Celtic Rally 2026 Shamrock Edition
12 Hour Photo Rally
13th June 2026, Ballinasloe, Ireland.
Riders will receive the bonus book and GPX files via email, 1 month prior to the start. Riders will receive details of the Rally hotel to be used for finish and awards ceremony on payment of the entry fee. If you require accommodation prior to the start and wish to maximise your competitiveness, it is recommended that you wait until the bonus book is released, plot your chosen route, and then book accommodation that allows you to get to your chosen McDonalds for a 0700 start.
Rally Start : At any one of the following McDoanlds Restaurants 0700 hrs 13th June 2026 :
1. MCDONALDS, SLIGO RETAIL PARK , DUBLIN ROAD, SLIGO :54.251304,-8.474453
2.MCDONALDS, HILLSBOROUGH ROAD, SPRUCEFIELD, LISBURN :54.491829,-6.060610
3.MCDONALDS, HEBRON ROAD, KILKENNY :52.658424,-7.226620
4.MCDONALDS, Douglas, CORK :51.878072,-8.433653
5.MCDONALDS, N4 RETAIL PARK, LONGFORD :53.74089,-7.80277
6.MCDONALDS, SEAMUS QUIRKE ROAD, GALWAY :53.27563, -9.07643
7. McDonalds, Riverside, Coleraine: 55.122114, -6.673870
Rally Finish: Ballinasloe , County Galway 1900 hrs 13th June 2026
Once again, We are keeping this event as simple as possible – both for Rider and the Organisers. You can book a room at the finish hotel or elsewhere if you wish, but it will be your responsibility to do so. You can stay anywhere you want on the previous evening (we would suggest within an easy ride to your chosen start location) .
Scoring will be conducted face to face. Simply hand in your score sheet and show us your photos – either on a Mobile phone or Digital camera.
Rally is restricted to 30 riders. Rally entry fee is £35.
To enter, send an email with “Celtic Rally 2026” in the subject line and state your name and physical mailing address and contact phone number to Graemeironbuttireland@gmail.com.
If your application is successful, you will receive a Paypal Invoice, to be paid within 7 days.
Remember, this event is restricted to 30 riders. Once we hit 30, that’s it. If you want to enter don’t delay
Celtic Rally Rules.
1. The Motorcycle and Rider must be road legal.
2. The rally is intended to be a test of rider, machine and your route planning powers. We don’t care what machine you start or finish on. If you break down, borrow another bike by all means, but the entire ride must be conducted on two wheels.
3. Failure to arrive at the finish on time will result in a “ did not finish” result
4. Auxiliary fuel systems are not necessary. However, you may carry extra fuel if you wish. If you choose to carry extra fuel, you are responsible for your own safety. The organisers will not examine any auxiliary fuel system or carrying container on your bike.
5. Riders are expected to act in a sportsmanlike fashion at all times.
6. Any attempt at cheating will result in instant disqualification and a lifetime ban for future events
7. Once the rally starts, riders must not receive assistance from anyone not riding in the rally. This includes attempting to get others to take photos on your behalf. This rule does not prevent you from asking directions from a stranger once you are in the vicinity of a bonus location, or another person using your camera to take a photo of you.
8. Riders are responsible for their own health and safety during the event. This includes taking adequate rest periods.
9. In order to claim points for a location, a rider must actually ride to the location. In addition, riders must follow any specific instructions for that location.
10. Riders shall start the Rally from one of the published start locations.
11. Riders shall generate a receipt AFTER the rally start time from their choice of the published start locations.
12. No Bonus photographs may be taken before the riders start receipt has been generated.
13. The start receipt MUST be brought to the scoring table. If the rider does not present the original start receipt at the finish, the rider will be classed as “did not finish”
14. If, for whatever reason, a suitable receipt cannot be generated from the riders choice of published start locations, the rider shall generate a suitable receipt from anywhere within the vicinity - and we mean the immediate locality—5 minutes riding time.
15. Riders shall copy identifiable unique data from the receipt onto the area of the rally ID flag designated for this purpose. “Identifiable unique data” could be the exact receipt time (07.01.22 for example), the receipt number, transaction code or other data that is unique to that receipt.
16. The data transferred to the flag must be written in a clear manner. A black permanent marker or Grease pencil is ideal. It is the riders responsibility to provide this. Riders should carry this marker or pencil during the rally in case they need to correct any smudging or other deterioration of the markings.
17. The Rally ID flag MUST appear in EVERY bonus photo, ideally in the foreground, with the bonus item in the background. We need to be able to identify YOUR flag in the photo.
18. A score sheet will be provided to each rider. An entry must appear on this sheet for each and every bonus you are claiming and must be presented at the scoring table. Any bonuses not present on your scoring sheet AND your camera device will not be awarded. If no score sheet is presented at the finish, you will be classed as a “ did not finish”
19. Riders will be issued with a GPX file and Bonus Book by email only on the 13 th May 2026 . This will be sent to the email address supplied. You must notify us as soon as possible thereafter if you have not received it.
20. You are responsible for ensuring that you are proficient in the use, transfer of and processing of the supplied GPX files. You should be satisfied that you can work with gpx files before entering this event. No refunds will be given because of data processing issue on your part.
21. You are responsible for ensuring your submitted photos comply with the requirements of that particular location. Be disappointed of course, but do not be offended if your attempt to claim a bonus location is turned down. The reason for doing so will be explained. The rally masters decision is final and he won’t give a %@+* if you don’t agree.
FAQs
Is this a Race?
No. The rally can be very competitive among the leading players but they are definitely not races. Races depend on the use of high speed and daring; IBA rallies depend on planning .
The Rally can be best thought of as an exercise in solving the well-known "Travelling Salesman Problem" as solved by multi-drop van drivers every working day. You are given a selection of possible locations to visit and photograph, scattered right across the rally's territory and you must choose which to visit, in which order, building a points score within the Effective Riding Time of the rally.
What’s this about minimum points?
A minimum points value will be set to ensure that riders must reach a certain level of performance to be classed as a finisher. This is to protect the value of being classed a finisher of our event – you have to reach a certain level of performance, not just roll out at the start and roll back again with 100 miles on the clock and 50 points in the bag. The points level will be determined by the rallymaster and published in the bonus book.
I can't ride all day long!
You don't need to. In a 12 hour rally the effective riding time is quite a bit less than 12 hours: you need to stop for fuel, for food and drink, to visit bonus locations and to complete the paperwork within the 12 hours so you might be actually riding for ten or eleven hours, in some cases even less.
Why should I enter this rally?
First and foremost because it’s fun.
Secondly because it will help you develop your skills at riding, route planning, navigation and body management.
Thirdly you'll ride to places you'd never otherwise visit..
Finally you'll meet like-minded souls and enjoy telling about the "ones that got away".
Go on, you know you want to ...
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