health, Sarah took a Skoda Fabia R5 to twelfth overall in the Circuit of Munster last June, indeed, were it not for the implementation of a scratch time for one stage, she would have taken seventh place.

A member of the well-known Moynihan family, Sarah, co-driven by her sister Amy, she took her first class win in the 2004 Garda Single Stage Rally in Baltinglass. The sisters continued to rally a Nissan Micra until 2006 culminating with a Class 5 victory in the Marine Hotel Fastnet Rally in west Cork.

Such was her prowess as a driver, the stage times of her male rivals was Sarah’s first question at the end of the rally stages, often beating more experienced campaigners.

Aboard a Peugeot 206 XSi Sarah and Amy went on to take a class award at the National Rally Championship before switching to a Mitsubishi Lancer E9 where Sarah also showed her talent on gravel rallies.

Following her diagnosis in August 2021, Sarah remained determined and realised one of her ambitions to drive an R5 car. But, it wasn’t just a box ticking exercise, she performed with the zest and ultimate commitment that was part of her character.

In her eulogy, her sister Sandra said, “She was an amazing mother, daughter, wife and sister. Family was everything to her. She beat all the stereotypes firstly by changing tyres on the truck from a young age with Mam, Dad and David (her brother) by her side and graduating as a forester like her granddad even completing a tree climbing and chainsaw course and showing her talent as a rally driver.”

She added, “We all know Sarah was obsessed with motorsport. It was a wonder the doctors could read her blood tests as rallying ran through her veins. She found her kindred spirit in Andrew (her husband). Her humour always showed, even on her worst days she’d find something funny. She was late for everything. You’d give her an earlier time to be somewhere just to hope she’d arrive on time. Unfortunately, today is a day she definitely arrived too early for.”

Following her Requiem Mass in the Church of the Assumption, Slieverue, Sarah was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery on Sunday afternoon. She is survived by her husband Andrew, children Zoey, Callum and Ally, parents, Philip and Riona, brother David, sisters Susan, Amy, Sandra and Ellie and her extended family, friends and the motorsport community.