13th–15th March 2026
Clonakilty, Co. Cork
The West Cork Rally is one of the most exciting rallies in Ireland and always brings huge crowds, fast cars, and brilliant action. Held over three days in and around Clonakilty, it’s known for its fast roads, technical stages, and some of the best rally driving you’ll see all year.
For me, this rally was one I was really looking forward to. After the Galway Rally earlier in the season, West Cork gave me even more chances to improve my photography and capture some amazing moments.
The West Cork Rally takes place over three days, making it one of the biggest rally weekends in Ireland. Drivers travel from all over the country — and even from overseas — to take part.
The weekend usually includes:
This year’s rally ran from Friday 13th March to Sunday 15th March 2026, and the atmosphere all weekend was brilliant.
West Cork is known for its fast and flowing roads, and that makes it a brilliant rally to photograph. Some corners are very quick, and cars come through at serious speed — which makes timing photos even more important.
One of the things I enjoy most about rally photography is finding a good location and waiting for the perfect moment.
At this rally, I worked on:
There were plenty of moments where cars slid sideways through bends, and those always make the best photos.
West Cork gave me some of my favourite photos so far this season. The mix of tight corners, fast sections, and jumps makes it a brilliant rally for action shots.
Some of the highlights I focused on were:
Each rally teaches me something new about photography, and West Cork really helped me improve my timing and confidence.
The West Cork Rally is famous across Ireland because of:
Many rally fans say it’s one of the best rallies of the year, and after being there, it’s easy to see why.
It’s also great for spectators because there are so many good viewing locations and exciting stages.
One of my favourite moments was watching cars come through a fast corner where they carried loads of speed. Seeing them slide slightly while staying in control was amazing — and capturing that in a photo made it even better.
Another highlight was visiting the service area and seeing teams working on the cars between stages. It’s always interesting to see what happens behind the scenes.
I captured loads of action photos across the weekend at the West Cork Rally 2026, and many of them are now available to view.
If you competed, supported a team, or were spectating, you might spot your car or someone you know.
👉 Check out the West Cork Rally Photo Gallery on HughsRallying.com
Prints and digital downloads are available.
Every rally helps me learn something new — whether it’s improving my photography, learning about rally cars, or understanding how stages work.
West Cork was one of the most exciting rallies so far this season, and I can’t wait to get to the next one.
Hi, I’m Hugh — I’m 11 years old and I love rallying and photography. I travel to rallies with my camera to capture exciting rally action and share it with other rally fans.
This website is where I share my rally photos, rally blog posts, and rally clothing.
Thanks for supporting my rally photography journey!
