Locals among participants to showcase iconic rally cars next weekend for worthy cause
DEJA Vu Northwest takes place in Sligo next weekend where iconic rally cars will be on display while also raising money for a very worth cause.
With the objective of the event to raise a substantial fund for the Friends of Rallying, a fund to support the bereaved families of Gene Mc Donnald and Daire Maguire, driver and navigator who sadly lost their lives on Sligo Stages Rally 2023.
A number of local participants are due to take part in this event.
Among the 140-car line up is Ciaran Phelan accompanied by wife Sharon, on their third Deja vu who will take the yellow FAAC Mk2 which featured in Eir ad campaign out on the local event.
Cormac and Katja Phelan, who actually featured in advert, have entered in another Mk2 but due to work commitments won’t be able to attend.
Barry Foley accompanied by former Connacht Motor Club chairman Joe Gilgan will drive one of the most iconic machines of the Group B era, the four-wheel drive, rear engined Metro6R4.
One of the most recognisable and successful rally cars of the eighties and nineties locally, JZP 777, both in the hands of Dominic Mc Loughlin and its previous and current owner Harold Thompson who is accompanied by son Keith on the day.
Getting a chance in the driver’s seat of the SF Engineering sponsored Citroen C2R2 Max is Seamus Farrell who is accompanied by Iceland native Gunnar Johannesson, who competed in this car at Monaghan Stages recently.
Making it a three-car line up for the FAAC Motorsport, Aine will switch seats with partner Mick Lonergan in the Honda Civic which they competed on the Monaghan Stages recently.
There is a collective display of German engineering perfection from the 80s and 90s in the form of the Audi Quattro and Coupe, three Ballymote crews, in the 84 Coupe Francis Corcoran with son Shane on board, in a 87 Quattro, Bernard and Dara
Mulhern and in the 93 Quattro John O Malley and Aidan Tighe.
In 1969 the 1275GT Mini was born in a move away from the rounded front Mini and continued up until 1980. Participating in the Sligo event in the Clubman are Sligo crews Alister and Lesley Kee, John and David Armstrong but also flying the Clubman banner is Ballyshannon’s John and Donal Kelly, both the latter in the Williams Garage colours.
Well known in the WRC circles back early 2000s running Sligo based World Rally Team Ireland, Tommy Mullen contests the event in a Subaru Impreza with Sean Maloney guiding him on the route. In another Group N Type RA just recently acquired in the UK is Tom Mc Guinn and David Armstrong.
In a Rwd replica 205 T16, regularly seen out on local events Ferlan Taylor with compatriot Alan Lawson will sit in the unfamiliar passenger seat on this occasion.
In two similar cars, what were forces to be reckoned with when DTV ran a successful rally campaign, father and son Iarla and Jack Carty are in Two Nova’s accompanied by Stephen Reynolds and Oisin Carty. North Sligo native now residing in Letterkenny, Brian Mc Garraghy and Kieran Mc Garraghy take out the familiar recognisable Mk2 Escort.
George and Benjamin Sherlock will certainly impress with their entry of BMW M3.
The public are appealed to buy a Souvenir Programme which are available at a number of outlets in Sligo, Collooney and Ballymote.
Displaying or purchasing a programme will also gain entry to the Breakfast fly in Cars and Coffee on Sunday morning at Sligo Airport.
Patrons are reminded to keep up to date on Connachtmotorclub.com, on Connacht Motor club Facebook and Twitter pages where a list of Programme outlets are available and a link to purchase on line.
Cars will depart Sligo Retail Park, Carraroe at 9.30am on Saturday, April 27, with interviews with crews taking place prior to their departure.
The public are advised that O’Connell Street will be closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday, April 27, between 4pm and 9pm to facilitate the ceremonial finish. Traffic management will take place along Lower Quay St, Lower New St and Fish Quay crossing over into the ceremonial finish and then depart up Harmony Hill into Market Yard and away.