About
// Rally Ireland
Welcome to Rally Ireland's 2009 WRC website.
We have come a long way in four years. From humble beginnings in 2005 to be one of the most successful rallies in the WRC 2007 to be presented with the honour of launching the WRC season in 2009 (January 30th - February 1st); it is hard not to sit up and pinch yourself to see if it isn't all a dream. Founders Ronan Morgan and Sean O'Connor and their large support team have a lot to be proud of.
And since it all began Rally Ireland has continually increased in size. Here are just a few numbers: in excess of 250,000 spectators lined the stages and the rally is now worth more than €48 million to the local economy. Rally Ireland received more than €11 million worth of media coverage including more than 5 hours television coverage. And we will be hoping to extend and improve all of this in the coming year to make Rally Ireland 2009 one of the year's biggest sporting events.
The location for the rally will once again be the north-western
counties of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The final
route and locations for Rally headquarters and service park are
currently being finalised, and details will be confirmed first on
www.rallyireland.org.
We hope that more fans will make
the journey up to the north west of Ireland in January 2009 to
experience Rally Ireland and see some of the most skilled motor sports
drivers in the world tackle the island's roads.
The response and enthusiasm by fans to Rally Ireland in 2007 and we hope you will show the same support next January. A spectator and safety management plan will once again be put in place and as with 2007 we would once again ask that you to help us to make Rally Ireland 2009 as safe a rally as last year.
Rally Ireland will also be continuing to find new ways to reduce the carbon footprint of the event and will seek to make significant moves towards environmental awareness and good practice in motor sport.
We will once again be counting on the support of the governments in both the north and south of Ireland for this event, as witnessed in 2007 through the support of Failte Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland. All of the local agencies in tourism and hospitality, emergency services and motor sport will be working together once more to deliver a world-class event and improve on 2007.
Motorsport Ireland the Association of Northern Ireland Car Clubs will be driving forward professional training for our volunteers who will once again give their time to work as Marshals and Stewards on the event.
The principles of the management team have remained in place and new blood may be brought in to several positions to ensure standards are maintained, if not raised.
In 2007, Rally Ireland proved that it is possible to enter the WRC and become one of the best rallies in the Championship. In 2009 we want to be the best.
We look forward to welcoming you in January.
The Rally Ireland Team
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