Cork 20 Rally

The Cork 20 Rally is a long standing motor endurance test lasting twenty hours which is held annually in the vicinity of Cork in Munster, Ireland. It is now a well established international event, drawing competitors from Ireland North and South, Britain, Europe and further afield. The rally was part of the National Rally Championship between 1966 & 1976. It became a full International Rally in 1977.

Currently run under the auspices of the Munster Car Club, the Cork 20 Rally is one of the oldest motor rallys in the world, the 2010 event will be the 95th. The first rally was held in 1912.

In the 1950s the Cork and Munster Motorcycle Club, based at the neo-classical building Vernon Mount gave strong support to the Cork 20 Rally.

The recent courses are in the region of 280 km (170 mi) in length.

Winners

• 2010 - Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy - Ford Focus WRC
• 2009 - Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy - Ford Focus WRC
• 2008 - Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey - Subaru Impreza WRC
• 2007 - Sebastian Loeb/Daniel Elena - Citroen C4 WRC
• 2006 - Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy - Subaru Impreza WRC
• 2005 - Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor - Subaru Impreza WRC
• 2004 - Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely - Suburu Impreza WRC
• 2003 - Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey - Subaru Impreza WRC
• 2002 - Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien - Subaru Impreza WRC
• 2001 - Rally cancelled due to Bovine Foot-and-Mouth disease
• 2000 - Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien - Subaru Impreza WRC
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• 1999 - Ian Greer/Dean Beckett - Toyota Celica ST 185
• 1998 - Ian Greer/Dean Beckett - Toyota Celica ST 185
• 1997 - Rally cancelled. No HQ. No Sponsor. No C.O.C.available
• 1996 - Gabriel Snow/Pat Maloughney - Ford Escort Cosworth
• 1995 - Frank Meagher/Pat Maloughney - Ford Escort Cosworth
• 1994 - Kenny McKinstry/Robbie Philpott - Suburu Legacy
• 1993 - James Cullen/Ellen Morgan - Ford Escort Cosworth
• 1992 - Bertie Fisher/Rory Kennedy - Subaru Legacy RS
• 1991 - Kenny McKinstry/Robbie Philpott - Subaru Legacy RS
• 1990 - Austin McHale/Dermot O'Gorman - BMW M3
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• 1989 - Saeed Al Hajri/Steve Bond - Ford Sierra Cosworth
• 1988 - Mark Lovell/Terry Harryman - Ford Sierra Cosworth
• 1987 - Austin McHale/Christy Farrell - Opel Manta 400
• 1986 - Billy Coleman/Ronan Morgan - Metro 6R4
• 1985 - Austin McHale/Christy Farrell - Opel Manta 400
• 1984 - Billy Coleman/Ronan Morgan - Opel Manta 400
• 1983 - Austin McHale/Christy Farrell - Vauxhall Chevette
• 1982 - Demi Fitzgerald/Paddy Kavanagh - Vauxhall Chevette
• 1981 - Ger Buckley/John Caplis - Vauxhall Chevette
• 1980 - Jimmy McRae/Frank Main - Vauxhall Chevette
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• 1979 - Ger Buckley/John Caplis - Ford Escort (Europe)
• 1978 - Ari Vatanen/Arne Hertz - Ford Escort
• 1977 - Ger Buckley/John Caplis - Ford Escort
• 1976 - Billy Coleman/Dan O'Sullivan - Ford Escort
• 1975 - Cathal Curley/Austin Frazer - Porsche Carrera
• 1974 - Ger Buckley/John Caplis - Ford Escort
• 1973 - Ger Buckley/John Caplis - Ford Escort
• 1972 - Billy Coleman/Noel Davin - Renault Alpine
• 1971 - Billy Coleman/Noel Davin - Renault Alpine
• 1970 - Billy Coleman/Noel Davin - Ford Escort Mk 1 BDA
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• 1969 - Mick Barry/Dan Kavanagh - Ford Escort T/C November Rally
• 1969 - Rosemary Smith/Ricky Foott - Hillman Imp February Rally
• 1968 - No event - Foot and Mouth outbreak
• 1967 - Rosemary Smith/Brian Melia - Hillman Imp
• 1966 - Charlie Gunn/Norman Henderson - Ford Cortina GT
• 1965 - Noel Smith/R.Foott - BMC Mini Cooper S
• 1964 - Paul O'Flynn/Brian Geary - Morris Mini Cooper
• 1963 - Joe Byrne/Brian Geary - Volkswagen Beetle
• 1962 - Event cancelled no C.O.C.available
• 1961 - Joe O'Mahony/Gordan Baker - Volkswagen Beetle
• 1960 - Sheila O'Clery/Mike Ivis - Austin 7 Mini
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• 1959 - Des Cullen/Jim Cullen - NSU Prinz
• 1958 - P.B.Hopkirk/Jack A.Scott - Volkswagen Beetle
• 1957 - P.D.Deale/Dave Wheeler - Volkswagen Beetle
• 1956 - P.B.Hopkirk/John A.Garvey - Volkswagen Beetle
• 1955 - J.G.Dyer/Dr.B.McMahon - Ford Anglia
• 1954 - Joe O'Mahony/Dr.R.F.O'Sullivan - Volkswagen Beetle
• 1953 - Joe O'Manohy/Dr.R.F.O'Sullivan - Volkswagen Beetle
• 1952 - Joe O'Mahony/Reggie Tilson - Volkswagen Beetle
• 1951 - Unknown
• 1950 - Unknown
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Organisers

Organisers of the Cork "20" Rally are the Munster Motor Cycle & Car Club Ltd. Vernon Mount,Kinsale Rd Cork. Clerks of the Course are as follows :

• Coleman Hegarty - 2008 to 2011
• Frank O'Mahony - 2004 to 2007
• Hugh McPhillips - 2002 to 2003
• No event due to Foot and Mouth crisis 2001
• Alan G.Verso - 1998 to 2000
• No event. No sponsors. No HQ. No C.O.C. 1997
• Liam Hayes - 1996
• Frank Thompson - 1993 to 1995
• leo Whyte - 1990 to 1992
• Alan G.Verso - 1987 to 1989
• Bryan Curtin - 1982 to 1986 (pace notes allowed)
• Leo Whyte - 1976 to 1981 (event became International-1977,Cork City stage used - 1980)
• Declan Mullally - 1973 to 1975 (event was flagged away by Ronnie Peterson-Lotus Grand Prix Driver.
• Sean R.O'Sullivan - 1971 to 1972
• Dick O'Brien - 1969 to 1970 (2 events run in Feb & Nov 1969)
• No event due to Foot and Mouth crisis 1968
• Dick O'Brien - 1967
• Ricky Foote - 1966
• Noel Davin - 1965 (Moonraker substituted)
• Ricky Foote - 1963 to 1964
• No event as a C.O.C. could not be found 1962
• Declan O'Leary - 1961
• Reggie Tilson - 1959 to 1960
• Joe O'Mahony - 1958
• Reggie Tilson - 1953 to 1957
• Declan O'Leary - 1952

General History

The event has been run in most parts of Cork county since the 1960s, Kinsale was the main hub throughout the 1970s while Cork city has been home to the event a few times also. The final stage of the 1980 event started on Patrick Street and went through Grand Parade and the South Mall in front of thousands of spectators. In later years the event has run in the north and east Cork regions with various forays into mid Cork as well and the event returned to West Cork in 2010.

The format of the original rally was similar to the Monte Carlo Rally, in that there were several starting points; Cork, Dublin and Galway. The cars would then meet at a designated town, e.g. Clonmel. The final leg would be from there into Cork city. The roads were not officially closed for these early events.

With various affiliations, the Cork Motor Club became very active in motorsport in the Cork area from 1976 on.