RtG The Daily Dispatch - Shamrock 2024 - day 1 - Flipbook - Page 11
Day 4: Kenmare - Bantry loop, 15 May 2025
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
Diarmaid Boland and Anthony Boland, 1933 Talbot AV105
just as the crews checked out of the lunch halt. However,
we were now on the home run and the last section was a
fine way to ease towards the finish with a challenging climb
to the summit of Healy Pass, at 300m quite possibly the
high point of the rally.
From there, geographically speaking, it was all downhill
to the finish and, once through the last Passage Control at
Kilmackillogue Harbour, there was only the short, civilised
Sheen Falls Drive Test between the cars and the finish arch.
After due deliberation, Theo Hunt and James Galliver were
declared our winners – a great result on their first time
entering the Vintage Shamrock.
Once the car park had been cleared, the night section
began in earnest, with Fred Gallagher opening the
proceedings by thanking the sponsors, Sholto Gibertson of
RM Sotheby’s, Sinead O’Leary of Chubb and Max Ludwig and
David Peterson of NFP for their generous support. The crews
sat down to dinner, after which Mark Appleton took over
as MC and began the serious business of distributing the
silverware alongside Loren Price, the RtG Events Manager.
In addition to the overall and class awards, there was the
discretionary, highly regarded, Spirit of the Rally Award,
which was presented to David Brabazon and Celia Drane
by Sinead O’Leary.
As for the winners, Theo Hunt was delighted and was
effusive in praising the Irish, their country, his car and the
Organisers.
“Ireland’s a stunningly beautiful country, and we’ve been
with a great bunch of people and some amazing cars”.
“Old cars are very accessible; you can get under the hood,
strip them down, fix them (or break them), and really use
them like they were meant to be used. They’re such beautiful
cars, and I’ve been very lucky to have the use of this one
thanks to my dad. It’s a 1933 Frazer Nash TT Replica with a
1500cc Meadows engine. It’s a bit of a giant slayer. Not the
most powerful thing, but it goes around corners like you
wouldn’t believe, and, on the slippery Tests, we can hold
our own against the bigger engines. We wouldn’t be driving
a modern car even if we had the choice”.
“The Organisation has been outstanding, and as it’s
a four-day rally, it’s easy to fit into your schedule, and
the roads and the route have been amazing. The sweep
mechanics have been outstanding, and there have been
some great Marshals. I don’t think I’ve ever been to an event
where everyone’s been so friendly, so thanks to everyone
for their massive effort, and hopefully we’ll see some of
them next year”.
“Generally speaking, we normally do better on the
Tests than the Regularities, but this week James has been
fantastic, and he’s been on it, on every single one of them.
The biggest penalty we got was three seconds. The Tests
were just us having some fun”.
Finishing up, Theo said that it was “really James and the
car who won this rally for us”.
When asked what he liked about old cars, James Galliver
summed it succinctly: “I can’t drive, so I don’t know” adding
that he’s “had a lot of fun and has seen some amazing
scenery and is relieved to have finally won a rally with
Theo. I enjoy the Tests because the Regularities make me
stressed. Sometimes my heart rate hits 150 bpm, whereas
in the Tests, I get to sit there and shout at Theo”.
And the winners are... Theo Hunt and James Galliver, 1933 Frazer Nash
TT Replica
www.rallytheglobe.com
