The Donegal International Rally is known as one of the toughest rally car challenges in Ireland.
The Donegal Rally consists of 3 adrenalin pumping days of spectacular rally car driving from the fabled Knockalla Coast Road to the lush green farm lands of Carnhill to the wide open bog land landscape of Glen, Donegal has it all.
The Donegal Rally also counts as one full round of the annual Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Attracting huge crowds of over 70,000 spectators and close to 400,000 viewers on television and online makes the Donegal Rally one of the most popular in Europe.
Being the only three-day tarmac rally in Ireland and the UK, the Donegal International Rally attracts the best Irish, British and International drivers from around the globe every year.
The numbers 42 and 43 will be forever linked with Craig Breen and Ken Block respectively, both of whom were tragically lost to the sport in 2023.
Ken Block, in his only competitive appearance in Ireland, entered Donegal in 2019 in a very special Ford Escort Cosworth. His “Gymkhana” Hoonigan motorsport videos attracted a worldwide audience, and he drew immense crowds to the rally.
His in- car footage from the Knockalla Coast Road Stage has to date been viewed a staggering seven and a half million times on social media.
Craig Breen competed many times in Donegal, finishing just short of the top step with 2nd overall in 2019. Interviewed once on the World Rally Championship TV channel and asked if he could compete in just one rally anywhere in the world, in just one rally car, what it would be, he shot back “Donegal in a Metro 6R4.”
Both drivers were blessed by larger than life personalities and made an impact with an audience far beyond their sport.
Donegal Motor Club has determined that Craig’s number 42 from the World Rally Championship, and Ken’s fabled number which adorned all his cars to the extent he asked to be seeded at 43 when he came to Donegal, will be retired from this year’s Donegal Rally in their honour.
In a action packed entry Josh Moffett and Callum Devine will be the leading front runners but don’t rule out the likes of Meirion Evans, Matt Edwards & Sam Moffett who’ll be all battling it out for that top spot.
The whole field is full of talented drivers & co-drivers and we’ll be looking forward to another spectacular event this year.
