Irish motorsport chief lays out the road ahead

Aside from the organising clubs, marshals and competitors, without whom the sport would not take place, perhaps neither are not valued enough and this needs to be addressed. Indeed, it’s akin to the insurance element of the sport, it's something that can never be taken for granted.

There were some interesting sound bytes from the Motorsport Ireland Congress in Athlone on Saturday last during where MI president Aiden Harper identified a structured pathway through commissions, sub-commissions and a rules advisory group that ultimately reports to the motor sport council as established channels for getting things done, even if it doesn’t involve motions like other sporting organisations may adopt.

During his address he said, “It's very easy to dwell on the past and keep dwelling on the past, and digging up old items, and regurgitating the same thing, or just waiting for that one little moment where you want to say, I'm going to get them here. And that's not what we're about.” 

Under the theme ‘A Positive Future’ he added, “Our sport is a collaborative. Our sport is a journey together. Our sport is a movement. And, absolutely, we'll answer any question.

"Some people might write letters and say, oh, you better check this out and check that out. But it's great to stand here on the stage to say that we have a very clean record with Sport Ireland. And whatever letters have been written in or whatever items have been sent in, they're all clear. So if anyone wants to continue sending letters in, please do so. But at the end of the day, the audits are very clear for everybody to see. There's nothing to hide. We have a great relationship with Sport Ireland.” 

Interestingly and while delegates were only able to ask questions at the end of the afternoon session, nobody asked Mr. Harper to expand on his references.

Motorsport Ireland is still without a chief executive since April 2021. This important position, especially given that Motorsport Ireland are seeking some €15 million from government to run the World Rally Championship for a three-year term possibly as early as 2026 wasn’t discussed at congress. There are rumblings in certain circles that the position could be filled from within the higher echelon of MI sooner rather than later.

An interesting question (near the end of congress) was in relation to Motorsport Ireland’s reports on the fatalities over the last few years. It appears that Mr. Harper told delegates that MI reports cannot be published until after those of the coroner.

The awards ceremony for the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, hosted by the Killarney and District Motor Club takes place at the Avenue Hotel, Killarney tomorrow (Saturday) night from 7.30pm. The Fisher Memorial Trophy will be presented to Ballylickey’s Keith Cronin and his Killarney co-driver Mikie Galvin. Earlier in the day, the Tarmac Rally Organisers Association are to make a significant announcement about the 2025 series.

Tomorrow night’s second round of the National Navigation Trial Championship, the Drumlin Navigation Trial starts at 10/01pm from the Aughnamullen GAA complex.

Details of next year’s Probite British Rally Championship were announced earlier this week. All six events (an equal split of gravel and tarmac) are on the UK mainland so as to ensure costs are reduced. The six events are: 1. East Riding Stages Rally, Beverley (February 23); 2. Severn Valley Stages, Builth Wells (April 12); 3. Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally - Duns (May 23-24); 4. Voyonic Grampian Forest Rally, Banchory (August 8-9); 5. JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion - Aberystwyth (September 5-7 September); 6. Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally, Llandudno (October 25).

//end