Mayo Stages Rally will make a welcome return to Westport next year
All roads will lead to Westport on the weekend of March 1 next year as plans are in gear for the Mayo Stages Rally to roll back into the 'Adventure Capital of Ireland'.
Despite stages being run in the area in the late 2000s, Westport – located on the famous Wild Atlantic Way – hasn't hosted the high octane event since January 2002.
The Mayo Stages Rally clerk of the course, proud Covey Stephen McGing, said: “It is fantastic to announce the return of the event to Westport. It is important to bring the rally to the area so locals and tourists alike get a chance to see the rally cars and drivers up close as elements of the rally will operate as a family-friendly event, further promoting Westport as a town that has something for all ages.
“It is also an opportunity for local businesses to get a well-earned spinoff from the weekend, which will see over 160 rally crews arrive into town.”
Organised by Mayo & District Motor Club, the Mayo Stages Rally is a race against the clock, pitting crews (driver and co-driver) against a section of road (stages).
The 2026 Westport event will feature three challenging stages run three times, offering what Stephen and his team of organisers describe as a 'tricky yet very enjoyable test'.
With minimal road mileage and all logistics, scrutiny, sign-on and service based in the heart of Westport, the rally promises a compact and highly competitive format.
Top local driver and current holder of the Margaret McGreal Award for top Mayo crews on Mayo Stage Rally events, John Warren, was excited to hear the news of the rally coming to Westport.
He said: “As our home event, going into the Mayo Stages Rally always feels special, with a lot of excitement and support from locals who recognise the McHale Rally2 Fiesta. This one is a little extra special because myself and my co-driver and wife Ruthann only started competing in rallying in 2011, so we’ve never got to experience the roads around Westport.
“This is going to be an extra special one. We’ve had good results in Mayo in the past so we’ll look forward and do as much as we can to get a top result again.”
More details will be announced in the coming weeks as the team continue to work through the key aspects involved in running the event in line with strict Motorsport Ireland regulations and safety guidelines.
The Mayo Stages Rally is one of the biggest sporting events to take place in the region and brings significant revenue into the area. In addition to the rally competitors, their service crews, friends and family, many thousands of spectators (estimated at at least in the tens of thousands) will visit Mayo over the weekend. With all these people requiring accommodation as well as food and beverages, it is clear that the Mayo Stages Rally brings a welcome boost to the local economy.
From its inception in 1976, Mayo & District Motorsport Club has played an important role in supporting and developing motorsport activity in the county. Originally founded as Ballina Motor Club, in 1999 the club changed its name to more accurately reflect the broader area from where it draws its support. Affiliated to the national motorsport organisation Motorsport Ireland, the club promotes official motorsport activity in Mayo, drawing members from all over the county as well as neighbouring regions.