The Rally - More hassle than it's worth?

Firblog · 17-06-2023 4:51pm #1

Going from Donegal Town to LK yesterday @ 6pm, tailback into Ballybofey started about 3km from Barnesmore, read today about someone taking hour and a half to get from Lurghybrak to polestar roundabout... does the rally cause more disruption than its worth?

Ben Bailey · 17-06-2023 5:02pm

Since the Donegal County Council have to vote approving Road closures they must believe there is dome benefit, sporting and economic, to holding tge Rally. The inconvenience caused to householders and rural businesses who pay rates to the Council & the fact that few, if any, businesses benefit from those taking part or viewing doesn't occur to them.

Email your county Councillor, who work for you, and let them know your view.

selectamatic · 17-06-2023 9:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120727194#Comment_120727194

Some spots are inconvenienced but tbh an awful lot of businesses do very very well out of the rally. Probably even the majority.

Hotels filling all rooms at top dollar, service stations, deli's and takeaways all flat out. Pubs and clubs wedged, restaurants busy too it's really no wonder the council approve of it.

Western Pomise · 17-06-2023 9:42pm

Heading up to rally tomorrow from Mayo.....maybe I'm looking in wrong places but having looked at Donegal Rally website and Donegal county council website you can see a map of stages but cannot find the times the different stages start at anywhere?

Would imagine if you wanted to have your car parked and walk to a decent viewing time for opening stage 15 you would need to be in place at least an hour before stage starts?

Thanks for any replies and advice....will be coming up through Sligo so what time would we need to be in Letterkenny in the morning roughly to get out then to 1st stage?

muffler · 17-06-2023 9:54pm

Times here

Western Pomise · 17-06-2023 10:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120728364#Comment_120728364

Thanks Muffler....that just showed what times roads close at....unless I missed something.

If it says a road is closed say at 11am.....what time typically would cars start racing on the Stage.......I presume some kind of safety drive through is done first to make sure no one in cars or tractors are out on the road?

Thanks for any reply.

muffler · 17-06-2023 10:31pm

Sorry, Im not into the rally stuff myself so wouldnt be sure of the times needed to get a good viewing spot. Have the rally organizers a phone number at all that you could ring?

Montage of Feck · 18-06-2023 7:03am

Typically the stage times and routes are only published in the rally program, usually available at petrol stations. You wouldn't expect organisers to give away their only revenue stream from spectators.

Cherry Blossom · 18-06-2023 7:04am

Times are on the map that comes with the rally pack, €20 in a lot of service stations in Letterkenny area, not sure there will be many left by this stage though. I have it here if you let me know what stages you want to go to. They rarely run to time after the first stage of the day. I went to the first stage yesterday and it ran 20 mins late presumably due to safety issues with spectators. Knockalla was delayed significantly yesterday due to sheer numbers turning up and they decided to bus spectators up the hill. Letterkenny is best avoided if possible. The boy racers are all doing a loop on pearse road, link road, port road. Roads into town are highly congested with them. The speed bumps elsewhere in Letterkenny are causing them problems as a lot of their cars are too low to get over them so they are mostly sticking to that loop. I’m not going to bother with it today, I can’t be bothered with the congestion.

Ben Bailey · 18-06-2023 7:29pm

60 people arrested

Two special court sittings held in Letterkenny due to incidents arising out of weekend

Who doesn't love a Rally ?

Firblog · 19-06-2023 5:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120728205#Comment_120728205

I'd say the taxi drivers none too happy with the rally - unless they all take off for the weekend, also restaurants - can't see too many of the boy racers going for 3/4 course meals over the weekend..

selectamatic · 19-06-2023 11:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120735936#Comment_120735936

The young young buks driving around are only a part of it. There's a cohort in the 30-40 bracket that spend big when they travel to rally's.

If ya don't like the noise, traffic and illegal activities that take place then fair enough you're right in your argument.

But anyone trying to say the rally is anything other than an economic boom for many businesses in Donegal is completely wrong.

SBourgaize · 20-06-2023 10:21pm

Fairly standard process really. Good for business, terrible for people, the business side always wins.

The Rally - More hassle than it's worth?

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