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Moll’s Gap goes digital in new rally simulator video game

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VIRTUAL REALITY: Digital Motorsports founder Niall Maher driving the Moll's Gap stage on a computer simulator.

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By Sean Moriarty

 

The Moll’s Gap road - famous as a stage in the Rally of the Lakes and the old Circuit of Ireland Rally - has been digitally mastered into a video game and will be made available to gaming and rally fans all over the world.

The 18km stage, which runs from the Dinis Cottage entrance to the National Park almost to Kenmare, is the most famous rally road in Ireland. The road, that climbs up past Ladies View and along the shores of Muckross Lake, the Upper Lake and Looscaunagh Lough, is both loved and revered by rally drivers from all over the world.

The digital adaption of the famous road has been made possible by Kildare-based Digital Motorsports – the same firm that digitally mastered Mondello Park as part of the circuit’s 50th anniversary in 2018.

Company co-founder Niall Maher explained to the Killarney Advertiser how he gathered data from several sources including on-board videos of previous rallies, Ordnance Survey maps, Google Maps data, and GPS taken from rally cars and timing trackers.

“Once we did Mondello, there was only one other next step, and that was Moll’s Gap," he told the Killarney Advertiser.

“The way the world is going now, we are hoping to open it up to a whole generation that might never have been to the ‘Gap’ before."

[caption id="attachment_36294" align="alignleft" width="532"] HOW IT MIGHT LOOK: A virtual rally car on the Moll's Gap stage.[/caption]

The video game is suitable for the Assetto Corsa Competizione platform, a racing simulator that is popular with professional racing drivers who want to learn various tracks.

“Anyone who is serious into their racing simulation will know that as a gaming title,” added Maher.

In time it will be made available on the Richard Burns RBR Rally Pro platform making the simulation more accessible to gaming and rally fans all over the world.

The final product is not quite finished and while the road and undulations are as close as possible to realistic, some fine tuning by rally drivers familiar with the stage are needed and it's expected to be officially launched in mid- April.

Once that is completed the developers will add what they call street furniture and landmarks like Derrycunnihy Church.

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HeartBeat’s expert talk on the science of sleep

HeartBeat Kil larney will focus on the vital role of sleep in cardiac and mental health at its next community meeting on February 24. The event, held at the Parish […]

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HeartBeat Kil

larney will focus on the vital role of sleep in cardiac and mental health at its next community meeting on February 24.
The event, held at the Parish Centre on Park Road, features guest speaker Dr Anna O’Sullivan, a Senior Clinical Psychologist with the HSE.
Following her previous popular sessions with the group, Dr O’Sullivan will return to provide a deep dive into the neuroscience of sleep.
The talk will explore why rest is a cornerstone of physical and mental well-being and how sleep requirements shift throughout various life stages, from childhood and the teenage years to parenthood, perimenopause, and older adulthood.
Attendees can expect practical advice on managing common sleep difficulties and strategies for improving sleep quality. Dr O’Sullivan will also outline simple self-care actions that can maintain or enhance long-term sleeping habits, as well as the long-term impacts of insufficient rest.
The meeting begins at 8:00 pm at the Parish Centre and is open to all members of the community. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation, and the evening will conclude with light refreshments and an opportunity for attendees to chat.

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Parking plan for Muckross Rowing Club boat launch

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Muckross Rowing Club will host a landmark event on Sunday to officially launch and bless three new additions to its racing fleet.

The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the club’s boathouse at 2pm and represents a significant moment in the club’s long-standing history.


The club has issued an open invitation to all past and present members, as well as supporters, friends, and family, to join in the celebrations.

Following the formal blessing and naming of the boats, light refreshments will be served at the boathouse for all attendees.


For those planning to attend the event, parking will be situated at the Muckross House car park.


The club has requested that anyone requiring parking access closer to the boathouse make contact with a committee member in advance so that appropriate assistance and arrangements can be made.


The core of the celebration is the naming of the boats in honour of three of the club’s most distinguished athletes: Paul Griffin, Sean Casey, and Cathal Moynihan.


These three oarsmen achieved the ultimate success in the sport by representing Ireland at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games.


Having started their journeys as Muckross juniors before rising through the international ranks, their legacy continues to be a major source of pride for the club as they are immortalised in the newest fleet.

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