CALLED TO BOOK: Both Paul Nagle and Craig Breen will feature in a new book on Irish rallying published by Michael O’Mahoney. Photo Eamon Keogh

By Sean Moriarty

A Headford motorsport enthusiast has compiled a book on the stories behind the characters of Irish rallying – just in time for Christmas.

Michael O’Mahoney is the Managing Diirector of Rentokil-Initial Ireland.

The company is the long-time sponsor of the Killarney Historic Rally and has also funded the appearance of star names like five-time British Champion Jimmy McRae and Belgian legend Paul Lietaer on Killarney events.

Locally he has sponsored the likes of Rob Duggan, the winner of last year’s Historic Rally and funded Craig Breen and Paul Nagle’s 2019 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship-winning campaign last season.

As a result he has built up an impressive list of contacts in Irish and International rallying and he invited 75 of them to contribute to the book which he has titled: ‘Icons of Irish Rallying- and more.’

“It was a labour of love,” he told the Killarney Advertiser.

Contributors include Breen and Nagle and Donegal co-driver Rory Kennedy who holds the record for the most Rally of the Lakes wins.

The book also contains rallying stories by the clubmen and women who are a central part of the sport.

These include the Hickey family, father and son Charlie and Johnny Hickey and Charlie’s brother John and his daughter Michelle.

Killarney father and son Kevin and Colin O’Donoghue also feature.

Further details of the book and purchase details will be released in the next week.