Sligo Pallets extend Forest Championship sponsorship to 2027

The Irish Forest Rally Championship team are delighted to announce that Sligo Pallets have extended their title sponsorship of the series through to 2027, adding three years to their previous two-year commitment as announced at the start of this season.

The announcement of the extended partnership and support of the series into the future was made during last weekend’s Annual Prizegiving held in the Sligo Park Hotel, with Sligo Pallets owner Andrew Mullen receiving a massive round of applause when he delivered the shock news.

Sligo Pallets owner Andrew Mullen is a passionate supporter of Irish Rallying, having become the title sponsor of the Border Tarmac Rally Championship in 2011, and this relationship remains as strong as ever as the Sligo Pallets branding will be seen on both sealed and loose surface events in 2025 and into the future.

With over two decades of experience, the team at Sligo Pallets are experts when it comes to the supply and manufacturing of pallets. The over twenty strong workforce on site pride themselves on maintaining the highest quality of stock, necessary in supplying new and used pallets to suit a range of different businesses and industries. The expertise within Sligo Pallets guarantees a 24-48 hour turnaround service, delivering pallets from their Sligo HQ all around Ireland.

“Since we (Sligo Pallets) became a part of the Irish Forest Rally Championship, it was a perfect fit right away, and it works so well alongside our continued support of the Border Championship. I came in knowing very little about Gravel Rallying, but there are incredible people in this series that give so much to this sport that its perfect for Sligo Pallets to be a part of”.

The 2024 Annual Prizegiving was attended by Motorsport Ireland President Aidan Harper who was glowing in his praise for the Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship, and he thanked the large number of attendees in all they had done to mark 2024 as an incredibly successful year for Irish Motorsport, and Rallying in particular, and made a point of noting the huge success story that is the Junior 1000 series.

2024 saw the 50th Forest Rally event that J1000’s competitors have competed on since the class was introduced in 2017, and from an initial two-car entry in 2017 the series has blossomed into an incredible 32 drivers between 14-17 years of age competing in 2024. President Harper was joined on stage by Ray Fitzpatrick, the series co-ordinator who introduced the series, to present the 2024 title to Oisin McShane & Fabian McShane.

Over the course of the evening, numerous class winners were celebrated, while attendees also raised funds for the North West Hospice through a raffle and a special Auction, with a total of over €9,000 raised between the event and the previous week’s Border Rally Championship Prizegiving. The special guest auctioneer on the night was 2002 Forest Rally Champion, and likely better know as 5-Time Irish Tarmac Champion, Eugene Donnelly!

One of the things Donnolly was most impressed with was the thought that a ‘Flying Brick’ could finish third in the overall standings, but such has been the success of Shane McGirr & Denver Rafferty in 2024 that it should have been no surprise. The Lada Riva is not the most common choice, but it became a staple at the top of the time sheets as the pair raced to take the Top 2WD award as well 3rd in the Overall Classification, behind David Condell & Michael Coady who finished runners-up in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.

The centre piece of the night though was the crowning of 2024 Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Champions, and for 2024 that honour fell to Derek Mackarel and Eamonn Creedon at they celebrated a remarkable season that saw them come out on top. It was an honour to have the very first winners of the Championship on hand to present the trophies to our latest recipients, and it was even more special as it was Derek’s father Andy Mackarel & Damien Courtney.

Speaking as newly crowned champions, Mackarel stated “I still don’t really have words, I’ve been looking at that trophy all night and can’t believe my name is gonna be on it. It’s all a dream really.”

While for Creedon it was testament to all those who had supported him  in his career “I had the easy job in the car but without so much help and guidance from people in motor clubs and the grass roots of the sport I wouldn’t be on this stage, or be honoured to have my name on the Ger Fahy Memorial Cup.”

With the 2024 season now wrapped up, all eyes will begin to turn to the new year and a bumper eight event calendar in store. The action kicks off in February, with the return of the Donegal Forest Rally on Sunday February 16th, with rounds to follow on both sides of the border right across what is set to ben an enthralling season in the Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship.

Andrew Mullen of Sligo Pallets (Right) announces continued sponsorship to 2027. Pic by Cian Donnellan