News
A very different Killarney Races on the cards
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EXCLUSIVE
By Sean Moriarty
Killarney Races will go ahead in July but without spectators and on alternative days to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.
However, plans for the August meeting remain on target and the postponed May meeting could get the go-ahead to run in October.
Horse Racing Ireland announced this week that the sport would resume, in a restricted capacity, in Ireland on June 8. Phase Four of the Government’s reopening plan comes into effect on July 20 - which is too late for the traditional July 13 to 17 summer meeting.
Management at Killarney Racecourse have revealed to the Killarney Advertiser that the July meeting will go ahead - but with several conditions attached.
These include the banning of spectators and the general public and the deep cleaning of course facilities after each day of racing.
The latter requirement will force the meeting to take place over alternative dates with the down time used to deep clean contact points on the course.
“We will fulfil the July days but the meeting will be broken up to allow deep cleaning – we simply would not have the time to do it properly every day,” manager Phillip O’Brien told the Killarney Advertiser. “There are two ways of looking at this, Killarney Races is all about the day out, the social aspect and the roar of the crowd, but for jockeys and trainers, it is their livelihoods – it is their bread and butter.”
Irish racing will resume at Naas on June 8. The Irish 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas, the country’s first Classics in 2020, will be staged at The Curragh on June 12-13, Horse Racing Ireland said this week. The Irish Derby, meanwhile, will remain in its traditional slot on the last weekend in June.
O’Brien will be watching these meetings closely and will apply lessons learned at his July event.
“By the time it comes around to us, it will be a well-oiled machine,” he added. “It is important to get something back and if Horse Racing gets it right it will give confidence to other sports.”
Meanwhile, O’Brien has applied to Horse Racing Ireland to transfer his May dates to an alternative date in October, but this move remains unconfirmed and is dependent on the available slots in what could be an already congested calendar.
News
Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship
Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship
O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship
Muckross co-driver Noel O’Sullivan is set for a busy season as he returns to the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) while also preparing for a record-breaking attempt on home soil.
O’Sullivan and driver Callum Devine have signed with the Swedish team JC Raceteknik for a full campaign focused on asphalt events. Their season begins this week at the Andalusia Rally – Sierra Morena in Spain. O’Sullivan remains the only Killarney-based co-driver competing at this level for a full season.
He brings significant international experience to the team, having previously worked with WRC driver Jon Armstrong during his early European outings. O’Sullivan and Devine recently proved their pace against top European crews with a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Rali Ceredigion in Wales.
Devine said:
“I’m really looking forward to coming back to the ERC. It’s always great for a driver to compete against Europe’s best on some iconic events. We’ve had great success back home in Ireland over the past few seasons, winning two Irish Tarmac Rally Championships, and we feel now is the right time to come back and take on some ERC events. Starting with Rally Sierra Morena, I’m delighted to be joining JC Raceteknik. I know they are a very professional team with a wealth of experience, and I’m looking forward to working closely with them.”
The European schedule will not interfere with O’Sullivan’s local plans. Following the rally in Spain, the pair will return to Kerry for the Rally of the Lakes over the May Bank Holiday weekend. They are aiming for a fifth consecutive victory in Killarney as they look to move back into the lead of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
The move to the European stage follows a successful week for O’Sullivan, who was recently named the International Motorsport winner at the Kerry Sports Star Awards.
Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June
A new heritage motoring event, the Killarney Classic Tour, has been confirmed for June 26–27, 2026. The two-day tour is designed to celebrate the iconic rally stages of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula.
Headquartered at the Gleneagle Hotel, the event is non-competitive and open to a wide range of vintage and historic cars. Organisers are placing a particular focus on period-correct rally cars and recreations that reflect the history of the Circuit of Ireland, the Circuit of Munster, and the early years of the Rally of the Lakes.
The tour is the work of two well-known figures in Irish rallying, Mike Marshall and Micheal O’Mahoney. Marshall, a founding member of the Rally of the Lakes and Clerk of the Course for over 20 years, has designed a route that allows drivers to experience famous stages like Moll’s Gap at a relaxed pace. O’Mahoney, a long-term supporter of the sport through Rentokil and a historic car owner himself, joins Marshall in the venture.
Co-Founder O’Mahoney said:
“This event is about bringing people back together – the cars, the stories, and the friendships that have always been part of rallying. It’s a chance to step away from competition and simply enjoy these roads.”
The Saturday itinerary includes a lunch stop in Castletownbere before the field returns to Killarney for a gala dinner at the Gleneagle Hotel. The evening will feature guest speakers and a focus on the shared history of the sport.
“This event is about bringing people back together — the cars, the stories, and the friendships,” added Micheal O’Mahoney.
Registrations are now open at www.KillarneyClassicTour.ie.
Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship
Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship
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