Stories of the Ireland Rally – Farewell Friday – 22nd May 2026

Find out what happened on the last day of the Ireland Rally as people prepared to head home and to other destinations – and in particular, who had the most dramatic exit??

Despite the late night the night before, most members made it down to breakfast at some point. Even at that stage, there were still new connections being made between people who hadn’t managed to speak before. The WhatsApp group continued to be very active throughout the day and in the days that followed, as members gradually made their way homewards and shared their photos and happy memories as they did so.

There were a few ferry delays on the way back which saw some members arriving back in the UK in the small hours, but the most dramatic exit was definitely Janet Morley and Peter Sumpter.

On arriving back in the UK, their key snapped in the ignition with the result that they had to remain on the ferry and go back to Ireland while arrangements were put in place for their car, Rainbow, to be removed from the ferry when it docked back in the UK again. Poor Rainbow had to be carried off the ferry by a forklift truck which was a heart stopping moment for Janet and Peter!

Luckily, they were able to get it sorted and head home but it was definitely a moment they could have lived without. In all seriousness, if you are using an older or original key, make sure you inspect it regularly for any cracks or damage. Even better, get a new one cut and keep the original one as part of your car’s archive to avoid ending up in a similar situation!

We thoroughly enjoyed the entire event, and our huge and sincere thanks go to:

Dolly and Dave Webb for organising and hosting;
Suzanne and the team at Clanard Court Hotel for their dedication, commitment and professionalism to us as a club and individuals;
Lily O’Brien chocolates for their gift of chocolates for the rally pack;
Joyce Chambers for judging the Show and Shine;
Lidl for the gift vouchers which were used for non-alcoholic prosecco on arrival at Newbridge Silverware; and
Dunne & Sons Haulage for their sponsorship of the picnic at Glendalough.

See the gallery of photos below…