It will come as a massive sigh of relief for the Irish Tarmac Rally Organisers (TROA) that, having been cancelled last year due to the effects of Storm Eowyn, the 2026 Corrib Oil Galway International Rally will take place this weekend, returning as the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship (ITRC)
It's estimated that last year’s cancellation cost the county around €3 million in lost revenue, and the Galway Motor club will be thankful that this week’s Storm Chandra hasn’t affected the West of Ireland as much as some other places in Ireland.
Thus, it's full speed ahead for this weekend’s two-day event.
The number one seed is the reigning ITRC title winner Callum Devine (Skoda Fabia Rally2) who is seeking his first win in what is the oldest rally still running in Ireland, with its first event held in 1971.
Devine had a dominant 2025 campaign that included four consecutive victories on his way to the 2025 title, and he is favourite to repeat last year’s win ahead of the seven-round series.
Monaghan’s Josh Moffett is a two-time champion and will rally a new Toyota Yaris Rally2 this season. Moffett is sure to be one of the main challengers to Devine’s bid to retain his title.
Donegal’s Eamonn Kelly, a Junior World Rally Championship event-winner on two occasions, makes his Toyota Yaris Rally2 debut in the west hoping to bring that international experience to bear on the slippery and sometime treacherous Galway stages.
The Boyle family will look to continue their strong finish to 2025, with Declan the 2014 ITRC winner, and sons Michael and Matthew all starting in Rally2 machinery
Michael's breakthrough victory on the Cork 20 Rally last season capped off a memorable finale for the Boyle family while the 2012 Irish Tarmac champion Darren Gass makes his first Galway start since 2013 in an R5 VW Polo.
Last year’s National Rally Champion Eddie Doherty is stepping up to the ITRC, making his first start of the year in a new Skoda Fabia, while Cathan McCourt brings yet another Skoda to Galway as he kicks off another ITRC campaign.
David Kelly, who pushed hard without overall success throughout 2025, has switched to a Skoda for the new season as he seeks his maiden ITRC rally win.
Junior ERC contenders Keelan Grogan and Ayrton Sherlock make their Rally2 debuts in a Ford Fiesta, stepping up from front-wheel-drive machinery, while Ryan Loughran, David Guest, and Shane Quinn are further Rally2 drivers to feature in what promises to be a competitive field across the two-day event.
The rally will get under way with scrutineering of at Galway Racecourse from 1.00pm on Friday, followed by a Ceremonial Start in Eyre Square at 8.00pm.
The rally route will cover nine closed road stages the following day and a further six closed road stages on Sunday.
The stages are all based in the Headford general area on Saturday, and Athenry and Woodlawn on Sunday. The rally Service Park will be in the Galway Airport on both days.
Sunday evening will see the ceremonial finish back at the Connacht Hotel from approximately 4.30pm.
