Strong local entry for 40th Galway International Rally

Date Published: {J}

THE Safety Direct Galway International Rally will come under starter’s orders this weekend with events taking place from Friday to Sunday to mark the 40th year of one of the most prestigious races on the motoring calendar.

The village of Oranmore will be alive for the rally weekend with a free family Rally Festival. The Ceremonial Start will take place in the heart of the village on Friday 4th at 7.30pm with music on the stage by All-Ireland Talent Show finalists ‘Jacks Angels’ and friends from 6pm.

Headquarters for the event is the Clayton Hotel in Ballybrit. The rally service park for the following two days, Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th of February, will be in the Oran Precast premises in Oranmore where the cars and teams will be based.

Sunday evening will see the winning crews return to Oranmore for the finish ceremony from approximately 4pm when ‘Jacks Angels’ will again provide entertainment. Admission to all events is free and there will be free face painting at both the start and finish ceremonies, free family entertainment and the opportunity for photos and autographs.

2011 will be the 40th anniversary of the first ever Galway International Rally which took place in 1971. This year is also the 21st anniversary of the Galway Historic Rally. To honour the occasion, Galway Motor Club intends to highlight the historical aspect of their event by running the Historic Rally cars ahead of the main field on selected stages of the event.

The route on Saturday, February 5, consists of three loops of stages in the Woodlawn and Monivea areas of East Galway. The route on Sunday, February 6, comprises two loops of stages in the Headford area.

Entries have been received from worldwide. Vincente Frontinan, originally from the Azores but living in Boston will compete in the Historic section of the rally in a Mini Cooper S. He will be joined by Boston based Galwayman Frank Cunningham driving a Mark 1 Escort. Frank has rallied extensively in the United States and Europe.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.