The Irish rally season traditionally gets under way with the Corrib Oil Galway International Rally being the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. The Galway International Rally takes place annually in early February and 2025 marks the 54th anniversary of the event and the 46th time the event has been held, which began in 1971.

The rally will consist of fifteen special stages, nine on the Saturday in the Headford / Tuam areas, and six on the Sunday close to Monivea. Service will once again be at Galway Airport while Galway Racecourse will host both Scrutiny and Parc Ferme. The Rally Headquarters will once again be the superb Connacht Hotel on the Old Dublin Road.

There is a new Clerk of the Course for the event, with Joe Donoghue taking over the reins for the first time in 2025. Together with a clubman friendly route, low road mileage, and a centralised service are, it’s hoped that 2025 will bring out plenty of drivers for a hell of run. All maps and time slots can be found in the Official Rally Programme available nearer to the event.

The rally is the first major motorsport event annually in Ireland. Over the years the event has attracted entrants from England, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, the former Czechoslovakia, France, America, Gambia, Belgium, Arabia, Norway and Finland and the rally serves as the season opener for the championship. First taking place eleven years after the founding of Galway Motor Club in 1960, the annual Galway rally has been a staple of Irish motorsports since 1971.

Marshals are always needed, and the club would appreciate any assistance they might provide. Patsy Finnerty, the head marshal, can be reached at 087-2870702. In the upcoming days, a list of program outlets, which will include every Corrib Oil service station will be made public.