Motorsport Ireland shake up 2022 rally calendar

February’s Galway International Rally will get rallying underway in Ireland next year. The opening round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship heads Motorsport Ireland’s recently released calendar of events for 2022.

The calendar, which covers all Motorsport Ireland disciplines, features six ITRC events, three gravel rallies, nine national rallies, and two mini-stage rallies. The Killarney Historic Rally will once again bring the year to a close at the end of November.

Motorsport Ireland added a series of bullet points to help explain the formation of events. As announced last week, the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship will run in full next year. Along with forestry events, these are the only rallies to run every year.

National and mini-stage rallies will run every other year. Wexford Stages Rally is the only exception; it will run every year as it returns to its pre-covid two-day format.

Motorsport Ireland hopes the 24-month calendar will provide stability with the spread of events aimed at maximising entries while reducing demands on officials, marshals, and suppliers.

Clubs not running a rally in a calendar year have been given the opportunity to organise an official test day along a three to five-kilometre stage.

2022 Motorsport Ireland rally calendar:

05-06 Feb // Galway International Rally
20 Feb // Killarney Forestry Rally

06 Mar // Mayo Stages Rally
19-20 Mar // West Cork International Rally

03 Apr // Birr Stages Rally
10 Apr // Carrick-on-Suir Forestry Rally
24 Apr // Monaghan Stages Rally
30 Apr – 01 May // Killarney International Rally of the Lakes

15 May // Carlow Stages Rally
22 May // Midland Forest Rally

05 Jun // Circuit of Munster Rally
17-19 Jun // Donegal International Rally

02 Jul // Moonraker Forest Rally
17 Jul // Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally
30-31 Jul // Cork 20 International Rally

14 Aug // Cork Jim Walsh Forest Rally
28 Aug // Galway Summer Rally

10-11 Sep // Wexford Stages Rally
25 Sep // GSMC Mini Stages Rally

08 Oct // Donegal Harvest Rally

13 Nov // Kerry Mini Stages Rally
27 Nov // Killarney Historic Rally