The roar of rally cars, packed service areas, and huge crowds around the stages made the 2026 Carlow Stages Rally another unforgettable weekend for Irish motorsport fans.
On Sunday, May 17th, Hugh O’Brien from Hugh’s Rallying attended the rally to capture the action, meet drivers and teams, and continue promoting Irish rallying through photography and video coverage.
Organised by Carlow Car Club, the Carlow Stages Rally once again attracted a top-class entry list featuring some of the biggest names in Irish rallying. The event delivered close competition throughout the day, with only seconds separating the leading crews after a thrilling battle across the stages.
There was fantastic support for Hugh throughout the event, with many drivers, co-drivers, teams, and rally fans stopping for photos and chats during the day. The atmosphere around the service park and stages showed once again why Irish rallying has such a passionate following.
A huge congratulations to all the crews who competed in challenging conditions and delivered an incredible day of motorsport action.
| Position | Crew | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Michael Boyle / Dermot McCafferty | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | 58:57.1 |
| 2nd | Cathan McCourt / Barry McNulty | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | 59:01.6 |
| 3rd | Josh Moffett / Keith Moriarty | Toyota Yaris Rally2 | 59:10.6 |
| 4th | Shane Quinn / Stephen Reynolds | Ford Fiesta Rally2 | 59:15.3 |
| 5th | Tommy Doyle / Liam Moynihan | Hyundai Rally2 | 59:16.9 |
| 6th | Meirion Evans / Ger Conway | Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 | 59:27.4 |
| 7th | Gary Kiernan / John McCabe | Ford Fiesta | 59:36.3 |
| 8th | Keelan Grogan / Stephen Joyce | Ford Fiesta | 1:00:14.3 |
| 9th | Joseph Kelly / Paddy McCrudden | Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 | 1:01:25.3 |
| 10th | John Warren / Ruthann O’Connor | Ford Fiesta Rally2 | 1:01:41.1 |
Congratulations to overall winners Michael Boyle and Dermot McCafferty after an incredibly close battle at the top of the leaderboard. With less than five seconds separating first and second place, rally fans were treated to a brilliant contest right to the finish.
Special mention also to John Warren and Ruthann O’Connor, who secured a strong top 10 finish after another impressive performance.
Hugh’s Rallying would like to thank everyone involved in the event, including the organisers, marshals, rescue crews, volunteers, drivers, and supporters who continue to make Irish rallying so special.
Photos and video highlights from the Carlow Stages Rally will be available soon across Hugh’s Rallying social media channels and website.
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