JUNIOR WORLD RALLY CHAMPION COMING
William Creighton, the podium finisher in West Cork on St. Patrick’s weekend and the current Junior World Rally Champion is the latest signing for Déjà vu North West ’24. The 26 year old driver from Moira in County Antrim will be stepping back in time when he swaps his state-of-the-art WRC Rally2 Ford Fiesta for his Dad’s 1965 Mk 1 Lotus Cortina on the great rally reunion that will be based in Sligo over the 26-27-28 April weekend.
William’s prize for winning the FIA Junior World title last year was four paid rounds in the WRC’s Rally2 category with M-Sport UK, along with 200 tyres supplied by Pirelli. That programme has now been boosted by the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy to all seven rounds of the WRC2 series and the six rounds of the British Rally Championship.
“2024 is going to be hectic. I will have already completed the Swedish Rally, the West Cork Rally, the North West Stages, Severn Valley Stages and Rally Croatia by the time I roll up in Sligo in the Cortina. As a family, we really enjoy the Déjà vu Motorsport weekends. No pressure, no pace and time to take in the scenery. Quite a difference from the WRC!”, said Ireland’s rising star.
SLIGO CARS
On the car front there is plenty of Sligo interest. A trio of 1275 GT Mini Clubmen cars from the 1960s will be driven by the well-known Sligo rally man John Armstrong and a fellow Sligo enthusiast Alister Kee, and the third Mini man is John Kelly from Ballyshannon. Armstrong and Kelly are regular Déjà vu Motorsport entrants in their distinctive yellow and blue cars.
Then from the Group B supercars of the 1980s we have Barry Foley’s fabulous Metro 6R4 and Ferlin Taylor’s Peugeot T16 replica. Tommy Mullen will be in his 2000 Subaru Impreza, George Sherlock his 2005 BMW M3, and Martin Reilly brings us into the modern era with his 2021 Paddy Hopkirk commemorative Mini, the car that carries the great Irish driver’s signature on its bonnet.
All the proceeds from Déjà vu North West ‘24 go to the bereaved families of Gene McDonald and Daire Maguire, the driver and co-driver who so tragically lost their lives on the Sligo Stages Rally on Sunday the 16th July 2023.
Déjà vu North West ’24 is supported by FAAC Simply automatic, Sligo Pallets, Devaney Recovery Services and SF Engineering and it is jointly organised by RPM Déjà vu Motorsport Ltd. and the Connacht Motor Club.
RPM Dèjà vu Motorsport contacts:
Alan (Plum) Tyndall 0044 7887827150 alan@rpm-motorsport.com
Alan Graham 0044 7802875808
Connacht Motor Club contact:
Robert Lyttle 00353 874184993 robertlyttle52@gmail.com
A FATHER AND SON LEGACY
Two British Championship Legacys, rallied by two World Champions, will be driven by two generations of Kellys. Photo. The Stables.
Donagh and Eamonn Kelly will be opening ‘The Stables’ doors to release two British Rally Championship winning Subaru Legacys for Déjà vu North West ’24 on the 27th. April. They are the Rothmans car in which Colin McRae won the British series on 1991 and the Elonex livered machine that brought Richard Burns the title in 1993.
Both drivers would become World Rally Champions and the father and son Kelly combination at the wheel of these four-wheel-drive fire-spitting pieces of rally history also have an illustrious past and a very promising future in the sport.
Donagh Kelly, (in the McRae Rothmans Legacy), was the Irish Tarmac and National Rally Champion in 2015 and a five-time winner of the West Cork Rally, and his son Eamonn Kelly, (in the Burns Elonex Legacy), the British Junior Rally Champion in 2022, a WRC3 winner in Croatia in 2023 and a podium finisher in the recent Junior World Rally Championship round in Sweden.
The Kelly’s will be making a home call at their Frosses motor museum in south Donegal halfway through the tour, when the highlight for the 150 entrants on the non-competitive run will be a lunch halt at The Stables Motorsports Centre.
All the proceeds from Déjà vu North West ‘24 go to the bereaved families of the driver and co-driver who so tragically lost their lives on the Sligo Stages Rally last July. And the public will be able to support that appeal by buying a Souvenir Programme (€15.00), which will be on sale from the end of March at various outlets, at the start and finish of the Saturday run and at Sligo Airport on Sunday morning. You will also be able to buy it online at www.rpm-motorsport.com/tours.
Déjà vu North West ’24 is supported by FAAC Simply automatic, Sligo Pallets, Devaney Recovery Services, Martin Reilly Motors and SF Engineering and jointly organised by RPM Déjà vu Motorsport Ltd. and the Connacht Motor Club.
‘FLYING FINN’ FOR SLIGO
Rauno Aaltonen, one of the original ‘Flying Finns’, the Finish drivers who dominated world rallying in the 1960’s, 70’s and into the ‘80s, will be the star guest at Déjà vu North West ’24 on the 26-27-28 April.
THE MAN
Rauno started rally, like many Scandinavians, in Saab 93s bringing a new style of left-foot-braking and a new language of “yumps’, and “maximum attack” to the sport. But Rauno was nothing if not versatile behind the wheel as he won the Finish 1,000 Lakes Rally in an enormous Mercedes-Benz 2220 SE saloon in 1961.
However, it was in the minute BMC Minis that the man from Turku earned his place in the Rallying Hall of Fame. He joined the legendry trio of Timo Makinen and Paddy Hopkirk in the BMC Team in 1962 and was leading the Monte Carlo Rally when he rolled out in the dying stages.
The Minis made their mark on the ‘Monte’ when Paddy won in 1964 and Timo lead Rauno and Paddy across the line in 1965 before the French controversially threw out the three Cooper S’s on a technicality over their headlights.
1965 however was a good year for Rauno as he won seven rallies, enough to make him the European Rally Champion.
THE CAR
Rauno will be driving a Mini Cooper S, that is an exact replica of the works Minis rallied by the BMC Team in the 1960’s. The car owned by Dr. Beatty Crawford, the Déjà vu Motorsport co-founder, is a copy of Paddy Hopkirk’s winning 1964 Monte Carlo Rally car right down to the fag packet on the parcel shelf! Beatty who is a former Circuit of Ireland Rally winner, will be guiding the famous Finn over the Rally Ireland stages.
The Déjà vu North West ’24 run will start at the Sligo Retail Park at 9.30am. on Saturday 27th. April and finish in O’Connell’s Street Sligo at 4.00pm. that afternoon.
CHARITY
All the proceeds from Déjà vu North West ‘24 go to the bereaved families of Gene McDonald and Daire Maguire, the driver and co-driver who so tragically lost their lives on the Sligo Stages Rally on Sunday the 16th. July 2023.
SUPPORT
And you will be able to support that appeal by buying a Souvenir Programme (€15.00) which will be on sale from the end of March at various outlets, at the start and finish of the Saturday run and at Sligo Airport on Sunday morning. You will also be able to buy it online at www.rpm-motorsport.com/tours.
Déjà vu North West ’24 is supported by FAAC Simply automatic, Sligo Pallets, Devaney Recovery Services, and SF Engineering and jointly organised by RPM Déjà vu Motorsport Ltd. and the Connacht Motor Club.
BECS FOR DÉJÀ VU NORTH WEST ‘24
Becs Williams, the World Rally Championship reporter and commentator, will be fitting Déjà vu North West ’24 into her busy schedule between her Croatia and Portuguese World Rally Championship commitments for Sky TV this spring.
“I started my motorsport broadcasting career reporting on Formula Ford and the Ford Fiesta Zetec Challenge and then I worked on the British Touring Car Championship and the British Rally Championship and eventually the World Rally Chhampionship, which is where I have always wanted to be.” Said the Welsh lady who has made a name for herself with her cheerful and knowledgeable reporting.
Becs is no stranger to Irish rallying having worked on the television coverage of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship in the recent past and she will be hosting the sell-out Déjà vu North West ’24 Gala Dinner on the 27th. April at the Sligo Park Hotel.
“We are thrilled that Becs will be with us for the big rally reunion and for the Gala Dinner, which is always one of the highlights of our Déjà vu weekends.” Said Alan (Plum) Tyndall and Alan Graham, RPM DJV’s Co-Directors.
Déjà vu North West ’24 is supported by FAAC Simply automatic, Sligo Pallets, and Devaney Recovery Services, CBM Signs, and SF Engineering and jointly organised by RPM Déjà vu Motorsport Ltd. and the Connacht Motor Club.
All proceeds go to Rallying Friends supporting the Maguires and the McDonald families who were bereaved when Gene McDonald and Daire Maguire, the driver and co-driver on the Sligo Stages Rally on Sunday the 16th. July 2023, who so tragically lost their lives.
DÉJÀ VU SUPER SUNDAY
SLIGO AIRPORT SUNDAY 28th. April 10am. to 12.30am.
Why’s Déjà vu North West ’24 listed as taking place over three days, many Déjàvuers have been asking? Well now all can now be revealed!
‘The SF Planes, Cars & Coffee extension to the Déjà vu Motorsport weekend promises to be sensational. First there will be the Déjà vu rally cars, a panorama of competition machines ranging from the Mini Coopers, Saabs and Renault Alpines of the ‘60s and ‘70s; the Ford Escorts, Opel Mantas, and Porsches, of the ’80; the Subarus and Toyotas of the 90s, and the WRC Fords and Subarus right up to the latest R5 and WRC cars.
Add to that a selection of Super and Classic cars and you will have a wonderland of vehicles from many ages, but that’s only the half of it, as these four-wheeled treasures will be joined by multiple high-flyers from all over the land at the Sunday morning Breakfast Fly-in.
Weather permitting the landing strip will be lined by a delectable selection of classic aircraft of many types and sizes to complete a wonderful morning of nostalgia in Strandhill.
SF ENGINEERING SUPPORT
The SF Planes, Cars & Coffee morning is being sponsored by SF Engineering, the County Sligo based engineering and consultancy company that provides factory and production line solutions to food processors across the globe.
SF Engineering, whose head office is in Grange with a further manufacturing and engineering facility in Cambridgeshire, provide cutting edge solutions for the food industry that improve productivity, product quality, worker safety, environmental sustainability, and business profitability.
“We are delighted to be associated with RPM Motorsport’s Déjà vu North West 24 event, and we are looking forward to the excitement it will bring to our County.
It's our 40th anniversary this year and throughout our history, we have proudly supported motorsport in Ireland. This event is a new motorsport innovation that will offer something for everyone across the whole weekend.
Déjà vu North West 24 is also particularly special as the proceeds are going to the McDonald and Maguire families following their tragic loss in the 2023 Sligo Stages Rally. It's a privilege to be involved.”
Seamus Farrell SF Engineering’s Managing Director.
When the cars leave the Finish of the tour in O’Connell Street on Saturday afternoon they will be directed to Sligo Airport where they will be securely parked overnight. A series of shuttle buses, sponsored by MARTIN REILLY MOTORS will then transport the entrants from the airport to the Sligo Retail Park and the Sligo Park Hotel from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.
The same MARTIN REILLY MOTORS bus service will be available from the Sligo Park Hotel to Sligo Airport between 9.00am and 11.00on on Sunday morning.
“This exciting addition to our normal programme has been made possible by Sligo Airport and the support of SF Engineering. What a ‘Déjà vu’ occasion it will to see the competition cars and planes of yesteryear together on Sunday morning.”
Alan (Plum) Tyndall & Alan Graham, joint RPM DJV Directors.
SF PLANES, CARS & COFFEE ADMISSION
Admission to SF Planes, Cars and Coffee is by a copy of the Déjà vu North West ’24 Souvenir Programme (€15.00) which will be on sale at various outlets from the beginning of April (locations to be advised); at the Donegal Town Stop and the Sligo Finish on Saturday afternoon; and at Sligo Airport in Strandhill on Sunday morning. Entrance to the usual Sunday Market and for Children is free.
All the proceeds from Déjà vu North West ‘24 go to the bereaved families of Gene McDonald and Daire Maguire, the driver and co-driver who so tragically lost their lives on the Sligo Stages Rally on Sunday the 16th. July 2023.
Déjà vu North West ’24 is supported by FAAC Simply automatic, Sligo Pallets, and Devaney Recovery Services and jointly organised by RPM Déjà vu Motorsport Ltd. and the Connacht Motor Club.
MATTHEW WILSON FOR DÉJÀ VU NORTH WEST ‘24
Matthew Wilson winner of the WRC Pilot event in 2005 will return to Sligo in April.
Photo. ECP/RallyRetro.
‘Firing up the Rally Ireland Memories’ is the theme of the Sligo based rally re-union on the 26-27-28 April. It is appropriate therefore that Mathew Wilson, the man who started the Rally Ireland ball rolling in 2005 by winning the Pilot event for the two WRC visits, will be one of RPM Déjà vu Motorsport’s guests at the big spring event.
Matthew, (whose family run M-Sport), won the first Rally Ireland test event over the Sligo, Fermanagh and Donegal stages in an Eddie Stobart backed Ford Fiesta WRC two years before the World Rally Championship arrived in the west. He then went on to compete in over eighty World Rally Championship events.
But Matthew will not be so keen to be reminded about his 2006 Irish visit to the Donegal International Rally when his Ford Focus plunged backwards over a cliff on the Knockalla Stage and then fell down a ravine before landing in Lough Swilly some sixty feet below.
Matthew and his co-driver Michael Orr were frightened but unharmed a testament to the strength of the M-Sport preparation.
Many of the Déjà vu North West ’24 stages should be familiar to the younger Wilson as he took part in both of the Irish World Rally Championship rounds, finishing seventh on both occasions.
M-SPORT AUCTION PRIZE
M-Sport are donating a spectacular prize for the highest bidder in the charity auction at the sell-out Déjà vu Gala Dinner. The top bid will win a tour for two of the M-Sport Headquarters at Daventry Hall on the edge of the UNESCO English Lake District.
There they will see the Ford Puma Rally 1 cars being prepared for the World Rally Championship and the powerful racing Bentley Continental GT3’s that M-Sport also build.
The prize also includes a high-speed run around the M-Sport Test Track in a rally prepared Ford driven by one of M-Sport’s professional drivers.
RALLYING FRIENDS All proceeds from Déjà vu North West ’24 go to the McDonald and Maguire families who so tragically lost Gene McDonald and Dáire Maguire while taking part in the Sligo Rally in July 2023.
NOTE All entries and dinner tickets for Déjà vu North West ’24 have now been taken.
SUPPORT GROWS AS ENTRIES CLOSE
RPM Déjà vu Motorsport and the Connacht Motor Club announce additional support for Déjà vu North West ’24, (26-27-28 April 2024), as the entries for the great rally reunion reach their maximum capacity of 140 crews and 300 places at the Gala Dinner.
Sligo Pallets and Devaney Recovery Services have joined the title sponsor FAAC Simply automatic in their support of the event at the end of April which has now reached its maximum entry with almost three months still to go.
Sligo Pallets who are experts in the supply and manufacturing of pallets have been supporters of Irish rallying for a number of years. They have sponsored the Border Tarmac Rally Championship since 2011 and in 2023 announced a three-year deal as the title sponsors of the all-Ireland Forestry Rally Championship.
“We are delighted to extend our support to Déjà vu North West ’24 as it is wonderful to have this prestigious event in the Sligo area and we are particularly pleased that all the proceeds are going to the Maguire and McDonald families.” Said Andrew Mullen Sligo Pallet’s Managing Director and a passionate supporter of the sport.
Devaney Recovery Services are a Sligo based recovery business who are contracted to all the main distributors and the leading insurance companies. Peter Devaney competed in rallying in the 1980s and in Rally Ireland, so it is appropriate that his local business is supporting the event that is ‘firing up the memories’ of the times when the World Rally Championship came to Sligo.
Sligo Pallets and Devaney Recovery Services join the Connacht Motor Club’s long- time supporter Ciaran Phelan whose company National Automation Limited is Déjà vu North West ‘24’s title sponsor under their brand FAAC Simply Automatic.
ALL PLACES TAKEN
“We hope that there will not be too many who will be disappointed but the demand for entries and Gala Dinner tickets has surpassed all our previous RPM Déjà vu Motorsport events. We will shortly be announcing the quality as well as the quantity of the entry and many other items of interest that will make our 2024 event quite unique.” Enthused the RPM Déjà vu Directors Alan (Plum) Tyndall and Alan Graham.
“From the Connacht Motor Clubs point of view, we are delighted with the support we are getting for this joint promotion, an event that will bring a real sparkle to the town in the spring and most importantly an opportunity for us all to make a considerable contribution to the McDonald and Maguire families who tragically lost Gene McDonald and Dáire Maguire while taking part in the Sligo Rally in July 2023.” Said Robert Lyttle, the Connacht Motor Club’s Co-ordinator.
CONNACHT MOTOR CLUB CO-HOST RPM DÉJÀ VU NORTH WEST
On April 26th, 27th, 28th next, Sligo will play host to the prestigious RPM Deja vu Northwest event which will attract 140 iconic cars, both old rally cars and classics and their owners, to take in a leisurely run to Donegal and back taking in many classic roads in Sligo and Leitrim on route. The format of the event is to bring together well-known personalities of motorsport, and enthusiasts for a sociable weekend, take in some classic scenery in the region, many associated with past rallies and regroup of cars in O Connell St on Saturday evening, before adjourning to a celebratory function in Sligo Park Hotel.
The concept is the brainchild of the well-known motorsport broadcaster and commentator Plum Tyndal recognisable for his many broadcasts under the RPM television programmes. He, with Beatty Crawford have run noncompetitive motor sporting heritage tours since 2016 and has raised in excess of 300k for numerous charities since its inception. The hosting of his RPM Deja vu in Sligo is particularly close to Plum’s heart as he spent a number of his formative years growing up on the Mall in Sligo and it was probably due to some local influences that sowed the seeds for his love of motorsport both at a personal and professional level.
As Sligo Stages Rally is a drop out year for 2024, Connacht Motor Club were delighted to cohost the event in this region, and once the chosen charity was selected, gave a further impetus to make it a real success. As Rally Ireland was hosted here in 2007 and 2009 and Sligo Stages Rally has a history going back to 1980, there is much affection to the region by
many household names in Rallying circles who would be delighted to rekindle their memorable encounters of the Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal roads.
The format of the RPM Deja Vu events since its inception, was that all proceeds from the event itself, the Dinner and Charity auction on the Saturday night would go to a chosen local charity. The Sligo event will also publish a souvenir Programme to mark the event and plan to have available at selected outlets across the North and West as well as online on the RPM website from early March. The selected charity for the Northwest event is Rallying Friends, a fund set up to support the families of Gene Mc Donald and Daire Maguire, who sadly lost their lives on a tragic accident on Sligo Stages Rally 2023.
Connacht Motor Club are really appreciative of a number of loyal local businesses whom, without hesitation came on board to support the event financially, which will all go directly into the fund. Title sponsor of Sligo Stages Rally for many years now, FAAC Simply automatic and Ciaran Phelan MD was one of the first to generously lend support. Sligo Pallets and Andrew Mullan synonymous with his sponsorship of the Border Rally Championship for over a decade and more recently the Forestry Championship has also come on board as a sponsor of the event. Peter Devaney of Devaney Recovery, a long-time supporter of the local Connacht Motor Club is contributing to the event also.
Other local businesses SF Engineering supporting a fly in at Sligo Airport, Sligo Park Hotel as HQ ,Ocean Fm live broadcast from O Connell St and Sligo Retail Park are crucial in the running of the event. And in Donegal, CBM Signs and the Stables Motorsport Centre are a critical part in the chain of organisation. It also wouldn’t be possible without the support of
Sligo BID and Sligo County Council.
Currently entries are still being accepted at rpm-motorsport .com with preference now focused on accepting entries of former rally car classics. Connacht Motor Club are seeking adverts for the souvenir programme please contact DJVNW24@gmail.com or 087 4184993
ENTRIES UPDATE
Screen Grab from an RPM production of Vincent Bonner in flight in his Manta 400
Déja vu North West ’24 Entry Half Full
Entries, with almost four months still to go before the Sligo based rally re-union on the 27-28-29 April 2024 takes place, have passed the half-way mark.
RALLY CAR PRIORITY
“Such has been the response for our joint promotion with the Connacht Motor Club, that we will be prioritising the remaining fifty entries for those who will be driving rally cars, replica rally cars, or classic cars of outstanding interest, and those who are booking tickets for the Gala Dinner.”
Said Alan (Plum) Tyndall and Alan Graham, the directors of RPM DJV Motorsport.
Other applications will be placed on the events Reserve List on the day that we received them, and these owners will be informed if their entry has been accepted not later than the 29th. March 2024.
“If your entry is not chosen on this occasion, or if you wish to withdraw your entry you will be fully refunded, (less the small fee that we are required to pay to PayPal for your transaction).
QUALITY FIELD
Amongst the eighty-two entries received to date is the Dungloe driver Vincent Bonner. Vincent had his first big day in the North West when he won the Sligo Rally in 1981 and two years later he became the first Donegal man to win the Donegal International Rally.
On both of these occasions he was in a Ford Escort RS 1800, but when he returned to win the Sligo Rally for a second and third time in 1988 and 1989, he was in an Opel Manta 400, the Group B rally car that he is borrowing from The Stables Museum, to use on the Sligo based Déjà vu North West ’24 in April.
All proceeds go to RALLYING FRIENDS to support the McDonald and Maguire families who tragically lost Gene McDonald and Daire Maguire while taking part in the Sligo Rally in July 2023.
Entries available on:
www.rpm-motorsport.com/tours
RPM Dèjà vu Motorsport contacts:
Alan (Plum) Tyndall 0044 7887827150 alan@rpm-motorsport.com
Alan Graham 0044 7802875808
ENTRIES OPEN!
Ciaran Phelan will be entering his Mk II Escort and sponsoring Déjà vu North West ’24 on the 26-27-28 April 2024. Entries, for the great rally re-union (which are expected to be brisk even if the event is still six months away), opened today Wednesday 1st November.
Entrants (for this non-competitive rally gathering) will arrive, Register, and enjoy a Welcome Reception on Friday; take part in a 150 mile run and Gala Dinner on Saturday, and say farewell at a new Cars & Coffee event on Sunday morning.
FAAC CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR CONNACHT MOTOR CLUB
Ciaran Phelan, the Managing Director of National Automation Limited, which is based in Boyle County Roscommon the neighbouring county to Sligo, had to miss the Déjà vu Cork ’23 event, but he will not be missing the Sligo start in his immaculate Mk II Ford Escort, as he is not only taking part in the great rally re-union but through his company’s core products FAAC Simply automatic, supporting it.
National Automation is one of Ireland's leading distributors to the security trade both through their FAAC products covering automation, access control, door entry, CCTV, intruder detection, fire detection. car parking and more.
“We, through FAAC, have been the headline sponsors of the Connacht Motor Club’s Sligo Rally and we are delighted to extend our support to Déjà vu North West ’24 an event that will bring a spectacular array of historic and present rally cars and personalities to the region and will raise money for a very worthwhile cause.” Ciaran Phelan.
RALLYING FRIENDS is the chosen charity with all proceeds going to the McDonald and Maguire families who tragically lost Gene McDonald and Daire Maguire while taking part in the Sligo Rally in July 2023.
Entries now open on:
www.rpm-motorsport.com/tours
RPM Dèjà vu Motorsport contacts:
Alan (Plum) Tyndall 0044 7887827150 alan@rpm-motorsport.com
Alan Graham 0044 7802875808
Connacht Motor Club contact:
Robert Lyttle 00353 874184993 robertlyttle52@gmail.com
SLIGO TO HOST CLASSIC RALLYING WEEKEND IN THE SPRING
Alan Graham & Plum Tyndall (RPM Déjà vu Motorsport and Robert Lyttle (Connacht Motor Club).
RPM Déjà vu Motorsport, in conjunction with the Connacht Motor Club have announced that they will be bringing rallying nostalgia to the north-west when Déjà vu North West ’24 rolls into Sligo next April.
These annual charitable tours attract a spectacular gathering of cars and rallying personalities for their non-competitive run over famous rallying stages, and raise considerable funds for the benefit of local charities.
RALLYING FRIENDS will be their chosen charity in 2024, with all proceeds going to the McDonald and Maguire families who tragically lost Gene McDonald and Daire Maguire while taking part in the Sligo Rally in July 2023.
One hundred and forty entrants in cars ranging from the Mini Coopers of the ‘60s to the specialist rally cars of today, are expected to enjoy a leisurely run over some of the stages used by the world rally competitors in Rally Ireland in 2007 and 2009, and Sligo and Donegal Rally stages.
BIGGER THAN EVER
The tenth RPM Déjà vu Motorsport event will be bigger than ever with a Welcome Reception on Friday evening at the events head-quarters in the Sligo Park Hotel; a visit to The Stables Rally Museum in Donegal; a Sligo Town Centre finish and an entertainment and personality filled Gala Dinner on Saturday. Then, for the first time, there will be a Cars & Coffee gathering in Sligo, on Sunday morning.
“I am delighted to be bringing Déjà vu North West ’24 to my old home town. It was in the streets of Sligo that, as a little boy, I saw my first competition cars pass by, an occasion that drew me to a lifetime involvement in motorsport.” Said Alan Tyndall, who was accompanied by his Co-Director of RPM Déjà vu Motorsport Alan Graham at the launch announcement.
“The Connacht Motor Club are delighted to welcome Déjà vu North West ’24 which will help us to raise through our chosen charity - RALLYING FRIENDS, some useful financial support for the McDonald and Maguire families.” Said Robert Lyttle of the Connacht Motor Club.
All the details of the event and how to enter are on the rpm-motorsport.com and connachtmotorclub.com websites.
Entries opening on the 1st November 2023 on:
www.rpm-motorsport.com/tours
RPM Dèjà vu Motorsport contacts:
Alan (Plum) Tyndall 0044 7887827150 alan@rpm-motorsport.com
Alan Graham 0044 7802875808
Connacht Motor Club contact:
Robert Lyttle 00353 874184993 robertlyttle52@gmail.com
2023 HILLCLIMB
Remembering Tom (RIP) - tribute prepared by his good friend - John F. Golden
Connacht Motor club are returning to Dromahair to host their 2023 Hillclimb
Connacht Motor club are returning to Dromahair to host their 2023 Hillclimb over two days as part of the ALEKTO Irish Hillclimb and Sprint Championship on what is widely acclaimed as one of the best new hills nationally. The event taking place on Saturday 16 th and Sunday 17 th September is being run in the memory of the late Tom Devaney, who was highly influential in identifying the hill and encouraging the club to run its inaugural event in 2021 and secure championship status last year, which Tom was adamant he would contest amidst his treatment which he did proudly.
Following on from the support last year, Joe White through his San Francisco based heavy civil engineering company LVI Engineering has once again come on board as title sponsor. Joe who has been deeply embedded in motorsport for years remains loyal to his native region.
This year sees Gerry Mc Garry take on the role of Clerk of the Course for the 2023 Hillclimb having worked shoulder to shoulder with Ultan Mc Gowan, who took the event from its infancy to a very successful two-day event last year. Gerry will bring to bear his years of experience involved in many elements within the club supported by who have been involved from the start.
As the third year over this 1.7km hill, the club are deeply indebted to the residents who are so accommodating in welcoming the team back again.Regulations are now published, and entries are open online.
2023 SLIGO STAGES RALLY
Group photo from our recent Rally Launch & Open Day at Sligo Park Hotel .......countdown is on for the Sligo Stages Rally 2023 ..... looking forward to the Rally action returning to Sligo again (photos courtesy of James Burke)
See more photos from the Rally Launch in the Gallery Section of the Website - photos include Sponsors, Local / Other Crews looking forward to the 2023 Sligo Stages Rally
Title Sponsor supports emerging Youth
Our joint title sponsor FAAC simply automatic has generously offered a contribution towards the entry fee to each of the MIJRS entries starting this year, to be presented to each driver immediately before Driver briefing on Sunday morning.
Ciaran Phelan as a competitor himself and father of Cormac who during his progression became a nominee for the Billy Coleman award. This recognition gave the then youg competitor the impetus to pursue his dreams even further.
The current Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series is a platform to encourage and promote and assist junior competitors focusing on developing their motorsport future. Their entrance into motorsport at an early age with the support of the Rally Academy give young drivers every opportunity to reach the highest pinnacle of their motorsport career. Connacht Motor Club are delighted to be included as a Tar round of the championship particularly as Leitrim driver Keelan Grogan is a registered entrant and only recently was chosen as a nominee of the Billy Coleman Award. The field of juniors are seeded as a group in the mid forties.
Top field line up for the FAAC simply automatic / Sligo Park Hotel Stages Rally 2023
With seeding published its obvious that the title of winner of the 2023 FAAC simply automatic Sligo Park Hotel Stages will be a hard fought battle and within the grasp of a number of the top starters. Title holder from 2019. Josh Moffit would be tipped as favourite based on his form to date but with Calum Devine carrying number 2 on the door and fresh from his Donegal International win, it will certainly be a hard one to call.
The closing margins to date between the two sporting rivals have been so tight on every outing, a typical example being, Cavan Stages when only 0.3 separating them entering the final stage in Calum’s favour, only to be overturned on the final stage, Josh coming out with an advantage of 1.8 seconds at the finish ramp. Earlier in the season on the Kerry Stages the margin at the finish ramp was just 6.5 seconds after Josh held the lead all day pursued by Calum. Merion Evans at number 3 coming from Wales to once again compete for the valuable National Championship points on the back of his Galway International win earlier in the year. Jonny Greer is seeded at 4th place with local navigator Niall Burns on the notes. Within the top ten other R5s are in the hands of Declan Boyle, Daniel Barry, Michael Boyle, Daniel Cronin and Aidan Wray at 10.
Just inside that top ten in the first rear wheel drive is Kevin Gallagher in the Darien at 9 while at 11 Dessie Keenan is the second two-wheel drive on the road. Gary Mc Phillips at 14 and Chris Armstrong at twenty are the only others within that top twenty starters. Sligo native though now a Mayo adoptee John Warren starts with 23 on the door coming sharp on the heels of a 13th overall in Ravens Rock, although the stages are the opposite side of the county to his birthplace. Seeded at 30 are the crew of Donagh Kelly and Rory Kennedy in the beautifully presented Class 19 E30 BMW with Martin Mc Cormack in a Class 14 E30 at 31. Two competitors back in Sligo after some absence, James Leckey and Daniel Doherty are seeded at 28 and 29 in R5 Fiestas.
Title Sponsor Ciaran Phelan in the FAAC Honda Civic starts at 90 while daughter Aine , sitting on with Mick Lonergan 91, both in the 11F Class. Stage Sponsor Iarla Carty starts at 126 in the ex-Callum Devine Opel Adam with
son Jack Carty on the notes. Seeded at the mid forties are seven crews registered in the Class 2 MIJRS series led by Ryan Mc Hugh at 45. Sligo Stages Rally title sponsor Ciaran Phelan of FAAC Ireland in association with National automation have generously sponsored a draw for 3 prizes of €200 to be selected from one of the entries in that beginners Class, to take place live in advance of Drivers Briefing in Sligo Park on the Sunday morning.
Scrutiny takes place from 14.30 until 20.00 on Saturday July 15th at Sligo Junction / Hot Rods in Collooney. First Car away on Sunday morning from Parc Ferme at Sligo Retail Park in Carraroe is at 9.29, first car back at the Sligo Park Hotel Rally Headquarters is at 17.24.
See the 2019 Faac Simply automatic Sligo Park Hotel Rally highlights Video
Video provided Courtesy FlyinFinnMotorsport
Sligo Retail Park hosts Parc Ferme for Sligo Stages Rally 2023
Aerial view of Parc Ferme at Sligo Retail Park
Many thanks to all involved at Sligo Retail Park for making this facility available for the event.