RtG The Daily Dispatch - Shamrock 2024 - day 1 - Flipbook - Page 3
Day 1: Fota Island to Ballyvolane loop, 12 May 2025
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
David and Julie Gomes, 1934 MG K3
Tom Callanan, Patrick Neville and the oldest entry a 1923 Alvis 12/40
Jonathan Procter and Jason Dearden, 1925 Bentley 3/4½
Chris Abrey and Sara Banham, 1936 BMW 328
They looked beautiful, but protocol dictated all cars must
be checked for safety and compliance. This all-important
task of scrutineering fell to the well-oiled sweep crews of
Andy Inskip, Peter Banham, Charlie Neale and Russ Smith
who were also called to iron out any last-minute car niggles.
A can of Radweld got Nigel and Sally Woof’s Talbot to the
start on time, whilst Gavin and Diana Henderson’s Frazer
Nash - BMW needed nothing more than a jumpstart.
Meanwhile, in various hotel conference rooms, other RtG
team members were tasked with checking the crews had
the correct documents and were dispensing the required
amount of paperwork, and rally gifts.
Clerk of the Course, Mark Appleton, along with the maps
maestro, Anthony Preston, had devised the route and,
shortly before a buffet lunch, Mark briefed the crews on
what they could expect, clarifying the finer points of rally
timing and navigation.
The clearing of plates signalled it was time to head to
the car park and line-up at the arch ready to be sent down
the road by Fred Gallagher with a wave of an trídhathach
towards the first Test a few hundred metres from the start
line. A gallop around the perimeter of Fota Island featured
broken tarmac, gravel and thick woodland and took us
to the byways of the mainland towards a Route Check in
Ballynona and on to the first Regularity from Glentrasna.
A civilised coffee break at the Time Control in the
18th-century Ballyvolane House served-up some fine
refreshment and a dose of old-world Irish charm. Then it
was back in the saddle to make for the second Test of the
day; a twisting sprint over the concrete and tarmac of the
Fermoy Mart complex.
Another long Regularity from Cappagh rolled the rally
through the foothills of the Nagles Mountains to a Route
Check at Aghalig Bridge and the final Test of the day at
Fota Island. A last blast around the perimeter led the crews
back to the car park for spanner checks and a short walk
to the well-stocked bar and a well-deserved dinner. After
this short, busy drive and with more of the same promised
tomorrow, some crews decided that an early night was the
sensible option… some didn’t.
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