NEWS that Limerick will soon be playing host to the World Rally Championship, the world’s largest international rallying series, received widespread welcome across this week.
The announcement was made on Tuesday (January 9) at a special event held by Motorsport Ireland had local racing fans revving their motors for the giant of world motoring to touch down in the Treaty.
Limerick Motor Club had presented a bid to Motorsport Ireland to host the World Rally Championship (WRC) at Limerick Racecourse in Patrickswell.
At a press conference held on Tuesday, Aiden Harper, president of Motorsport Ireland, confirmed that the three-year WRC deal would see a joint hosting of the event shared between Limerick, Waterford, and Kerry.
The decision was taken after incredibly strong proposals by each motor club, leading to a difficult decision for officials of Motorsport Ireland.
The WRC will be held in Ireland in 2025, 2026, and 2027, with each location to host the competition for one year.
It has not yet been decided what year Limerick will host the championship.
It is hoped that the initial three-year deal will lead to Ireland hosting more WRC events in future.
The hosting of the international rally event will now hinge on the securing of government funding.
WRC organisers lauded Ireland as an “incredible country” to which world rally teams have been itching to return since the last Rally Ireland took place in 2009.
“We look forward to continue working with Motorsport Ireland and the FIA to work through the necessary steps to secure a calendar slot for Ireland’s bid,” the organisation said.
Motorsport Ireland President Aiden Harper said that “it was an honour for me and the selection panel to see the commitment from our clubs and volunteers in the three areas putting together such strong bids to potentially host WRC Rally Ireland from 2025 onwards.”
“In Kerry, Limerick, and the South East, we have a trio of world class venues that will be ideal hubs for the event.”
Mr Harper said the announcement “is obviously predicated on securing government funding and this is a process that is underway at present. Our bid is currently under consideration by senior management in the Major Sports Events Unit of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media.”
“A three-year deal will require a €15 million investment but this will yield a €300million return over those three years and will greatly benefit the local economies in the South West, Mid West, and South East regions.”
Welcoming the major announcement, Karen Ronan Brosnahan of the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau said that the organisation was “delighted to assist Limerick Motor Club in their bid to host WRC in Limerick.”
“We are thrilled with the outcome. This event is worth €100million to the economy and will put Limerick firmly on the global stage. All the agencies locally and elected officials in Limerick were of immense support to the bid and I’ve no doubt this was a major contributing factor in us being awarded the event.”
Local Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins said that the hosting of the WRC by Limerick is hugely positive news for the area.
“It’s fantastic news that Limerick and the Mid West have secured the WRC for one of Ireland’s three years of hosting the event. We in Limerick put forward a very comprehensive and compelling bid to host the event.”
“The economic impact of staging this event centred at Patrickswell will be enormous and our experience and capacity to deliver was not news the adjudication panel. We have a proven track record in delivery of major events.
“In particular I want to praise Karen Ronan Brosnahan for fronting our bid with the Limerick Motor Club so professionally and I can assure people that government will play its part in making this event a true success.”
Adding a resounding welcome to the news of the global event coming to Limerick, Mayor Gerald Mitchell said that “securing the World Rally Championships would present an exciting opportunity for motorsport enthusiasts in the region and for Limerick as a whole.”
“I want to congratulate Limerick Racecourse, Limerick Motor Club, Shannon Region and Conference Sports Bureau, Limerick City and County Council, Fáilte Ireland, and all the political and business representatives who supported this proposal. It is this spirit of collaboration that is delivering great things for Limerick.”
Dr Pat Daly, chief executive of Limerick City and County Council, lauded the prospects of a potential windfall for the county on foot of the event, noting that “it’s expected that the WRC Rally would draw 250,000 visitors, injecting vitality into our community and generating millions of euros in revenue for our local economy.”
“With the Ryder Cup coming to Adare in 2027, there are exciting times ahead.”
