The Midland Motor Club – motoring for 40 years!

The Midland Motor Club was founded in 1968 to promote motorsport in the Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon and Leitrim areas.  At present the club is one of the oldest and the biggest in terms of membership (over 150) and area size in Ireland.  It is one of 32 clubs that is affiliated to motorsport Ireland the governing body of motor sport in Ireland.  At present the club runs five events in the year. These are one autocross, one auto test, two night navigation trials (map reading exercises in cars) and the highlight of the calendar is the Moto Stages Rally, which runs on April 6th.     Down through the years, club members have won virtually every award and rally in Ireland. Mick Dolan (Moate) was the highest placed republic driver on the 1968 Circuit of Ireland Rally, Derek Johnston (Longford) won the 1973 National Rally Championship, Dermot O Gorman (Athlone) was the inning Navigator with Austin Mc Hale on the 1993 Circuit of Ireland and continues to be one of the best co-drivers in Ireland sitting with Michael Barrable, Sam Johnston (son of Derek) who in his first season of rallycross in 2002 won the British and European Championships. He continues to dominate the Hewison Autotest championship    There are many others in the club who are still making history like Sean and Clare Gallagher, Johnny Kelly, Robbie Shaw, Kevin Lunt, John and Sean O’Toole, Frank Farry, Gerry and Joe Kelly, Colin Flanagan, Tommy Rafferty, Anthony Dolan, Nigel Feeney, Seany Kelly, Ivor Trimble, Jimmy Brennan, Ger Kenny, Ciaran Dwyer, Martin and Pether McDonald, Pether Hagan, Damien Finneran, Mark McDermott, Alan Gibbons, Enda Mc Loughlin, Fergal Costello, Damien Finneran, Adrian Grealy and many others.   The club is in a unique position in that its members can be seen officiating at events from Bunbeg to Bandon in the form of Motorsport Ireland officials, marshals, time keepers, rescue personnel, spectator control and radio operators. These include Eoin Longworth, the Henehan Family, Brendan Fayne, Aidan Harper, Eamon Reilly, Cyril Rollins, Frank Clancy, Sean Cahill, Bernie Flynn and many more.   Chairman Gerry Kelly and our ever-busy P.R.O. Barry Molloy lead the club’s hard-working committee.