Last weekend’s Down Rally was stopped after just one stage when the popular driver Ryan Bradley sadly lost his life. His Escort crashed off the road into a reservoir. Ryan’s co-driver Gerard Mullan survived and although hospitalised had no serious injuries. Rescue services were quickly on the scene but it took some time to make the recovery.
Ryan was 28 years old and from Kilrea, where he was involved in the family quarrying business. He was an extremely well liked competitor, always smiling. He was also very popular and respected in the community. He just loved his rallying. He was an enthusiastic member of Magherafelt Motor Club. His older brother Kevin is also a successful class winning competitor in his Escort as well as being a rally organiser. Ryan assisted him in every way he could. To Ryan`s mother and father, Sharon and Joe, his sister Bronagh, brother Kevin, girlfriend Gemma and the larger family circle and friends, we offer our very deepest condolences.

The accident happened just a few miles into the opening stage, Lough Island Reavy, at approximately 10.50. Ryan`s Escort went into a reservoir and could not be recovered for quite some time, despite the fact that the rally rescue services were on the scene very quickly. His co-driver Gerard Mullan escaped from the car, and after being checked over in Daisy Hill hospital was soon released. It took many hours for Ryan’s rally car to be craned from the reservoir and his death confirmed. The stage, which was ironically named after the reservoir, was only a short distance from the Castlewellan start. Indeed, the scene of the tragedy was only approximately a mile from the service area as the crow flies. The sound of more and more emergency vehicles hurrying to the scene could be clearly heard from there. A sense of disbelief prevailed that on a bright sunny Saturday morning, in such beautiful surroundings and in the shadow of the Mournes, that such a thing could happen. But it did.

Many of the drivers who had completed the stage, and then driven as directed through stage 2 at road speed to get back to service, made comments on what a superb job the Rathfriland MC team had achieved in stage set-up and safety measures. Those with long memories recalled the 1987 Killarney Rally when a competing car went into the Lake at Molls Gap and Sean Conlon lost his life through drowning. Although this was a parallel case, it was different, in that the Killarney tragedy happened in darkness. Ryan`s accident, and he was known as a tidy driver, happened on a bright sunny morning and with help at hand but powerless to save him. It was a brutally shattering, unforeseen and unexpected incident and seemed massively unjust.

On top of so many accidents this year, especially young Timothy Cathcart losing his life on the Ulster, this was another very upsetting incident. A quietness and sadness descended on the service area as groundsheets were rolled up. The organisers of the rally were as bereft as everyone was, but still handled the situation with professionalism, sympathy and understanding.

The performance of the top cars through the opening stage seems now to be irrelevant. However, for the record.

Desi Henry/Liam Moynihan were fastest despite spinning their Subaru. Desi thought that the engine for his Impreza WRC would not be ready in time for the rally, but he just made it. Derek McGarrity was 2nd fastest through the stage, even though he was cautious in his tyre choice. Derek`s main objective was to get his Mini WRC to the finish. Many of the top drivers picked a `slick` tyre, as although there had been heavy overnight rain the roads were drying fast in the warm breezy conditions. Derek only had to finish the rally to ensure he retained his NI Rally Championship title. The only driver who could have denied McGarrity the title was Desi Henry and he would have had to win the event and Derek non-finish.

Kenny McKinstry was on his home patch and was expected to be the man to beat. However Kenny overheated the clutch of his Impreza WRC S14 on the start line of the 9.16-mile stage. This meant the Banbridge man had to nurse the car for over a mile to allow the clutch to recover its composure. The Escorts of Alistair Cochrane, Paul Killen and Damian Toner rounded off the top six. Alastair Cochrane has clinched the 2wd section of the McGrady NI Championship, and was hoping for a strong result on this rally, which would have secured him an overall top three position. Ashley Dixon & Wendy Blackledge were 8th o/a and leading GpN in their Lancer when the rally was stopped. Dixon and Geoff McMahon were in a tussle for top GpN in the Championship. McMahon was a handful of seconds outside the top ten.

However, as stated above, rally and championship positions became an irrelevance when the situation regarding Ryan Bradley unfolded.

Down Rally Top10 after stage 1: -
1st (13) Desi Henry/Liam Moynihan (Impreza WRC) 8.37.0
2nd (1) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Mini Countryman) 8.39.0
3rd (2) Kenny McKinstry/Noel Orr (Impreza WRC) 8.40.5
4th (6) Alastair Cochrane/Ian Kidd (Escort) 8.56.4
(12) Paul Killen/Enda Kennedy (Escort) 8.56.4
6th (37) Damian Toner/Barry McPartland (Escort) 8.59.9
7th (9) Emma McKinstry/Kenny Hull (Impreza WRC) 9.03.1
8th (22) Ashley Dixon/Wendy Blackledge (Lancer N) 9.04.9
9th (8) David Armstrong/Damien Fleming (Escort) 9.06.3
10th (19) Niall Braniff/Dean O`Sullivan (Escort) 9.07.2

On the GSMC Mini Stages Rally at Baltinglass, Cavan’s Chris Armstrong, co-driven by James Fulton in his Escort, took victory by 9s from last year’s winner Richard Moffett. Richard, who was co-driven by Martin Connolly, led initially despite his Starlet having a down on power engine. This allowed Chris Armstrong to surge through on the 2nd stage and he held his lead to the end. Stephen McCann was expected to figure but his Lancer suffered a mechanical problem. Another pre-event favourite, James Stafford, didn’t make the start due to the non-arrival of some parts for his Darrian. Mike Quinn/Tony Healy came through to 3rd in his Escort. Chris Armstrong’s winning margin was a hard fought 9s, while Quinn was 40s down on Moffett.

Over in North Wales David Weston won the Cambrian Rally in his Impreza WRC, while Steve Perez/Paul Spooner (Focus WRC) took 2nd place and won the BTRDA Championship. Paul Bird, also in a Focus WRC, set a string of fastest times but had to settle for 3rd in the rally and 2nd in the Championship. A spectator had distracted Bird just before the finish of the opening Cambrian stage and he slid his Ford into a ditch. ‘Birdie’ as he is known, pulled out all the stops from then onwards as the Championship would go to ‘first past the post’ between himself and Kick Energy supremo Perez. On this occasion it was Steve Perez who took the title he last won in 2010.

This weekend coming Waterford’s Craig Breen heads to Switzerland’s Rallye International du Valais to drive the Peugeot Academy 208T 16. Craig and his co-driver Scott Martin are hoping for an upturn in the misfortune that has dogged them in recent rallies. This is the penultimate round of the European Rally Championship and Craig’s opposition includes Circuit of Ireland winner Esapekka Lappi (Skoda) as well as his own teammate Kevin Abbring. Craig is the No.1 seed. He has experience of the rally and finished 3rd there last year. Craig has dropped back in the European series points table, and a decent result this weekend would brighten the outlook somewhat.

Also this weekend is the penultimate round of the World Rally Championship, which takes place in Spain. Unusually, the rally comprises both gravel and asphalt sections. The two Volkswagens of Ogier and Latvala head the list, with Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle at 3 for Citroen. Behind them is the supporting WRC cast, with the interesting addition of Ken Block at 15 in a Fiesta WRC. Robert Barrable & Stuart Louden are at 39 in their Fiesta R5. Marty McCormack/Dale Furniss, also in a Fiesta R5, are at 49. Eamonn Boland sticks with his Impreza R4 and is at 77. Some of the ‘Slowly Sideways’ drivers from here will also be making an appearance and include Conor Falvey/James O’Brien in a Porsche plus Pat and Noelle Horan in one of their cars from the GpB era.

The WRC Rally Spain is so accessible nowadays that it has become a regular outing for many people from here, which may affect this weekend’s Fastnet Rally. Shame really, as CoC Ger Hayes has laid on such a good event, with brilliant stages, it deserves every support. Top seeds on the Bantry based Fastnet include last year`s winner Denis Cronin at No.1 in his `99 specification Subaru WRC that won the 2009 event. No.2 is Daragh O`1Riordan (Fiesta WRC), then at 3 it is Kevin Kelleher (Subaru WRC). No.4 is Josh Moffett in the Fiesta WRC with Frank Kelly at No.5 in his Escort.

Looking slightly further ahead Josh Moffett will make his WRC debut on Rally GB that takes place from November 13-16 driving his Group N Lancer. Josh will be co-driven by his regular co-driver John Rowan.

For the future, Clonakilty Blackpudding announced in Dublin last week that they would back the Tarmac Championship for a further two seasons. The Twomey family who own the Clonakilty concern are certainly very professional and enthusiastic sponsors, and this can only be good for the Tarmac series. Main changes for 2015 include the West Cork Rally becoming a full counting round, which increases the number of rounds to 7, with 5 scores to count. This year’s Killarney Historic Rally is the opening counter in the Clonakilty Blackpudding Tarmac Historic Championship, which also encompasses the Isle of Man Rally in September, meaning 9 rounds for the Historics, best 7 to count. The Modifieds also visit the Isle of Man, meaning they have 8 rounds, best 6 to count. There are also some 2 wheel-drive class changes planned for homologated cars in 2015, along with an M-Sport backed Junior Championship.

Finally for now, the Ryan Bradley funeral arrangements are as follows: Funeral will take place on Wednesday 22nd October at 11.00am to St. Mary`s Chapel, Drumagarner, Kilrea.