A festival of motorsport was held in Longford over last weekend. The Jeremy O’Connor Longford Arms Hotel Stages Rally 2025 was called after the late Jeremy O’Connor, of Gallowstown, Roscommon, a popular rally enthusiast who is greatly missed.
The rally started on Saturday evening with an autograph signing with Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy. Josh and Eoin, who compete in the World Rally Championship, were a huge attraction for all the many young rally fans that attended rally HQ in the Longford Arms.
The action started in earnest on Sunday morning, when the cars left St Mel’s College car park and took to the stages around Co Longford. Many drivers reported very slippery condition, but overall the stages were drying out.
Josh McErlean, who was running first on the road, took an early lead if only by the narrowest of margins to Matt Edwards from Wales in a Hyundai R2. Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty were lying in third place with local favourite Shane Quinn, who was competing for the first time in a Fiesta R2 with Stephen Reynolds calling the notes. Unfortunately this was the last stage Shane would see as he did not make it to stage 4 due to engine problems. Another local, Tommy Doyle, who was competing in a Hyundai R2 suffered a similar fate following a promising start in his local rally.
As the roads cleared of surface debris from the early runs through the stages, it was clear there the outcome would go right down to the wire with Josh McErlean and Matt Edwards swopping the lead from stage 7, 8, and 9, when Matt had a .03 second lead going into the final stage. But Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy did enough on the final stage to regain the lead, taking the win by .05 second.
Midland Motor Club member Paul Rowley, who travelled from the USA to compete in his home event, was delighted with his run finishing in 26th position overall. Other midland crews that finished well were Keelan Grogan from Carrick-on-Shannon who ended the day in 40th place and second in class. Stephen Faughnan from Longford with Patrick Brides on the notes were happy with their second place finish in class 13 in a Mk 2 Escort. Colin Flanagan from Boyle, Roscommon, finished third in class in his Evo 9 while Enda and Liam McCormack, who travelled from the USA to compete, had a good run in their Fiesta R2. Ronan Quinn and Kevin Heffernan from Moydow had a consistent run all day in their Mk 2 Escort, while Mick McCormack and Sean McCaffrey from Co Roscommon finished third in class in their Focus.
Declan and Shane Hagan from Drumlish had a fine run and won class ten in their Escort. Sean Og Cahill and Liam Hughes moved to a Twincam for the rally while Stephen and Niall Healy, also in a Corolla, finished one place behind. Enda Gerety and Eoin Kenny finished in their Honda Civic while Eamon and Sean Brady finished in a Civic.
Brother and sister duo Darragh and Marie Kelly from Roscommon had a good run in their Civic. Amy Faughnan and Jane Collins, who were out for the first time, won the ladies award after an eventful rally. Booby Cooper and Elaine Ni She had car problems from stage four, but managed to finish the event.
