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By Sean Moriarty
RALLY drivers from across Ireland will help fund future Air Ambulance missions when they take to the gravel in Kerry on Sunday.
The Irish Community Air Ambulance has been announced as the beneficiary of the Killarney Forestry Rally.
“We are honoured that Killarney and District Club have chosen us as the beneficiaries of this exciting event,” said Micheál Sheridan, the CEO of the Irish Community Air Ambulance.
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“It is thanks to donations and fundraisers of all sizes taking place in communities across the country that we can bring hope to people when they need it most. Our crews treat the most critically ill and injured patients, often in rural locations, bringing them to the hospital that best suits their life-saving needs, not just the closest geographically.”
Killarney and District Motor Club has attracted a top-class entry of over 80 cars for the six-stage event.
The rally gets underway with a ceremonial start outside the River Island Hotel, on the town’s Main Street at 6pm on Saturday evening.
The Killarney Forestry Rally is the first round of the Irish Forestry Championships and the majority of the main contenders are on the event’s entry list.
The top seeds are brothers Jordan and Paul Hone from Derry in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.
In fact, the top three seeds are all in Fiestas with Waterford’s Keith Power and Tyrone’s Niall McCullagh each fielding one.
Ray Breen, father of current Word Rally star, Craig, starts at nine in the family-owned Ford Focus World Rally Car.
Behind them is the first Kerry competitor in the event. Cordal’s Denny Greaney is on pacenote duty for Limerick driver PJ O’Connor in their Mitsubishi Lancer E9.
]The first-all Kerry crew in the event is that of rally sponsor Cyril Wharton and Donal Falvey in their Subaru Impreza.
Father and daughter crew John and Michelle Hickey from Headford, compete in a similar Impreza.
Mike O’Connor Jr from Moyvane competes in the Opel Manta, the first Kerry appearance for the car he bought last July.
Shane Buckley returns home to Kerry, from his London home, to co-drive for Tipperary youngster Casey Jay Coleman in a Ford Fiesta.
Glenflesk’s Diarmuid Lynch will drive his newly restored Ford Escort on Sunday. The car has plenty of Killarney and District Motor Club history. It was once used by club member Denis Cronin in forestry events 20 years ago.
Multiple British rally champion Keith Cronin made his debut in the car, as a co-driver to his uncle Denis during the 2003 season.
Mossie Costello, from Tarbert, is reunited with his Honda Civic for this event after driving his father Jason’s Ford Escort in the Killarney Historic Rally last December.
Lixnaw co-driver Keith McCarthy is on pace note duty for Limerick driver Paul Roach in a Ford Fiesta ST. The rally will get underway at 8.40 am on Sunday. The central service area in Castleisland Mart and crew will tackle two loops for three stages in the Cordal and Rockchapel areas.
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